Batak Copper Bracelet, Hair Decoration & Malaysian Silver Buckle
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Niello - A compound made up of lead silver copper and sulphur that is black in colour, and applied to the engraved areas of silver items, thus highlighting the engraving by making the black niello detail stand out from the silver background. It was used on edged weapons from the Renaisance onwards, and also by Russian crafstmen of the19th century.
- Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.
For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.
Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
Exposition Coloniale Internationale, Paris, 1931, a bronze medal, by Lucien Bazor. (6.9 cm) A similar item gifted to the NGV by Robert Wilson in 2013.
Kirkcaldie & Stains Wellington trade token 19th century New Zealand, 31 mm
Four medals Fiore Internationale De Marseille, 1924, a bronze medal by J. Vezian, in original tan leatherette case (6.9 cm) Exposition Internationale Le Trocadero, Paris, 1937, a bronze medal by R.Benard. (5 cm) Exposition Interale Paris, a bronze medal by
Three medals Exposition Internationale, Lyon, 1914, a gilt bronze medal by Christofle. (4.9 cm) Membre Du Jury Lyon, 1902, a gilt metal medal, blue and white enamel. (5.8 cm) Kvnst Avsstellving Erinerving An Die Industriege Gewerbe Vnd, (4.2 cm)