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I was recently willed a Marriage Certificate from my Grandmother. It dates back to 1888 and is for my Great Great Grand Parents. When I was given the frame it was worse for wear but the the certificate is still in great shape so I thought it deserved a good restoring. The frame is a beautiful design of leafs and flowers in plaster with gold leaf over it. The plaster was cracked and falling off all over it. I did search for how to restore a frame on this site but ended up not really finding what I needed for the whole project. I learned most of what I did by reading the product boxes in the Hobby Lobby to learn what I could use for each step. Please keep in mind this is my family heirloom so i used the parts and materiel that I new would work for me and keep the frame safe for years to come. If you plan to restore one on your own take your time and make your own judgment on materials you may be afraid will cause adverse effects on your antique.
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When I first received the frame it had many pieces missing from the plaster. Some were in the frame just lying there. I did some research and found that the frame was plaster with gold leaf. Originally I thought it was clay but i was wrong. I also saw the dust build up was thick. So it was time to clean. Knowing that i wanted this to last for another 124 years I wanted to be sure to use things that wouldn't harm the delicate frame anymore. After each step make sure to clean up. I made the mistake of not taking care of the brushes properly and lost 4 of them. It's not a big thing but it will help in the long run if you plan to use them again. The glue doesn't come off easily once its sets for a while.
Tools: I already had around the house
>cotton swabs
>Several Paint brushes (your choice of size)
>bowl or container to mix things in
>plastic disposable cups
>card board or foam board for making the mold
>regular desk tape
>pliers
>X-acto knife
>soft surface to work on. I used a foam sheet I had laying around
>small ball of clay. The molding rubber came with some
>butter knife or something to cut the clay and Milliput
>paper towel or sponge
Materials:
>wood glue $3
>book binding glue, Acid free $4
>Molding rubber (Alumilite $25)
>freeing agent like Vaseline
>Milliput 2 part epoxy putty $8
>gold leaf or fake gold leaf $50 - $60 for 24K and $18 for the fake
>gold leaf adhesive $5
>gold leaf antique glaze $5
>gold leaf sealer $9
Most of this I picked up at my local Hobby Lobby and Walmart. But they are easy to find at any craft store. The real gold leaf you may need to order online and goes for about $60 for a book of 18 sheets. I ended up having 2 sheets left over.
Tools: I already had around the house
>cotton swabs
>Several Paint brushes (your choice of size)
>bowl or container to mix things in
>plastic disposable cups
>card board or foam board for making the mold
>regular desk tape
>pliers
>X-acto knife
>soft surface to work on. I used a foam sheet I had laying around
>small ball of clay. The molding rubber came with some
>butter knife or something to cut the clay and Milliput
>paper towel or sponge
Materials:
>wood glue $3
>book binding glue, Acid free $4
>Molding rubber (Alumilite $25)
>freeing agent like Vaseline
>Milliput 2 part epoxy putty $8
>gold leaf or fake gold leaf $50 - $60 for 24K and $18 for the fake
>gold leaf adhesive $5
>gold leaf antique glaze $5
>gold leaf sealer $9
Most of this I picked up at my local Hobby Lobby and Walmart. But they are easy to find at any craft store. The real gold leaf you may need to order online and goes for about $60 for a book of 18 sheets. I ended up having 2 sheets left over.
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and I'm not sure I have the talent. Great job Cheers and Bravo