Anyone found the Jewelers Brush? (gold leaf)

[Danny Baronian]

OLD FOURM POST

Anyone found the Jewelers Brush? Posted by Larry White on March 22, 2004

At a recent letterheads meet a gentleman from Australia demonstrated the use of what he called a "Jewelers Brush" to remove gold leaf after backing up. This little brush removed the gold remarkably well without fatigueing the backing paint. Often when removing the excess gold, a minute hallow of gold remains at the edge of the back up paint. This brush removed the gold all the way down to the edge of the paint where looking from the back, you couldn't tell it had been gilded.
I looked around for a brush like it, but couldn't find anything called a Jewelers Brush. (This guy had his brush since the 40's.) I did find a similiar brush that seems to work, but I think his worked better. Has anyone else had any luck in tracking these brushes down?
-LW

Posted by Mike Jackson on March 23, 2004

I was just wondering if anyone snapped a photo of John's brush? I'd be interested in seeing it.

Mike Jackson

Posted by Ron Percell on March 24, 2004

Here a few pics I took Mike.

Posted by Joe Jones on March 23, 2004

Was it used dry?

Posted by Larry White on March 23, 2004

The brush John had at the meet was about 2" X 4" and was more like a shoe polish brush than a paint brush.

Posted by Danny Baronian on March 22, 2004

Larry, that was John Jordan. Several other's were interested in the brush so I emailed him.

This was his reply:

There is nothing special about that particular brush...it was a brush I was required to purchase as an apprentice back in '46.
 
           It is a soft, pig bristle, similar to an artist's hog hair, and is called a jeweller's polishing brush, latter day  brushes with synthetic fibres are no good as they are too hard in texture and could cause scratches.

Danny

Posted by Kent Smith on March 22, 2004

I have a real badger bristle shaving brush which works very well. It's the only thing I use it for anyway. Some of teh dyed hog bristle brushes are too rough. A good quality white bristle fitch or cutter is the same hair and will work if the natural flared tips have not been cut off, making it too rough as well.

Posted by Billy Bob on March 22, 2004

...I always called mine a "rouge brush". It was orignially for applying make up. Available anywhere fine cosmetics are sold, I bet.

Glawson sold a big, nice and fluffy one. I think it was appx. 60 bucks.

Posted by Larry White on March 22, 2004

This was actually a brush used to remove water gilded gold on glass. You may be thinking of a very soft brush used in surface gilding(?)
-LW