silver leafing old brass chandelier

Deelite · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 766 Location: Baltimore

I have an old brass chandelier that a client wants me to silver leaf. Any tips on prep?
Thanks all!

strongv · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 1:00 pm Post subject:

To prevent any electrolytic reaction... I'd scuff it and spray it with a fresh coat of lacquer or varnish.... just something to isolate it. MSA spray would be excellent.

let it dry and then complete your leafing and spray another coat of MSA. If its real silver, you need to spray it the same day, if it's aluminum you have some time to wait.

I'm sure someone has done this without that precaution, but brass and silver or aluminum in contact just has a potential for corrosion.

1st year apprentice · Joined: 22 Jan 2010 Posts: 2043 Location: Scotland

nice to see someone helping dee out, have gained something myself from your reply.

brian

Deelite · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 766 Location: Baltimore

Thanks!
I washed it down and sprayed shellac primer on it. Then I did my leafing...mona lisa. Then antiqued it with oil stain and sealed it with spray poly. Ill post pics when I get home, but it turned out beautifully!

Not fauxnee · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:08 am Post subject:

looking forward to that pic!

sonol'artista · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 7:27 am Post subject:

I'm sure it did! I have done several for clients and they all looked great...whether gold leaf or silver!

strongv · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:11 am Post subject:

If a fixture has good lines and is in good condition, its a shame to just chunk it because the finish dejour is not happening.

I can't wait to see your re-purposing

but guys.... aren't you starting to like a good brass fixture again? Not cheap bright and shiny... but a beautiful old brass fixture?

Its sneaking back into my brain again. Well polished old brass. I've had the opportunity to redo some and it's quite lovely.

Deelite · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 766 Location: Baltimore

tadaa!

sonol'artista · Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 7:36 am Post subject:

absolutely fabulous!!!!

strongv · Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 10:38 pm Post subject:

Very pretty... Ta Dah for SURE!

patty_artist · Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 1122 Location: Oak Ridge NJ

I really like that finish. You did a fabulous job. I would not even know it was leafed.

KathyFakesIt · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:31 am Post subject:

yah - Ta Da is right!

lisascenic · Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:54 am Post subject:

You did a lovely job.

Deelite · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 766 Location: Baltimore

aw shucks! thanks everybody!!

painted spaces · Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 1022 Location: omaha, ne

Love this! Great fixture and the leafing and glazing looks fabulous. Great job!

daniel6 · Joined: 09 May 2012 Posts: 1

Looks brilliant, hopefully my attempt turns out somewhere near as good!

arlene · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 7769

I have a ceramic chandelier, do you think I could do this over it?

Keith W · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Nashville, TN

Hey Pat, What's MSA?

anita · Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 2736 Location: upstate New York

I just used some Valspar (Lowe's brand) chrome spray paint on an old brass sconce. It turned out very nice. Better than I hoped. I had scratched up the old finish with some sandpaper then sprayed. The scratches did not show at all when I was done. I had been worried about that.

cleta · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3232 Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Dee - that is a lovely result! How did you do the chain? And what did you do with the (presumably) white "candle" things that the light bulbs fit into? Did you paint those black? leave them white?

I have way too many brass chandeliers in this new house...most of them are going to brass heaven. But the dining room chandelier is a decent size and not too unfortunate looking so I would like to do something similar to it.

Anita - I do like the idea of the spray finish...will have to look into that as the idea of leafing all the round-ness and curlicues on this thing is not appealing.

Deelite · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 766 Location: Baltimore

Thanks Cleta!
I used spray adhesive after priming with BIN and kept wrapping and rubbing leaf over the chain till it was covered. After, I cleaned up the leaf with a white cotton tshirt rag. I overglazed it with an umber glaze, it being aluminum leaf it didn't matter if it was water based. It took a while but it matches perfectly and didn't have to go find a different one.

strongv · Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:12 am Post subject:

Keith. Mineral Solvent Acrylic. No water in the solvent. Check with Golden.