"Lemon Gold" Frames (part II)

I have a number of gilding projects going on, as usual. One current project is a pair of "lemon gold" (silver gilt) frames. I usually take smaller projects back and forth between workshops in Maine and Massachusetts during the summer, but don't want to risk banging up something large. In any event, clay has been applied, and we are now leafing with silver and burnishing. Due to the heavy weight of silver leaf (as compared to gold), burnishing can really tire me out. I was feeling ambitious about leafing the entire frame, but this means that you have to complete burnishing within the next 24 hours.

Once the leafing is complete, tinted shellacs will bring the color to a soft, medium gold color.

Antiques Festival in Union, Maine

This past weekend I was at the Maine Antiques Festival (www.maineantiquefest.com) at the Union, Maine fairgrounds. This is the largest antiques show in Maine (a downeast version of Brimfield). I took a booth to display gilding restoration work and my reproductions of nineteenth century frames.

I spent a lot of time talking with people, the weather was perfect all weekend, and there were great falafael sandwiches available.

Joseph