Gilding
Highly experienced gilding practitioners for large and small projects undertaken on-site or in our studio. Lincoln Conservation have the experience to clean, reinstate missing elements and re-gild using a variety of techniques from conservation to full restoration.
We are able to conserve gilded surfaces of smaller moveable objects through to larger architectural features, requiring conservation in-situ.
Our philosophy is of minimal intervention where possible, using traditional materials, tools and techniques, providing a finish that is sympathetic to the historic integrity of the project being undertaken.
Specifically these techniques include:
- Cleaning of gilded surfaces using appropriate materials following testing.
- Consolidation of fragile and damaged surfaces, retaining as much of the original historic material as possible.
- Preparing new ground layers using traditional gesso and clay bole.
- Replication of missing and damaged substrate using plaster and historically accurate recipes for composition.
- Careful surface preparation prior to laying down the gold leaf.
- Re-gilding using an appropriately coloured, high-carat gold leaf, using oil size or water to match the existing finish.
- Burnishing of water gilded surfaces.
- Appropriate and sympathetic toning and distressing of newly gilded areas to blend in with the surrounding historic material.
