GOLD LEAF restoration project...I need advice please..Update

Duncan Wilkie · Post by **Duncan Wilkie** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 10:58 pm

A long time customer came across some old gold leaf glass pieces, stored away in a vault.

I was contacted as they are wanting to possibly restore them and they wanted my opinion on that and the possible history of the pieces. I met with them and I suggested we should take one apart. I thought... "Okay these panels kinda crude and are maybe from the 40's or 50's or some thing, maybe there is a clue inside". Oddly, the backer was a solid piece of rough sawn wood. Image our surprise when I saw the date on the newspapers use to back up the glass. [Eek!] Check out this slide show...
http://s87.photobucket.com/albums/k142/ ... 695192.pbw
Lots of clues back there let me tell you...
I was allowed to take the piece that had the most damage and bring it back to my shop...Naturally I handled it with gloves and great care.
It's been a lot of years since I've done any glass gilding, but I was so pumped at what I saw!!! No, it's not a great example of lettering skill or creative techniques, but the age of it definitely warrants preservation.
Two of the 3 panels are in darn good shape, and the gold it almost perfect in all of them. On the one panel I have, the background is quite "flaky" in spots. It has a bit of a deep charcoal color viewed from the front. From the back side it has a reddish hue.
I'd like to solicit any thoughts you may have on what should be done next.
A little more information. The newspapers used as backing were from different dates, but all from the same week. The newspaper is a Winnipeg, Manitioba paper, The job was done for the Edmonton, Alberta public library. As a young man back in the late 60's, I was blown away by the quality of the gold work done in Winnipeg. I image Winnipeg was a hub for gold leaf work for some time, hence the fact that an Edmonton institution commissioned the work out of province.
I'd welcome your comments and advice.

Post by **Mike Jackson** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:13 pm

Hi Duncan,
Rick Glawson used to repair this kind of sign all the time, but I don't have a lot of hands-on experience doing it. Luckily, the background is black which is maybe a little more forgiving than if it had been a light color. I'd probably inspect each one from the front and circle the areas needing repair with a wax pencil on the front. With velum, you could draw over those areas to use to transfer to the back side to know exactly where to scrape. You might even draw in all the lettering to make sure you didn't accidentally scrape into it.

It would be hard to say you can match the black exactly, not knowing what kind of black pigment was used on that job. The newspaper in the example you show says 1916. More than likely, that was about when the job was done. I can't imaging padding the back of the sign in 1940 with newspapers printed in 1916.

Good luck!

Mike Jackson

Kelly Thorson · Post by **Kelly Thorson** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:46 pm

No advice here Dunc. I do have a question though, in the pictures it looks almost as if the gold leafed areas have jagged edges as if they were done behind a screen printed area. Is that just the pixelating of the picture or do they appear to have been screenprinted? Would it be unusual to screenprint a one of a kind image. Would that perhaps give you a bit of a clue to what the materials used were?
I never knew about Winterpeg doing a lot of glass work. I might have to do some snooping myself next time I am there.

Have fun ....Kel

Duncan Wilkie · Post by **Duncan Wilkie** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:24 am

Mike, I'm going to the shop right away, so I'll have a closer look, it was just too busy last week to really assess the condition. The backing color might be "Weak" enough to see right through on the light table (reverese view). The frame is quite crude, but they want that restored too.
Kel, that's just photo pixilation, the background was hand lettered reverse then gilded. Maybe lampblack mixed in varnish or something along that line.
I will post a couple of more pics and give a few more details later today.
Thanks for your input folks,
Duncan

Patrick Mackle · Post by **Patrick Mackle** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:11 pm

Just a quick note before I head to lunch. The black brush writing "Parl. Bldgs" on the backing board has to be an abbreviation for Parliment Buildings.
Seems like they recycled some crateing wood as backing. Pretty cool, who would think a sign would double as a time capsule!

On an added note, the reddish cast in the backing paint could be red lead oxide powder mixed into the paint for added weather protection.
Wash your hands before eating.

