The craft of gilding covers a surface with a very thin layer of metal leaf, most often gold. The leaf is so thin that it has to be laid by hand, one sheet at a time. It is one of the oldest decorative arts, and it is still at the center of what we do. At our shop in Edgewater, Maryland, master gilder Brendon Brandon finishes every one of our gold leaf signs and glass projects.
Gold Leaf on Glass
On glass, we lay the gold leaf on the back of the pane, so it shines through the front and stays protected from the weather. The traditional name for this technique is verre églomisé. We use it for storefront windows, transom numbers, and house addresses. It lasts, too. For example, the gold leaf logo on the window at McGarvey’s Saloon in Annapolis has held up for more than 30 years in a busy bar. Gold numbers on glass transoms are also a classic in historic districts.
Surface Gilding on Signs, Boats, and Monuments
Surface gilding puts the leaf on the front of a carved or painted surface. We finish most of our carved signs this way, like the sign we carved for Old Stein Inn. We also apply gold leaf to boat names and quarterboards by hand. On a larger scale, we gilded carved monument letters at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. In addition, the Society of Gilders invited us to help restore the gold leaf on the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.
Gold, Palladium, and Platinum Leaf
Most of our gilding is done in genuine 23 karat gold leaf. Gold doesn’t tarnish, so it keeps its shine outdoors for years. When a client wants a silver look, we use palladium leaf, as on these palladium leaf quarterboards. On occasion, we also use platinum leaf. Once the leaf is down, we can leave it bright and burnished or give it a softer, textured finish.
Gilding Projects to Explore
- McGarvey’s Saloon window in Annapolis
- Mt. Washington Tavern windows in Baltimore
- Monument letters at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
- Marine Corps War Memorial restoration
- Carved sign for Old Stein Inn
- Palladium leaf quarterboards
- Gold leaf boat name for Golden Light
- Gold leaf numbers for a museum in Pontiac, Illinois
Browse more in our gold leaf on glass and gold leaf boat names galleries.
Contact Designs & Signs
Have a gilding project in mind? Send us a message through our contact form, or call (410) 798-5115.