A service on a very nice Portico Clock with ormolu figuer mounts with
Pierced and engraved Fleur-De-Lys hands.
Ormolu(From French or moulu, signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th- century English term for applying finely ground,high karat gold in mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.
The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding of fire-gilding,in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a peace of copper,brass or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.
Due to exposure to the harmful mercury fumes,most guilders did not survive beyond 40.
No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Found this information and found it interesting hope you do.
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