The following
photographs depict the restoration of a Webar Piano. The Piano spent 35
years
in an unprotected garage and as a result the gold and gesso cracked
over the
entire surface. There was very little to save. So we cleaned a small
section as
a sample for the new gold. Missing pieces were carved back. All the
wood
(Mahogany) was prepared with a glue sizing and then the wood was
covered with
Gesso. After the right body of gesso was applied several coats of Bole
or Clay
were applied to the gesso as a ground for water gilding. The entire
piano was
then Water Gilt with 23 Karat Gold Leaf. Finally the piano was lightly
antiqued
with oil stain. The Piano required 15 cases of gold, and the entire job
took a
year and a half.