water gilding

Water gilding is generally used for furniture, but occasionally it is found on architecture, more often in Europe than in the United Kingdom or United States.

Several layers of gesso are first applied to the object to be gilded, this is carved and flattened down until the surface is hard and shiny. Frequently a deep reddish clay (Armenian bole) forms the base. The gold leaf is then placed on the dampened surface and is drawn into the gesso. When it has dried the gold is burnished with an agate stone to an unrivalled finish.

oil gilding

Oil gilding is by far the most frequently employed gilding method in the United Kingdom. We have used oil gilding to highlight and ornament many of the most opulent interiors in the country.

Once the surface has been carefully prepared, size is evenly brushed on and left until it is slightly adhesive. Then the gold leaf is applied. The gilder passes his small flat tip across his cheek to generate a static charge in the fine bristles, in order to remove the leaf from the book. The second stage is known as skewing, a long handled brush loosens the excess flecks of gold leaf. These are caught in a curious piece of origami, which resembles an improvised newspaper sun hat. The gold is then simply polished.