Notes on Something Glitzy.

Gilding on Wood is a delicate and highly skilled process. Once the timber has been carved the entire surface is coated with gesso, a fine ground chalk mixed with glue. It is then re-wet with a sizing made of rabbit skin glue and water. This makes the surface adhesive and the gold leaf is layered on and left to dry. This is called "Water Gilding" and the surface may be subsequently burnished to a mirror-like finish to create highlights. Layering the gold is far easier said than done. Gold can be beaten to less than 1000th of an inch thick and even small sheets of it are volatile and will float off in every direction. It can be controlled and directed by being picked up by a comb type brush of sable or ox hairs given a charge of static electricity by stroking the skin or hair of the gilder. As soon as the gold leaf is within an inch or two of the gesso surface it will fly to it independently and unless the gilder has positioned his brush correctly it may miss its mark and either duplicate a gold leaf already in place or miss and leave a gap. Gilding on metal for fine furniture mounts is known as “Fire Gilding” or “Mercurial Gilding” and the mounts are referred to as Ormolu or Bronze D’ore. The finest of these are made of bronze, an alloy of basically copper with tin as its main additive. The bronze is cast in a mold and then hand finished by chiseling and chasing. An amalgam of gold and mercury is made and applied to the mounts which are then fired to a temperature of approximately 600 degrees at which point the mercury evaporates leaving the gold affixed to the surface. When the mercury has evaporated the gilded surface is rubbed with a brush of soft brass wire, until its surface is smooth. It is then covered with gilding wax, and again exposed to fire until the wax is burnt off. A final burnishing of the highlights completes the operation. "