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November 15, 2007
Possible to remove paint from original gold gilded wood mirror frame (huge & intricate!) over mantle?
We have an enormouse mirror over our marble mantle and it has been painted. In places where the paint is chipped you can see the gold leaf that is under it. Has anyone had any success restoring an old mirror frame? Are there conservators who do this kind of thing? Thanks!!
Comments
In don't know any conservators for this type of work, but I;m sure they exist and that it would be VERY costly.
FWIW you could do a quick, inexpensive, and attractive-looking cover-up with gold wax. IMO Libatore wax, available at Pearl Paint, is far better than the more comon Rub'n Buff. It comes in many shades of gold and other metallic colors. These waxes look much better than gold paint and are easily removable should you ever want to do a more extensive restoration.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at November 15, 2007 9:35 PM
Thank you!!! I will look into that. If anyone else has advice I welcome it!
Posted by: guest at November 15, 2007 10:13 PM
Peel A Way might work, if you wanted to attempt a DIY job. Often the nature of metallic paint or leaf prevents a secure bond between the metallic and subsequent layers. The paint might practically fall off, with a little chemical prodding. Maybe try it in an corner.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at November 16, 2007 1:04 PM
I doubt you can strip the paint and retain the gilt and gesso. Hire a good faux painter and it should look great. That shouldn't cost you more than $200.00. But then again, you're in New York.
Posted by: guest at November 16, 2007 10:04 PM
It is very simple. I do it for a living. Unfortunately I am a restorer from Romania.
You nead to use a paint pealer (preferably one containing dicloromethane and methylic alcohol: 80%/20%)you might find it as a gell
You apply it with a brush, wait untill the paint curls up, thenyou colect the mashed up paint with a soft, unsharp (wooden) spatula, then you rinse up the surface useing turmentine or plain thinner.
The gesso and goldleaf are unharmed PROVIDED it is a water based gilding (burnished). If it is an oil based one the paint pealer will remove the leaf.
The water b. gild is much more glistenning, glossy looking, than the oil b. one . Water b. gild usualy has a red layer of colour undeneath the leaf, possible to see through the leaf's errosions.
So try it in a corner first!
Better yet, call in a restorer, they nead to eat too :-)
Best wishes!
Posted by: Tibi at July 2, 2008 4:34 PM
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