Gilded lettering

[richhodg66]

I kind of came into a project this past week. Long story, but I will be restoring a plaque from the 1940s that had name placards on it which appear to be made of mahogany r teak and the names are on it in gold lettering which I am sure is gilded rather than paint. This thing must have been hugely expensive at the time and the best thing to do would probably b to just replace them with engraved metal plates, but I feel very strongly about keeping it as original as I possibly can even to the point where I want to do my best to use all the original name placards that are remaining (it's missing a few and I will be doing some painstaking research this Summer to replace them).

I can do basic wood working and I have a brother who's an expert so that stuff will happen, but I have not a clue about gold leaf lettering and how to do it nor am I sure there are still people who do this. Trophies and plaques have become pretty much mass produced by computer now, engraving is no big deal. Anybody know how this is done?

[pietro]

.

AFAIK, to lay gold leaf (buy some @ an art supply store) the area must be cleaned first, then carefully apply the gold leaf to the object's recessed surface with your fingers.

Gently rub the gold leaf into place with your finger or foam brush.

Continue these steps until the surface/recess is covered, overlapping sheets if necessary.

When the entire surface is covered in gold leaf, use a foam brush to remove excess flakes.

.

[richhodg66]

I'll have to make a trip to Hobby Lobby or someplace and talk to them.

[bangerjim]

You need gold sizing....either water gilding or oil gilding method. You cannot just put gold foil (real or faux) down without something to stick it down!

I use a standard gilders brush to lay the leaf down and cut and pick it up off a leather gilder's pad....all standard tools of the trade. Yes, you can do it without those tools, but it sure goes much faster and better with the right tools.

Check out: https://www.lagoldleafus.com/product-category/genuine-gold-silver-leaf/?gclid=CO-56emq_NMCFc5ffgodg_IPRQ. Where I get all my pro supplies.

Once it is down as medium is set, you use an agate burnisher to bring out the shine.

There are many excellent books on leafing. Most of what you will find in the run-of-the-mill craft store is not real gold. But is looks very good. I bought a box of 30 "books" of real leaf several years ago and it cost over $600. Depends on the price of gold!

I do a lot of it and once you have the techniques and special tools, it goes rather fast. And looks GREAT!

Good luck.

[Red River Rick]

FWIW, these "Gold" and or "Silver" kits work very well: http://www.forsterproducts.com/product/gold-inlay-filling-kit-single-pack/

RRR

[mold maker]

Remember to turn off all fans and sources of a draft before you even open the leaf. It will become airborne very easy.
Pay close attention to the recommended drying time for the sizing. It must be very close to the right stage of tack to work. The Pro tools depend on static electricity to hold and move the leaf.
It is technology that has been around for many centuries. If you haven't already, Google it and look for instructions.
I used to make tools to handle leaf from masonite or plastic scraps. We applied gold, bronz, and silver leaf to hundreds of mirror frames a day.

[richhodg66]

Thanks for all the input. This will be a Summer project as I want to get this back on display next school year. The easier and probably longer lasting way would probably be to have engraved brass placards made to replace the gilded ones. I'd just like to stay as true to the original as I can. There are a couple of name placards missing and I need to dig into some archives to (hopefully) figure out who they were. I might just try the gold leaf myself on some scrap before I decide what to do next.

[Hamish]

From watching it done I think some time spent on YouTube would be a wise investment,,,,,,,,.