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WILDING.

An improved process for gilding iron or steel.

This method which is less known among artists than it deservesto be, may prove useful to those who have occasion to gild ironor steel.

The first part of the process consists in pouring into a solutionof gold in nilro-muriatic acid, about twice as much sulphuricether. In order to gild iron or steel, the metal must be wellpolished with the finest emery, or rather with the finest red oxidof iron and spirit of wine. The ether which has taken up thegold is then to be applied with a small brush, it evaporates, andthe gold remains on the surface of the metal; the metal maythen be put into the fire, and afterwards polished. In this man-ner all kind of figures may be delineated on iron, by employinga pen or fine brush.

Gilding of iron, ly means of heal,

Is performed by cleaning and polishing its surface, and thenheating it, till it has acquired a blue colour. When this hasbeen done, the first layer of gold-leaf is put on, slightly burnisheddown, and exposed to a gentle fire. It is usual ro give threesuch layers, or four at the most, each consisting of a single leaf,for common works; or two for extraordinary ones. The heatingis repeated at each layer, and last of all the work is burnished,

Grecian gilding

Is performed in die following manner: Equal parts of mu-riate of ammonia, and muriate of mercury, are dissolved in ni-tric acid, and a solution of gold is made in this menstruum ;upon diis the solution is somewhat concentrated, and applied tothe surface of silver, which becomes quite black; but on beingexposed to a red heat, it assumes die appearance of gilding.