Duncan Wilkie · Post by **Duncan Wilkie** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:05 am

Patrick, I was thinking that too. "Finished Wood" was not easy to come by back then, and I'm sure a wooden crate would be recycled possibly several time. The lettering was turned to the inside so it was hidden untill we took the back off. Possibly the other two frames have additional clues.
Here's a listing from the classifieds in the paper...Possibly this is the company that produced the signs. Notice very few businesses had telephones in 1916!

I will keep you posted.

Doug Bernhardt · Post by **Doug Bernhardt** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:09 pm

I follow Pat on the Abreviation...Heck I work a few miles from them here in Ottawa. How they wound up in Winterpeg is another matter. Which newpaper is that?

Duncan Wilkie · Post by **Duncan Wilkie** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:46 pm

Hi Doug,
Here's the cover page...

Doug Bernhardt · Post by **Doug Bernhardt** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 6:50 pm

Had a friend doing work in the Federal parlimant buildings a few years ago and he saw many time capsules and signatures in the walls etc. A fascinating bit of work all the same. Something quite cool to be involved in....so are you gonna replace the newspaper after you finish?....a dilema. I have an old newspaper from a few years earlier I found in an old handbag/luggage piece at a yard sale. Fascinating reading...noticed the reference to Shackleton.

Duncan Wilkie · Post by **Duncan Wilkie** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:36 pm

Well, after a lot of discussion and research I came up with a plan. I want to thank you all for your input, it was very helpful.
Brian Briske phoned me and we had a good exchange. He explained to me how the Sign Museum handles a lot of these projects. Using that information, I proposed to the client than they leave the existing signs intact. I quoted a price on replicating them. On Tuesday, I got the PO. I'm really happy they decided to preserve this piece of history intact, yet display facsimilies so the art of gold leaf will be on display. The library branch I'm dealing with is in a historic part of town, and has undergone a large restoration to the building. I think they intend to make an exhibit focusing on the signs and their history. The pieces I produce will allow people to "get up close" and experience that which only gold leaf offers, yet the historic ones will be archived intact for countless generations.
Again, thank you for your thoughtful advice, I will keep you posted as the work progresses.

Duncan Wilkie · Post by **Duncan Wilkie** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:46 pm

Oh yes, here's another question(s). Would you duplicate them as faithfully as possible or would you "fix up' the lettering? I am going to hand letter them....no screen printing... would you cut in the background and gild (that's how the originals were done, or would you do the lettering and then back up the background? The frame is another bit of a challenge. It was faux wood grained on cheap wood. Would you do it that way or just use some nice 1/4 sawn oak?
Okay that's it.... for now.

I'm excited.... can you tell. I haven't done any serious glass gilding since the early '80's. I can't wait to get out the ol' tip. I used to use King Kole Black to back up with... what the heck to you folks use these days? Is KK still available?

Sarah King · Post by **Sarah King** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:44 pm

I'm very glad to hear that you're going to be keeping the original signs intact. So many restoration projects remind me of my mother's favorite joke. A father is talking to his son and says "Here is my grandfather's axe. My dad put on a new head and I replaced the handle." Restoration is often necessary, but it sure can be tricky. Sounds like you have exactly the right answer in this case.

Patrick Mackle · Post by **Patrick Mackle** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 12:53 am

[quote="Duncan Wilkie"]Oh yes, here's another question(s). Would you duplicate them as faithfully as possible or would you "fix up' the lettering? I am going to hand letter them....no screen printing... would you cut in the background and gild (that's how the originals were done, or would you do the lettering and then back up the background? The frame is another bit of a challenge. It was faux wood grained on cheap wood. Would you do it that way or just use some nice 1/4 sawn oak?

Personally I always duplicate the originals as closely as possible. Almost always that is the reason a customer finds me. Often they appreciate my taking photographs of the progressing recreation. Also for me there is a great feeling that comes from knowing that you are doing it in the spirit of the original hands that made it so long ago.
I just had a customer pick up some hand beveled glass lenses that I did for the gas fired brass lamps for his 1912 Pope car restoration.
He continueously commented that he was really pleased with them as he held them to the sunlight. During my time beveling them on my 100 year old Lange grinder, I invisioned the originals being ground and polished by a previous old glass man standing in an old glass shop with power shafts and wooden pulleys with long leather belts turning overhead.
Pat