Thanks so much you guys!

__________________
I like the bed I'm sleeping in, just like me it's broken in; it's not old -- just older.
Like a favorite pair of torn blue jeans, this skin I'm in it's alright with me; it's not old -- just older.....Bon Jovi

You could try to polish the top parts of the brass by wearing a terrycloth shirt and getting bent over different section of the bedframe. "buttsex:

__________________
Put me on wheels and I'll turn tricks.

Clever? Nah, I ran out of that years ago. But if you find this, let me know, k?
"The road goes ever on..." ~ Tolkien

In memory of my friend skip...
Go then, there are other worlds than these

You could try to polish the top parts of the brass by wearing a terrycloth shirt and getting bent over different section of the bedframe.

Just a thought.

__________________
Put me on wheels and I'll turn tricks.

Clever? Nah, I ran out of that years ago. But if you find this, let me know, k?
"The road goes ever on..." ~ Tolkien

In memory of my friend skip...
Go then, there are other worlds than these

Sorry jay-t...but I don't agree with a laquer finish on antique brass! The cream polishes used to take off the tarnish will NOT work as well if you laquer brass (or any metal) and eventually humidity and the stuff that floats through the air will degenerate the laquer in spots and make for cleaning all that much harder.

Brass takes on a character through the years and it's all due to the cleaning process. Unless you keep it (forever) in an air tight casket, deterioration happens, even if it's laquered. As scotz said...old isn't necessarily a bad thing...but the patina finish is usually talked about in wood furniture. "Patina" on brass is very unsightly and can cause pits and holes in time. This is rare if cared for properly. Of course, scratches are inevitable. I am of the school that says old/antique carries it's own character (character=scratches and dings).

Clean it up as best you can with ®Brasso or any other of the leading cleaners on the market. Seal it with hairspray...spraying from at least 8-10" away. Don't let the spray drip or bubble (orange peel) or you should wipe with a damp, lint free cloth and start again.

Better yet? Ask a professional! Those smartie-ass-pants antique's dealer's love to hand out advice if you "pretend" you might want to buy something from them.

SCENARIO: *inside an antique store* "Hmmmmmm...this bed is a beauty but I don't know if I can deal with the tarnish all the time. Any tips on keeping it tarnish free for a long[er] period of time? Come on...gimme the inside scoop so I can impress my friends. I'll steer them to you in their future purchases! Oh...I guess I can do that (whatever they suggest) but I'll have to run this by hubby". Call on several dealer's and then weigh the advice. Any common comments? Any advice that seems scientifically feasible? Also, if you get an appraisal (for insurance purposes), the appraiser can tell you how to care for the brass. If he/she says to leave the tarnish...leave the tarnish!

Good luck hun!

*waiting for pics*

P.S. I purchased a product called Maas and it wasn't what it claimed to be. I have some antique copper kitchen utensils (ladel, fork, spoon, spatula) that I wanted to display but I couldn't see the copper color anymore. I tried Maas and I felt like my arm was gonna fall off and I had to re-apply many times before I got the desired cleanliness. Go by the old school theory/method that tarnish took a while to get there...it'll take a while and some elbow grease to remove...but don't waste your money on Maas! Brasso will work better and I'll use that from now on.

__________________
Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Hmmm...so I guess you're trying to say "No Maas".

__________________
Though I am different from you,
We were born involved in one another.

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.

Complete surrender should not just come at moments in which one faces overwhelming odds, but in the calm when it seems one is personally in complete control of one's life.

I didn't say no to Baas WI...CALM DOWN!

__________________
Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Aqua....the ideas you come up with...you are such a genius!...How about some ....that would definitely be something different for me! lol

Lixy...thanks hun....I'm almost ready to get started with this cleaning process...wish me luck!

WI....you just ain't right...I love that about you!

__________________
I like the bed I'm sleeping in, just like me it's broken in; it's not old -- just older.
Like a favorite pair of torn blue jeans, this skin I'm in it's alright with me; it's not old -- just older.....Bon Jovi

Cleaning copper is super easy...mix up a paste of plain old table salt and lemon juice. Let it sit for a while and rinse off. You'll need to wear sunglasses!