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Hello Mr. Tadenev,

I would suggest having a conservator look at it in person. There may be several issues, some of which are not obvious from the photographs. Because it is a nickel plated steel, galvanic corrosion has to be on the list. https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/training-learning/in-person-workshops/galvanic-corrosion.html  Galvanic corrosion in this case is considered inherent vice https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Inherent_vice which means that due to the nature of the artifact it will have a tendency to destroy itself. There is likely also corrosion due to exposure to the environment (high humidity, dirt and oils from being touched without gloves, and other environmental factors that cause metals to tarnish). Depending on what the sheath is made of, storage in the sheath can also cause problems. If the sword is made completely of metal (no wood, ivory, leather) then I would suggest keeping it in a very dry environment to help limit corrosion until you can get further expert advice. I hope this helps!

Kate

Hello Mr. Tadenev,

I would suggest having a conservator look at it in person. There may be several issues, some of which are not obvious from the photographs. Because it is a nickel plated steel, galvanic corrosion has to be on the list. https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/training-learning/in-person-workshops/galvanic-corrosion.html  Galvanic corrosion in this case is considered inherent vice https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Inherent_vice which means that due to the nature of the artifact it will have a tendency to destroy itself. There is likely also corrosion due to exposure to the environment (high humidity, dirt and oils from being touched without gloves, and other environmental factors that cause metals to tarnish). Depending on what the sheath is made of, storage in the sheath can also cause problems. If the sword is made completely of metal (no wood, ivory, leather) then I would suggest keeping it in a very dry environment to help limit corrosion until you can get further expert advice. I hope this helps!

Kate

Hello Mr. Tadenev,

I would suggest having a conservator look at it in person. There may be several issues, some of which are not obvious from the photographs. Because it is a nickel plated steel, galvanic corrosion has to be on the list. https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/training-learning/in-person-workshops/galvanic-corrosion.html  Galvanic corrosion in this case is considered inherent vice https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Inherent_vice which means that due to the nature of the artifact it will have a tendency to destroy itself. There is likely also corrosion due to exposure to the environment (high humidity, dirt and oils from being touched without gloves, and other environmental factors that cause metals to tarnish). Depending on what the sheath is made of, storage in the sheath can also cause problems. If the sword is made completely of metal (no wood, ivory, leather) then I would suggest keeping it in a very dry environment to help limit corrosion until you can get further expert advice. I hope this helps!

Kate