All the Articles listed on this page were written by people in the restoration and conservation field and are not endorsed by or suggested as the opinion of this Website. The articles are just the viewpoint of the authors. If you disagree with any of the articles or methods listed below please use feedback at the bottom of the page.

 A Brief History of Mirrors

FAQs - Mirror Resilvering
 

Index:

1.How much does it cost?
2.How do I know if my mirror needs resilvering?
3.What about touching up small areas or spots?
4.My large bathroom mirror has deterioration on the bottom edge? 5.Where can I get the silver paint to touch up a mirror myself?
6.Does Reflections Again sell mirror resilvering supplies?
7.What about damage on the surface of the mirror?
8.How should the mirror be delivered to Reflections Again?
9.Will Reflections Again remove and replace the mirror from its frame?
10.Resilver or buy new mirror?
11.Will the value of the mirror be destroyed if it is resilvered?
12.Is there any risk involved in mirror resilvering?
13.How will the resilvered mirror turn out?
14.How long will the silvering last?
15.Can you resilver auto rear view mirrors?
16.Can we ship you our car mirror?
17.Can other things be silvered?
18.Can you resilver telescope mirrors?
19.I need a mirror front surface silvered. Do you do that?
20.Can mirrors be shipped?
21.What does the resilvering process involve?
22.I want to change a mirror into a clear piece of glass. What can I do?
23.Where can I find old mirrors?
24.How do you remove water spots from a mirror?

Techniques in Glass Gilding

Overview and materials

• Introduction to glass gilding - A general description of the art.
• Gilding leaf - Describing gold leaf, its alloys and other metals available as leaf
• Glass - Preparation and things to be aware of
• Other types of gilding - Overview including hot and chemical methods.

Fundamental methods

• Water Gilding - Applying the leaf for a bright mirror finish
• Water sizes - Recipes for water size and other interesting facts
• Oil Gilding - Using oil-based size for a matt or satin finish
• Basic lettering types - pictures of lettering types
• Lettering - Methods for marking out lettering and painting
• Sequence - Painting and gilding the elements in the right order

Additional methods and embellishment

• Texture - Applying textures to matt sections
• Engraving the gild - The original method for imposing a design
• Distressing the gild - Scratching and rubbing
• Glazes and layered colour - Some great effects with depth and complexity and colour
• Blended Gilding - Achieving a smooth transition from one colour gold to another
• Ink Patination - Ink added to water gilding for a fine antique patina
• Smoke Patination - Using smoke deposition for an interesting soft effect
• Chemical Patination - Experiments in oxidizing metal leaf

Miscellaneous techniques

• Marbling - Painted faux finishes, great for backgrounds
• Etched Glass - Gilding on sandblasted or acid etched
• Glue-Chipped glass - How it's done and how to gild it
• Mirrors - paints and silvering issues when creating decorative mirrors.

Handling Books in General Collections 

United Artworks Web Site

CASTING

Hydrostone Plaster

Cheapest Molds fromClay Models

Alternatives to Polyester resin?

What is lost wax casting, and how is it done?

What can I do about air bubbles in my plaster castings?

What is "Cast Marble"?

What is better, acrylic or epoxy?

How do you take molds of living people?

Forton MG- what's that?

CARVING

What is meant by fossil ivory- can you carve it?

How do you work with amber?

Is soapstone safe to carve?

How can I cut a slab of stone?

Can I carve stone without a lot of tools?

Is green wood good for carving?

SURFACE TREATMENTS

Mosaics- the classical technique

What about Patinas for Steel?

Green Patinas on Non-ferrous Alloys

Making Home-made Paint

Solution to Acrylic Paint Drying Too Fast

How does one use gold leaf?

How can I make a plaster sculpture resemble bronze?

Green Patinas on Non-ferrous Alloys

Wies Norberg's Water Gilding FAQ

WINSOR & NEWTON

 Contents

The terminology of colour theory

The practical applications of colour theory

• Basic colour theory, three primary colours
• The six colour system, Across the range of hue, Different names, Single pigments
• Retaining intesity, Tinting strength, Value & Chroma
• Transparency
• Temperature, Complimentary colours
• The use of black, grey and white, Effect of mixtures on lightfastness and permanence

Practical tips: Getting results!

• New colours for the 21st century
• Get those paints out, Beat the confusion, Different ranges
• Proportions used in colour mixing, Thickness of film
• Colour and texture of surface, Texture of pigments, where you paint

Cabinet Restoration

Chassis Restoration 

Non-Toxic Fumigation & Alternative Control Techniques for Preserving Cultural/Historic Properties & Collections

Mold and Mildew: Prevention of Microorganism Growth In Museum Collections

Creepy Things

Paper Degradation by Air Pollution

Books have the same enemies as people: fire, animals, weather and their own content

Paper Related Damages

Looking at Prints -- Conservation Issues

Damage to Book Covers

An Interview with Richard Newman,
Rug Restorer by Carl Strock
This article appeared in Oriental Rug Review, Vol. 15/6

Materials and Techniques

A Simple Book Repair
I.INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A. Guiding Principles of Book Repair
B.Parts of a Book
C.Setting Up the In-House Repair Area
D.Some General Guidelines and Practical Advice
II.IDENTIFICATION OF MATERIALS APPROPRIATE FOR IN-HOUSE REPAIR III.TEN SIMPLE REPAIRS
Self-closing Wrapper
Book Cleaning and Erasing Pencil Marks
Torn Pages
Tipping in a Single Page
Hinge Repair
Corner Cover Repair
Binding a Single Signature Pamphlet
New Spine with Original Spine Remounted
Wet Books-the Air Dry Method
Hinge Tightening

Frequently Asked Questions on House Restoreration

Materials and Techniques

CLOCK RESTORATION_______Julie Targett

HOW DO I GILD IT?
by Grace Baggot

MICA POWDERS
by Grace Baggot

LAY LINES
by Grace Baggot

METAL STRIPPING
by Bob Swisher

FRENCH EBENISTES UNDER THE  LOUIS KINGS OF FRANCE
John J Hvozda