Daguerreotype Photographs the Old Fashioned Way

Step 6 Gilding (blowtorch!) [optional]

Finally we get to use the blowtorch! The surface of the daguerreotype plate is seriously fragile. You can wipe the image completely off the plate with your finger and a water drop will obliterate it too. Gilding helps to protect the image from tarnishing but the surface will remain relatively fragile.

The gilding solution is a combination of two solutions:
Solution A: 500ml distilled water to 1g of Gold Chloride
Solution B: 500ml distilled water to 4g Sodium Thiosulfate
Gilding solution: Add 125ml Solution A TO 125ml Solution B while stirring (in that order)

Remove the plate from the tap water bath, briefly rinse it in the distilled bath again, and transfer the plate to a gilding stand (see pic).

Pour an appropriate amount of gilding solution on the plate (50ml or so should do it for a 4x5" daguerreotype). Use your finger to move the meniscus of gilding solution around the surface of the plate so that the whole plate is covered. Don't touch the surface of the plate! Only move the liquid. If the gilding solution has been sitting for more than 24 hours, filter it a couple of times through filter paper.

Light your blowtorch and begin rapidly moving it back and forth on the underside of the plate at a distance of about 6-8 inches. If you linger, the image will get extremely black in that area and will be ruined. The contrast will slowly enhance after a few minutes of doing this. If bubbles start to form, you're too close and you're on the verge of ruining the plate.

Once the contrast has changed to your liking or the color has changed to your liking, pour on a generous amount of water from above. The plate will be perfectly cool to the touch after doing this so pick it up and put it in the distilled water bath (use the tip n' tilt method). Rinse as in the clearing step.

Comments

[georgeatos]

Hi, i'm starting with daguerreotypes, I was wondering if you know what is the specific action of the Gold Chloride in this part of the procese? is it for tone only? thanks Jorge Marzuca Chile.

[duckarrowtypes]

I'm not sure of the specific chemical process but the point isn't to color. The point is to convert some of the free silver into a less reactive state. It's my understanding that this is the action that helps to ward off tarnishing. The contrast improvement is a real bonus!