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#11
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BBrown1382 wrote:
Don Wagner wrote: Another little project that I always wanted to pursue... Since the hazards of mercury amalgam gilding have already been hit upon, I thought I'd provide just a bit more historic perspective on the process. The technique has been used in the west for over 2000 years (Pliny described the technique in the 1st c. AD) and was extremely popular during the middle ages. Folks who didn't want to (or couldn't afford to) shell out for expensive and scarce gold could often afford gilding, which used a comparatively minute amount of the precious metal. Many items would have been prohibitively expensive or structually unsound if made with gold, but the patron wanted the richness of the finish. Numerous gilded copper alloy and silver artifacts still exist (jewelry, church trappings, statuary, etc) and are available for study. The remark was made that the process has a distinctive look that modern techniques don't replicate, and I totally concur. However, our predecessors understood the serious dangers of the process, and some of the first medieval guilds were established by gilders (allied terms being gylde, gild, guild...golden) in order to protect the secrets of the process, and to care for the families of the craftsmen who almost invariably died prematurely from the effects of mercury poisoning. The decorative effect of mercury gilding is unique and beautiful, but not worth the considerable risk. Yes. During the 19th century the most notorious of the mercury damaged were the hatters, who used it in working felt. Hence Carrol's Mad Hatter in Alice. Kids used to bring it to school when I was young, roll it around in their hands, and coat coins with it. I was lucky enough to be warned against the practice. I always wondered how much damage they sustained over the years. Are some thermometers still filled with it, or has it been regulated? -- Cheers, m at http://www.mbstevens.com |
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#12
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m wrote:
Yes. During the 19th century the most notorious of the mercury damaged were the hatters, who used it in working felt. Hence Carrol's Mad Hatter in Alice. Reread my original post. Abrasha http://www.abrasha.com |
#13
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In article , m
writes: Are some thermometers still filled with it, or has it been regulated? Very few still use mercury-- some special application types (science/engineering), some "vintage" ones are still available, but generally, John Q. Public doesn't have access to them. Kaytee "Simplexities" on www.eclecticbeadery.com http://www.rubylane.com/shops/simplexities |
#14
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Seems to me that with modern knowledge about the hazards of Hg and how to
ameliorate or even alleviate those hazards then someone who wishes to do Amalgam Gilding should just go ahead and do it. Taking proper precautions of course. I seem to recall viewing a web page where the author had either done just that or had written up the article covering an artist who did. Hmmmm. Yes. Here it is: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...ilding-9-3.htm -- Don Thompson Ex ROMAD "m" wrote in message ... BBrown1382 wrote: Don Wagner wrote: Another little project that I always wanted to pursue... Since the hazards of mercury amalgam gilding have already been hit upon, I thought I'd provide just a bit more historic perspective on the process. The technique has been used in the west for over 2000 years (Pliny described the technique in the 1st c. AD) and was extremely popular during the middle ages. Folks who didn't want to (or couldn't afford to) shell out for expensive and scarce gold could often afford gilding, which used a comparatively minute amount of the precious metal. Many items would have been prohibitively expensive or structually unsound if made with gold, but the patron wanted the richness of the finish. Numerous gilded copper alloy and silver artifacts still exist (jewelry, church trappings, statuary, etc) and are available for study. The remark was made that the process has a distinctive look that modern techniques don't replicate, and I totally concur. However, our predecessors understood the serious dangers of the process, and some of the first medieval guilds were established by gilders (allied terms being gylde, gild, guild...golden) in order to protect the secrets of the process, and to care for the families of the craftsmen who almost invariably died prematurely from the effects of mercury poisoning. The decorative effect of mercury gilding is unique and beautiful, but not worth the considerable risk. Yes. During the 19th century the most notorious of the mercury damaged were the hatters, who used it in working felt. Hence Carrol's Mad Hatter in Alice. Kids used to bring it to school when I was young, roll it around in their hands, and coat coins with it. I was lucky enough to be warned against the practice. I always wondered how much damage they sustained over the years. Are some thermometers still filled with it, or has it been regulated? -- Cheers, m at http://www.mbstevens.com |
#15
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Don Thompson wrote:
Seems to me that with modern knowledge about the hazards of Hg and how to ameliorate or even alleviate those hazards then someone who wishes to do Amalgam Gilding should just go ahead and do it. Taking proper precautions of course. I seem to recall viewing a web page where the author had either done just that or had written up the article covering an artist who did. Hmmmm. Yes. Here it is: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...ilding-9-3.htm Also p.666 (!) ff in Untracht's "Jewelry Concepts and Technology" He claims that "by taking teh appropriate precautions, craftspersons can completely eliminate any chance of mercuric poisoning." Think I'll stick with electroplating, though. -- Cheers, m at http://www.mbstevens.com |
#16
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One can still buy mercury in glass thermometers from a wide variety of
scientific and metrological sources (coleparmer.com) . I purchase them by the dozens from the manufacturer in my job as a metrologist (calibration). We also purchase special clean up kits to keep on hand when one is broken. Mercury is also available from sign supply houses. It's used in making neon and it's danger is one of the reasons I gave up making neon as a hobby. The other was the lethel voltages/currents used to process the tubes. Plus the constant burns from heating the glass. ouch |
#17
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Don Thompson wrote:
Seems to me that with modern knowledge about the hazards of Hg and how to ameliorate or even alleviate those hazards then someone who wishes to do Amalgam Gilding should just go ahead and do it. Taking proper precautions of course. I seem to recall viewing a web page where the author had either done just that or had written up the article covering an artist who did. Hmmmm. Yes. Here it is: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...ilding-9-3.htm -- Hey, that's Prof. Dr. Erhard Brepohl who wrote "The Theory and Practice of Goldsmithing", back in the days when there was still an East and West Germany. The original title is "Theorie und Praxis des Goldschmieds" That's the book I (as well as everybody else in school) studied from at the "Goldschmiedeschule" Pforzheim in Germany, long before it was translated by Charles Lewton Brain and Tim Mc.Creight. AFAIAC the "Goldsmith's Bible". The original German book was full of political references to the correctness of the Socialist State and the decadence of the Capitalist State, which unfortunately the translators were forced to leave out. Abrasha http://www.abrasha.com |
#18
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vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from m
: ]Kids used to bring it to school when I was young, roll it around ]in their hands, and coat coins with it. I was lucky enough to ]be warned against the practice. I always wondered how much damage ]they sustained over the years. if we were good, our dentist used to give it to us to play with, in the 50s. to the best of my knowledge, i'm still "okay", but that's a relative term. my father put a stop to the practice as soon as he knew there might be a problem. of course, HE used carbon tetrachloride to clean typewriter keys. that was common then, too. ----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com (Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com ----------- It's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you; it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis |
#20
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Also p.666 (!) ff in Untracht's "Jewelry Concepts and Technology"
He claims that "by taking teh appropriate precautions, craftspersons can completely eliminate any chance of mercuric poisoning Call me skeptical, but I think I'll pass. I do seem to recall hearing that some old world gilding is still done in England by one or two firms, but the OHSA and EPA regs here in the States make it a losing proposition. If one has access to a good chemical hood and protective gear I guess it could be done. However... Brian Brown ) |
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