posted 04-06-2004 08:43 PM              

I've collected Sterling souvenir spoons for years.

I have a spoon with gold wash, bronze and copper colors in the bowl.

Someone told me that the metals were applied with heat painting. The washes are translucent and are not enamel.

Anyone have any ideas as to just what "heat painting" was and how it was done?

WhisperOne

posted 04-09-2004 07:46 PM            

Two types of "heat painting". Both are patination processes, one uses heat to oxidize alloys in the silver, copper most often but sometimes others. Some odd alloys were used, but more common is a wash of a patina solution. There are big books with hundreds of different "soups" for different shades. These are not paint or dyes , they react chemically, forming oxides {tarnish} sulphides {liver of sulfur black} or chlorides.

Just as it is best not to play with the patina on a bronze statue, these finishes are best left alone.

posted 04-12-2004 12:40 PM              

First, thanks for the information already provided.

If I post a photo of the spoon bowl in question do you think you could tell whether it is a wash or uses heat painting?

Question 2 did both the wash and heat painting techniques use only metal oxides? I've seen copper and a bronze or brass like color used as well as gold. Are these the only ones used?

Kat

posted 04-14-2004 01:45 PM            

There are many types. Some deposit other metals, "auto caion plating", basically works like electro plating but with chemical reactions rather than electric current.

If you post pictures I may be able to tell. Even conservators in museums have a hard time telling how some things were done.