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Bruce Hamilton writes:

Groop

We want to make this decorative finial for the mirror in the picture.

We believe it will involve some turning, wire, gesso and casting.
What would be your suggestions on how to proceed? We don't
know of any place that we could purchase such an item. Perhaps
some one might?

Bruce









Mike Mascelli replies:

Bruce,

I have to say that I was really surprised when I saw the pictures
of this mirror !!  I had a very similar project a couple of years ago
and a nearly identical challenge to create the missing urn.

I am skipping large parts of this story, but I did a great deal of
research to find what the missing piece should look like, and
after some inquires without results, decided to just try making one
myself..... I have sent along a couple of pictures.  The black and
white one is an illustration from a book that servred as my
pattern, and of course the "before" picture shows the busted
but remarkably original piece that I got.

The finished product is as you say, a mixture of materials,
beginning with a carved sugar pine block for the basic urn, and
some plaster added for detail, then the little flower bits were
made out of a tootsie roll epoxy core with some plaster on top,
the heads of wheat were actually the hardest part because I did
not have a good pattern until I got some real wheat !!  The
wire is just ordinary steel wire and eventually the whole thing
was oil gilded.  It was not that difficult and I would bet that
you guys could do this yourselves assuming that you can get a
really good photo to work from.  In many  circles these are
referred to as "Albany Mirrors" and there are LOT of
reference materials available.

I would be happy to help in any way I can.

MikeM












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