And with flash, to overaccentuate the scratches (which aren't really bad at all):

What I've learned from years of watching Antiques Roadshow is: when in doubt, do nothing but dust it with a soft cloth.

Eek. We're well past dusting! :) It gets a warm soapy bath every month or two!

When I picked it up a year or two ago, I did polish it, and it hasn't tarnished much since then, but I did NOT do a good job on the gold bits because I wasn't sure how. But I would like to get it looking respectable. After all, a large part of the appeal of vintage instruments is that they are so much prettier than new ones...

Are you sure that what look likes a gold wash isn’t the base metal (brass?) showing through because the silver plate is wearing off?

Thanks Maddie--pretty sure it's not the brass. The gold is very deliberately
applied inside the engraved designs, definitely not worn--there are definite worn spots in the plate to
compare to. :) I tried to get a better shot but I don't know if it is
more revealing. I think I've finally found something that is even harder for me to
photograph than cut glass and my teenager.

Am I nuts or do landscape photos enlarge when you click on them and portrait ones do not? How long has that been going on?

The horn looks quite lovely. I don’t really see any tarnish, so I guess I’m not sure exactly what is bothering you. Are you hoping to reduce some of the surface scratches without removing the gold wash?

Thanks. It's not actually scratched much at all--the silver is supposed to have a sandblasted (well, not quite sandblasted) finish and not be super shiny. But the gold in some spots is tarnished because I was afraid to polish it much. I guess the photos don't show the tarnished spots but maybe they show enough of the plating method to give some insight into polishing techniques.

I know gold doesn't tarnish, but if it's thin enough, the silver under it can tarnish. I dug up a photo of the thing before polishing (and after washing) and you can see how especially the "ring" around the bell is discolored.

It's a York cornet. As far as I can tell, they didn't offer anything other than silverplate (with varying levels of gold on top) or plain brass during that period. (And by "plain brass" I mean "fabulously engraved brass".)

It sounds better than it looks!

You've probably done your own research, but I found this. Didn't read it, but maybe will help?

http://www.trumpetmaster.com/threads/cleaning-the-finish-restoration-of-a-silver-gold-plated-york-trumpet.52851/

Maybe you could take a detail of an area that shows what you are describing (I know it’s hard to photograph reflective surfaces). As noted, gold doesn’t tarnish so the presence of tarnish would seem to indicate the gold wash is already compromised in those areas. Have you looked under magnification? I circled an area below - is that one of the areas you are talking about? It’s so hard to judge from a photo! What do you use to give your horn a bath? Please don’t follow any of the suggestions (as far as cleaning silver) in the link above. Aluminum, salt and baking soda are too aggressive.

Ah, Oly! The trumpet people are good on so many things, but I prefer to take a gentler approach to the decorative aspects of a horn. Too often, something called "aircraft stripper" comes up and I just have to back away...

Elunia, yes, that is a bit of tarnish! (or whatever.) It doesn't appear pitted but it's certainly possible that the gold is thinner there. The entire section at the end of the bell was fairly well tarnished before polishing, gold and silver alike (see green towel photo), but I didn't want to rub hard enough to see if the tough spots cleaned up. Maybe I should.

The cornet gets washed with mild dish soap and warm water. You can't not wash these things!

Try a cotton swab using gentle pressure, it will give you more control and work in a small area. You can moisten the swab with water (usually distilled, but I suppose whatever you normally use for “bath time” is fine), maybe add a few drops of non ionic or mild detergent (unscented, clear). Go slow, check to see if anything comes off on the swab and pay close attention to the area you are working on.

That yellowish part might be brass rather than a gold wash. You would need to know the construction of your instrument to be sure. It is possible that this coronet had a thin layer of lacquer. However, most of the horns in my school band were plated brass. After cleaning, the horns were waxed. Automotive wax works if it is the non-cleaning type having only wax and a carrier. Automotive waxes with cleaner may contain abrasives for removing oxidized paint and is too harsh for polishing horns with decoration.

Applying wax to your household faucets will make those shine and stay clean longer. It also protects the polished finish. Again, do not use wax containing cleaner.

So there's no magic solution huh? Just careful and slow. Alright. :)

Jem, people still wax brasswinds with car wax! I happen to have a can of car wax for just that. Do people still wax cars? (I wonder if it'll help silver stay shiny--I might try it out on the spare A slide. I don't think it will harm it.)

The gold accent on silver was a trendy upgrade in early 20th century. I'm sure that's what this one is. You can still find the ordering options from some of the bigger manufacturers. Lacquer wasn't common until the '30s I think. (Here is a compilation of assorted finish options from much bigger manufacturer Conn for example, if you're curious: https://cderksen.home.xs4all.nl/ConnArticle11.html )