The Gold Piano

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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. The entire Piano had 95% of all the gold, clay and gesso removed down to the wood. 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. (Please excuse the quality of the photographs, they are scanned in Polaroids.)

The Gold Piano	Dan Gilding	Mark Carving	Found Condition
Found Condition	Found Condition	Found Condition	Found Condition
Gesso removed, Missing pieces carved.	Cracked Gesso	Carved base ready for gesso.	Gesso applied to pedal
Gesso applied to body.	Gesso applied to body.	Gesso applied to body.	Gesso applied to legs.
Clay applied to legs.	Clay applied to legs.	Completed Gilt Piano.	Completed Gilt Piano.
Completed Gilt Piano.	Completed Gilt Piano.	Completed Gilt Piano.	Completed Gilt Piano.
Completed Gilt Legs.	Completed Gilt Piano.	Completed Gilt Piano.	Completed Gilt Piano.