AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GILDING COPPER, BRASS, AND OTHER METALS OR ALLOYS OF METALS
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
RICHARDS ELKINGTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gilt Toy
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the sixth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Richards Elkington, His especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said George Richards Elkington, my exors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as I the said George Richards Elkington, my exors,
admors, or assigns should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
GILDING COPPER, BRASS, AND OTHER METALS OR ALLOYS OF METALS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said George Richards
Elkington, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Richards Elkington, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in gilding copper, brass, and other metals or alloys
of metals by means of potash or soda combined with carbonic acid, and with
a solution of gold, as hereafter described. And in order to my Invention
being most fully understood, I will proceed to describe the process as per-
formed by me, and which has fully answered the purpose, the articles operated
on having a very beautiful appearance, and in most instances are considered
to be gilded far better than when similar articles have been submitted to the
gilding process where quicksilver is used. The process of gilding by the aid
of quicksilver being well known and in general practice, and as it forms no
part of my improved method, but is entirely different from my Invention, no
description of such process will be necessary in this my Specification. I will
first describe the preparation of the materials, and then explain the process of
using the same-Dissolve five ounces troy weight of fine gold in fifty-two
ounces averdupois weight of nitro-muriatic acid of the following proportions,
videlicet-twenty-one ounces of nitric acid pur of 1.45 specific gravity;
seventeen ounces of muriatic acid pur of 1.15 specific gravity, and fourteen
ounces of distilled water for this purpose. The gold being put into the
mixture of acids and water, they are to be heated in a glass or other con-
venient vessel till the gold is dissolved, and I usually continue the application
of heat after this is eflected, and until a reddish or yellowish vapour ceases to
risc. The clear liquid is to be carefully poured off from any sediment which
generally appears and results from a small portion of silver, which is generally
found in alloy with the gold. The clear liquid is to be placed in a suitable
vessel; I prefer the same to be of stone pottery ware; add to the solution of
gold four gallons of distilled water, and twenty pounds of bicarbonate of potash
of the best quality, let the whole boil moderately for two hours, the mixturo
will then be ready for use. The liquid being thus prepared, and as in practice
it is difficult to keep the liquid hot in stoneware vessels when many articles
are being dipped, I have found it advantageous to transfer the liquid to a cast-
iron vessel which it is necessary to keep very clean; the articles to be gilded
having been first perfectly cleaned from scale or grease they are to be
suspended on wires conveniently for a workman to dip them in the liquid
which is kept boiling. The time required for gilding any particular article
will depend on circumstances, partly on the quantity of the gold remaining in
the liquid, and partly on the size and weight of the article, but a little practice
will readily produce sufficient judgment to the workman. Supposing the
articles desired to be gilded to be brass or copper buttons, or small articles for

page_text: gilt toys or ornaments of dress, such as carriages or bracelets, a considerable
number of which may be strung on a hoop or bended piece of copper or brass
wire, and dipped into the vessel containing the boiling liquid above described
and moved therein, and the requisite gilding will be generally obtained in
from a few seconds to a minute; this is when the liquid is in the condition
above described, and depending on the quality of the gilding desired; but if
the liquid has been used some time, the quantity of gold will be lessened,
which will vary the time of operating to produce a given effect or the color
required, all which will quickly be observed by the workman, and by observing
the appearance of the articles from time to time he will know when the
desired object is obtained, though it is desirable to avoid taking the articles
out of the liquid as much as possible. When the operation is completed the
workman perfectly washes the articles so gilded with clean water; they may
then be submitted to the usual process of coloring. If the articles be cast
figures of animals, or otherwise of considerable weight compared with the
articles above mentioned, the time required to. perform the process will be
greater. In case it is desired to produce what is called a dead appearance, it
may be performed by several processes; the one I usually employ is to dead
the articles in the process of cleaning, as practised by brassfounders and
other trades, and it is produced by an acid prepared for that purpose, sold by
the makers under the term deading aquafortis, which is well understood.
may also be produced by a weak solution of nitrate of mercury applied to the
articles previous to the gilding process, as is practised in the process of gilding
with mercury, previous to spreading the amalgam, but generally a much
weaker solution. Or, the articles having been gilded may be dipped in a
solution of nitrate of mercury, and submitted to heat to expel the same, as is
practised in the usual process of gilding. It is desirable to remark that much
of the beauty of the result depends on the well cleaning of the articles, and
it is better to clean them by the ordinary processes and at once pass them
into the liquid to be gilded. I have always employed the usual means for
cleaning the articles from scales and other impurities which are commonly
resorted to in working of the metals for other purposes where the surfaces are
required to be freed from scales or other impurities, and I would remark that
great care should be observed in purchasing the articles above described of
the best description.
It
I have described only the using of bicarbonate of potash, which I believe to
be the best material for the purpose, and I would remark that soda in a state
of carbonate may be employed, but so far as my experience goes, not with
such advantages as potash in a state of bicarbonate, as above described.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood, that although in order to
give the best information in my power I have stated exact quantities of the
articles employed, I do not confine myself thereto, nor do I claim any process
for cleaning or deading; but what I claim as the improved process of gilding
secured by the present Letters Patent is the gilding copper, brass, and other
metals or alloys of metals by means of potash or soda combined with carbonic
acid, and with a solution of gold as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Richards Elkington, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six
GEO. RICHARDS (L.S.) ELKINGTON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1836, the aforesaid George Richards Elkington came
before our said Lord the King in His Chancery and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.