Mediaeval craftsmanship and the modern amateur : more particularly with reference to metal and enamel by Wethered Newton 1869-

Author:Wethered, Newton, 1869-
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Decorative arts, Decorative arts, Medieval, Enamel and enameling, Metal-work
Publisher: London, New York [etc] : Longmans, Green and Co.
Published: 1923-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

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so much treacle. To counteract this, the whole affair can be fired upside down by making an iron cradle to support it at the sides. If a thin piece of iron is taken, of the width of the muffle, and turned up an inch or so on the two longer sides at an angle of 45 degrees, the two bevelled sides will support a plaque placed face downwards—thus enabling the face of it to stand away from the lower portion of the cradle. The enamel, when melted on this structure, will tend to flow downwards, out of the hollows of the design, and regain its position, if it had lost it, over the spaces of the higher relief.

The pattern can be brought out with greater distinctness by using a dark or even a black enamel on the lower levels. Employ it in a thoroughly wet state all over the plaque, so that it sinks into the hollows and leaves the portions in relief uncovered. Absorb the superfluous moisture with a cloth, or dry brush, and either fire it in this state or continue to cover the bare metal with paler colours ; it may be done in one or two stages, as is preferred. The eff"ect can be varied very considerably, according to the conception of the colour scheme—in gentle modulations or in more abrupt transitions. There will, at any rate with transparent enamels, be a varying depth of tone, and in addition, an excellent broken quality.

Should the metal be copper, it must be carefully cleaned and covered entirely with flux. After that is done, a very free use of wet and dry enamel, laid on its surface in rather an indiscriminate manner, irrespective of the pattern, can produce a partially iridescent effect in which reds, light and dark, greens, and drifts of golden yellow would predominate. The pattern can be left to look after itself, as the modelling of the metal will be sufficient to preserve the design.

An amusing variation approaches what has been called a ' stained glass ' effect. It is, in fact, a deliberate attempt to adapt a window design, on a small scale, to enamel. A piece of fairly thick silver foil is cut into the required shape, annealed, and placed on wet leather. A pointed lead-pencil serves excellently to draw the design, with pres-

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