| Gilding is the fixing of gold leaf to a prepared surface | | | | substitute, so a good idea is to protect it with a |
| and rubbing it into place. Gold leaf will not tarnish: it lasts | | | | covering of clear alcohol-based varnish. Another |
| for years, giving a true gold look to any wood, metal or | | | | alternative is liquid leaf, again easy to apply. It can be |
| plaster base. The lavish and decadent lives of yester | | | | brushed on, or drawn on with a pen. It is brighter than |
| year found the need to have almost every piece of | | | | gold leaf and does not have the same 'antique' finish |
| furniture that they owned gilded, really evident in the | | | | as wax guilt, hence larger areas may not have the |
| 17th and 18th centuries across the globe. Today these | | | | desired effect especially when restoring your antique |
| fine pieces still have the same allure, but for totally | | | | piece. |
| different reasons - being antiques. | | | | Ormolu is bronze, cast into decorative shapes that are |
| Old gold leaf antiques can be cleaned with water | | | | gilded with gold leaf and attached to parts of furniture. |
| containing a few drops of ammonia. New gold leaf can | | | | A form of decoration that was developed from |
| be bought in plain sheets, or in transfers that have a | | | | ormolu is brass alloy, with the same appearance as |
| tissue backing. The transfer sheets are much easier to | | | | gold. The surface of ormolu often becomes tarnished |
| use than the plain sheets. When applying gold leaf to a | | | | because the brass sweats through the gilding. Clean it |
| restored area, make sure that the surface is clean and | | | | by brushing the surface gently with soap and warm |
| dry. Paint the base with Japan gold size and leave it to | | | | water containing a few drops of ammonia. To remove |
| get 'tacky'. Lay the sheets in place, slightly overlapping | | | | any obstinate dirt from the surface, add more |
| at the edges; rub them down carefully, following the | | | | ammonia. Always wear rubber gloves for this work. |
| direction of the overlap, with a clean cotton cloth until | | | | To restore faded or damaged antique pieces of |
| the edges blend evenly together. The knack is to lay | | | | painted furniture, scrape the paint down to the surface |
| the sheets on the surface when the size has reached | | | | and fill any deep scratches or holes with plastic wood, |
| the correct degree of 'tackiness'. If the size is too wet, | | | | or Polymer texturing paste. Rub the area with fine |
| the leaf crinkles; if it is too dry, the leaf will not stick. | | | | glass-paper and repaint, using matching artists' oil |
| Today the value of antiques will depend on whether | | | | colours. To achieve a matt finish, only use undercoat |
| pure gold leaf was used or wax gild, as was common | | | | paint; cover it when dry with a good-quality matt |
| practise to reduce the cost of making a fine piece of | | | | varnish. Small areas of old paint texture can be |
| furniture. The other popular alternative, gold paint, | | | | matched by using white undercoat as a base. Apply |
| although simple to apply, produces a rather garish finish | | | | matching colours with artists' oil paint, which should |
| and lacks depth. Wax gilts, available at most art shops | | | | always be a tone lighter than the original. When the |
| these days, come in many tones of gold. They are | | | | paint dries, it should match the original tones. A varnish |
| ideal for touching-up damaged of gold leaf and for | | | | may be applied; however, it is best to varnish the entire |
| applying a broken gilt surface over white or coloured | | | | area rather than the retouched area. This will give an |
| paint. They are simple to apply, ensuring that even | | | | overall even texture to your antique piece. New gloss |
| most unskilful restorer can restore their prize antique | | | | may be a bit too shiny when dry; if so, rubbing it down |
| piece. Wax guilt can easily be removed with turpentine | | | | gently with steel wool will give it that aged antique look. |