Abstract: High efficiency deposition of silver on the surface of a substrate is obtained by providing a solution containing reducible dissolved silver in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide and ammonia, all of which are applied to the substrate in the presence of an aqueous solution of a moderating reducer containing a polyhydric alcohol of the formula CH.sub.2 OH(CHOH).sub.n CH.sub.2 OH, where n is an integer from 1 to 6. Preferably the polyhydric alcohol is sorbitol, and in a preferred embodiment a moderator is the form of a thio glycerol is present.