GILDING. 



Burnished Gilding. 



This is the sort of gilding generally used for 

 picture -frames, looking-glasses, &c. 



The wood intended to be gilt in this manner 

 should first be well sized, and then done over with 

 seven or eight coats of size and whiting, so as to 

 cover it with a body of considerable thickness. 

 Having got a sufficient quantity of whiting upon 

 the work, it must be carefully cleaned off, taking 

 care to free all the cavities and hollows from the 

 whiting that may have choked them up, and by 

 proper moulds and tools restoring the sharpness 

 of the mouldings intended to be shown. 



It is then to receive a coat of size, which is 

 made by boiling armeniac bole with parchment 

 size. This must also remain till it is sufficiently 

 dry for the gold. It must not be quite dry ; there- 

 fore x it would not be prudent to lay on more at a 

 time, than can be gilt before it becomes too dry. 



The work being thus prepared, place it a little 

 declining from you, and having a cup of clean 

 water ready and some hair pencils, moisten a part 

 of the work, and then apply the gold by the tip to 

 the moistened part. The gold will immediately 

 adhere close to the work : proceed to wet the next 

 part, and apply the gold as before, repeating this 

 operation till the whole is completed ; taking care 

 not to let any drops of water come upon any part 

 of the gold already laid on. Care should therefore 

 be taken, that no part be missed in going over it 

 at first, as it is not so easily mended as the oil 

 gilding. 



The work being thus gilt, it is suffered to remain 

 about twenty-four hours ; when the parts that are 



