Question on Silverware

I have been going through some of my Mom's things and found silverware that was my Grandmother's. It has been wrapped in tissue/paper towels and is coated with a white powder. Any idea what that would be and why? Cornstarch maybe?

It is 1847 Rogers Brothers, and I suspect it is just silver plated and not sterling. It's clean and not at all tarnished.

Never heard of this, Linda, but anything that coated it completely would protect it from tarnishing, so....

It wasn't completely covered, more like sprinkled with it. I repacked it and left the powder in there. When you go through a house where folks have collected stuff for 50 years, plus what they there came with, you come across all kinds of interesting things.

It could be "plate powder" or "rouge powder", a component of old-fashioned silver polishes.

If you're in the mood for an experiment, try mixing some with water to make a paste and use it to polish something that is tarnished... does it still work?

Jeff, that's a good idea. Unfortunately, there isn't enough powder for that. I did read that a paste made with cornstarch and water will clean silver so that might be what it is.

So will baking soda and water.