Nose Ring

Conservation

The ring nose is a lost wax hollow casting. The casting is made of a gold alloy containing a fair amount of copper, tumbaga. The surface was acid etched to remove copper and make it appear more gold, a technique called depletion gilding. Etched dendritic patterns are visible in the better preserved areas of the surface. The surface was grimy and was gently cleaned prior to installation in the Ancient Americas gold exhibition (opened May 9, 2015).

Date	Description	Narrative
4/16/2015	Treatment	Minor cleaning for exhibition

Exhibitions

• Gold of the Ancient Americas. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. 2015.

Provenance Tiffany & Co.; purchased by Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1910; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters, 1910 (from Tiffany & Co.)