House Numbers

OP: I’m not sure how I overlooked your reply yesterday (or maybe it wasn’t there?). There’s a search feature at the top of the Forum page (Topics——Search). The feature only works in a very limited fashion. You’ll get better results using the method Brooklynista suggested (Google+).

Brooklynista, thanks for your kind words in “commenting” thread!
I agree, check the archives. The question has come up more than once, and also appeared on some other design blogs that Brownstoner tends to feature. Many accessible and affordable references already provided by others above. Depending on how elaborate the work you’re considering, you might also want to check out The Society of Scribes (and their member/gilders): http://www.societyofscribes.org/index.htm
Also: http://www.roycesignworks.com/ and http://www.goldleafcompany.com/index.html
There are many online pages with instructions for DIY gold leaf and gilding. This is just one: http://www.diyfab.com/2008/03/04/project-gold-leaf-house-numbers/

It’s always a good idea to check the forum archives (or google the topic + brownstoner.com) for alot of these things we ask about. In this case, a search of the archives for “house numbers” returned a whole bunch of posts with recommendations going back over the years. (As with any broad search, there’s also a lot of stuff to wade through that you won’t find relevant.)

Anyhow, speaking of years ago, Back in ’05, I clipped an entire short thread on a house number painter and saved it. It’s cut and pasted below. Mind you, I never checked out this person and don’t even know if the contact number is still valid. But, if it’s truly gold leaf house number painting your’re after . . . :
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Making Your Stoop Shine

A brownstone owner and enthusiast emailed us this picture of the new lettering over his front door. “A gold leaf address over your door really makes a stoop shine,” he writes. Looks good to us. Who’s artist behind the job? Aimee German. She can be reached at aimshow@hotmail.com or 718-312-9430. Any other gold-leafing resources that people can recommend?
Posted by: Anonymous at October 27, 2005 02:08 PM

Thanks Steve for posting the notice! My name is Aimee German, sign painter, gilder. I have done many addresses on brownstones and store front signs in Brooklyn. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want to see more samples. I have reasonable rates and do a precise job. I take a digital picture of your doorway and then “photoshop” different fonts and styles in so you can decide what it will look like before I begin. Thanks for your time and interest.
Posted by: Aimee German at October 28, 2005 12:11 AM

Aimee did our place as well in FG. We are very happy with her work. She uses real gold leaf or gold paint depending on yr budget. I honestly can’t remember her exact price. I think it was around $300. We took pix of our house numbers that we like and also a pix of the front of our house. She photoshops a mockup of the sizes and fonts that you choose and lets you approve it before she gets started. I think she mocked up something like 3 or 4 before we settled on ours.
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HTH
Brooklynista

I had vinyl peel off done too. A boatworks in Ohio did it for me….three numbers about 11″ high was maybe $120 or so. Very nice “gold leaf look” with a black border. Mine are not reverse. They stick onto the outside.