From a reader…
I have a priest who is a good friend who owns a beautiful chalice he bought in Fatima. The gold plating on the inside of the chalice is beginning to thin out.
Could you recommend someone who can replate the chalice who is here in the States? I remember that you had a chalice redone recently when you went to Rome. But I’m hoping that there is someone stateside who could do this, who is honest and affordable.
Good question. I’ve never had anything done in these USA, so I don’t have personal experience.
However, I’ll wager there are quite a few priests who read this blog who could chime in with recommendations and warnings.
That said, I know of a place in Milwaukee called Stemper that does this work. There is Mitchell in Houston. There is Adrian-Hamers near NYC which does good work from what I have seen, but my understanding is that they are crazy expensive. In Omaha there are two places Cosgrave and Koley.
I suspect there are quite a few places which would do a good job. However, it would be helpful to have some people chime in with experiential knowledge.
Also, once a chalice is regilded, it has to be reconsecrated. I have another post about that in which I write about finding a bishop who is happy to consecrated chalices, etc., in the TRADITIONAL rite. HERE and HERE
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Some priests I know use this guy
https://m.facebook.com/MarkReadStudioMetalsmithing/
Replating a chalice is a surprisingly delicate task due to the importance of what it will contain.
There are a number of vendors who solicit priests, offering to do this work very cheaply. In all the cases I have heard of the work is either not done at all or not done well.
This is one task that you want done by a tried and true craftsman who will use a sufficient amount of high quality gold for the plating.
In the USA, I trust Koley’s in Omaha for things like this. (Cosgrove’s is actually owned by Koley’s and managed by Kathy Koley, the wife of Tom who currently runs Koley’s)
I have gone to them for numerous jobs, both big and small, including the repair of a tabernacle, and have always received excellent work and service.
Though at this time, there is a pretty long wait list for the work.
If you can afford the time, their expertise is worth the wait.
I like Adrian Hamers Larchmont NY.
They’ve always done a good job for me.
We use Tonini Church Supply in Louisville for all our restoration needs. We’ve dropped off several patens, ciboria, an altar Crucifix and a monstrance to be restored/refinished and we have been very satisfied. They do great work and are only a 20 minute drive from our parish so I can just run any items over that need work which saves a little on shipping. The next item in the pipeline to be refinished/restored is a processional cross.