Help Identifying Lamp

Do you know which type of paint you will use? Some gold paints are made with bronze powder and will darken over time, like you see on many antique gold frames. Wear a mask when painting because the gold paints can be highly toxic.

 

Thanks, and yes, as I restore vintage bikes; I know all too well about toxic paint. Restoring lamps is new for me though. As this lamp was previously painted in 1975, I assumed it had lead on it.

I was going to use a paint I found @ Michael's:

Design Maker - Colortool Spray 746 Antique Gold (Metallic)

I special order my bike paint, didn't feel this was a good fit; but felt a Rustoleum was too pedestrian?

Are you familiar with this paint?

 

I'm familiar with that but, never used it. Mostly, I use real gold leaf. I use paints or gilt creams for small touch ups.

Gold looks very different depending on the base underneath it. You should do some tests first using scrap pieces of metal. Have one piece coated with the same base you put on the lamp, one piece painted with red and another painted with a yellow. Then test the gold on each piece and see which one you like best.

When I want something to darken over time, I use this liquid leaf. I picked this listing because it shows the different colors of gold it comes in. Usually, I use an air brush when I paint larger areas.

https://www.ebay.com/i/162848257570...y1wYAR2A5wc7vg7bZR8eyEjUqL6Xhn1YaAstkEALw_wcB

This is another gilder's cream like the one mentioned above. It's also considered archival.
https://www.talasonline.com/Gilt-Cream

 

I never thought of gold leaf.... how does this hold up over time? Can I achieve the aged look with your previous stain technique? I've never used gold leaf - but always open to new product/techniques. I'm just concerned it will look like something out of Egyptian Tomb...

I plan on using this lamp as a bed-side lamp.

 

You can tone gold leaf with the same stain technique or thinned out paint or even dyes. It will be easier for you because you are starting from scratch. You won't have to match what was previously there.

This frame was missing an entire corner and part of the side. After restoring the missing parts and the gold leafing was finished, I had to blend and match the previous toning.




After restoring the missing parts, this was the toning process of the gold leaf.



Almost finished but still needs a few more spots of toning. The lower right hand corner is the restoration area. The lighting wasn't even so it might be difficult to tell.

 

Here is a restoration that I haven't toned yet.

 

Excellent work... I'll try this technique. Thank You.

 

Interesting thread

 

Just a few more thoughts. If you decide to do paint and you want a deeper bronze color, use a black base. The same concept works with the gold, so test your gold on different colors. There are some good videos on Youtube for oil gilding, one shows a metal table being gilded.

 

Here is a link to a gilding on metal video.

 

No pointers, sorry, I am a newby and learning so much from this posting. Thanks all! Just one request; please post a pic of the final product!

 

I think this went well, for a newbie.

 

It looks beautiful to me!

 

Agrees, looks great, you painted it? or gilded? Very nice job, well done!

 

Thanks! Painted.... I doubted my ability to guild it, and was concerned if the guilding worked; it would be too nice...

 

It looks great! Did you put a top coat on it?

 

Yes - I used a generic Rustoleum Satin Enamel Clearcoat.

My painting process:

• Undercoat / steel-wool / Undercoat
• 2-layers paint
• 2-layers clearcoat.

 

Nicely done, CMB! Congrats!

 

congrats, it looks fabulous, well done