How to Care for Vintage Copper and Tin-Lined Copperware

Vintage copper brings warmth to a kitchen, a shelf or a hearth. Many older pieces from Turkey and the Middle East, such as cooking pots, wash basins and soap boxes, are hand hammered and lined with tin. A little care keeps them looking their best, whether you use them or display them. Here is what you need to know.

Why old copper is lined with tin

Copper reacts with food, especially acidic food, so cookware was traditionally coated inside with a thin layer of tin. In Turkey this tinning is called kalay, and the craftsman who renews it is a kalaycı. The tin looks silver when new and turns a soft, mottled gray with age. That gray color is normal.

Display or use?

Most vintage copper is bought for display, as a planter cover, a utensil holder or a centerpiece. If you want to cook in a tin-lined piece, check the inside first. When bare copper shows through over an area of about a square inch, especially on the floor of the pot, have it retinned before you cook in it. Untinned copper is best kept for display or dry storage.

Cleaning the outside

• Everyday: wash with mild dish soap and warm water, then dry well.
• To brighten: a paste of lemon juice and salt, or a commercial copper cleaner, removes tarnish. Rinse and dry right away.
• To keep the patina: many collectors prefer the dark, aged color and green verdigris, so do not polish unless you want a bright finish. Polishing cannot be undone.

Caring for the tin lining

• Use a soft sponge and dish soap. Avoid steel wool and scouring powders.
• Use wooden or silicone utensils, not metal.
• Never heat an empty tin-lined pan, and avoid very high heat, which can soften the tin.

Brass handles and fittings

Brass handles can be cleaned the same way as copper. Check that rivets are tight before lifting a full pot or planter.

Storing copper

Keep copper dry. Moisture speeds up green verdigris, especially in seams and around rivets. If you use a copper planter, put the plant in a plastic liner pot so water does not sit against the metal.

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Source: Vintage French Copper, Essential guide to tin-lined copper