#silvergilt

Reliquary in the shape of a three-legged fish, from Germany, ca. 900-1350 CE.

GOLD LEAF BALANCING ON THE SQUIRELL TIP!

  GILDING & GOLD LEAF

Gold seems to be on trend at the moment. It is what we do so we thought we would fill you in on a few interesting facts.

Gild - gilded or gilt / gilding is to cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold. Gold leaf is hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used in gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of  karats and shades and the general size of the leaf is 80mm square with 25 leaves in a book. At Subtle Finish we generally use 22 karat gold leaf which is yellow in appearance and the 23 karat is a warmer red tone. White gold has a warm silver appearance and contains 12 karats of gold. The Egyptians and Romans gilded wood and metals and used ornamental gilding extensively. In this day and age gold leaf and architectural gilding is commonly found in palaces and temples all over the world and in framing, furniture, decorative objects and culinary uses. Water gilding is a very traditional skill in that it is still done by hand like it once was.

There are some imitation gold appearances which are either gold paint or metal leaf. Neither contain any real gold. There are also different methods of applying gold leaf onto frames and furniture; water gilding and oil gilding. Watergilding is the most difficult and highly regarded and can be burnished or polished with an agate stone tool. It is applied with a gilding tip which is a flat brush made out of squirrel hair. The book of gold leaf sits in the gilding cushion or pad covered in pig or calf skin and surrounded in parchment or raw hide which protects and acts as a wind shield as the gold leaf is about a micron thick. Oil gilding is done by applying an oil size to a prepared surface, left to dry and then leaf is applied. This technique is commonly used for architectural gilding.

At Subtle Finish when doing the finishing stage of mirror frames, picture frames or furniture we mostly watergild but contrasts can be achieved by including oil gilding on areas that need to be a more matte finish. Stunning results appear when using different coloured clays called bole underneath the gold leaf and when antiqued, reveal depths and patination of colour and shimmering gold. These effects require true artistic and expertise ability.

One of our most popular finishes in the Subtle Finish range of mirrors are frames finished in white gold. They appear silver and contemporary but have a warmth that silver doesn't. Silver can also oxidise so we prefer to use white gold on mirrors and frames that are going into bathrooms or where there will be moisture. A lot of our mirrors are parcel gilt which is highlights of gold leaf along side gesso or an off white appearance. It really works with frames that have interesting profiles with scoops and beading.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE