~RichC writes:
Members of our groop (including myself)
were instrumental in fabricating these
Louis XVI armoire legs.
(The legs were removed from the armoire
and two were lost during a move.)
I sent a request to groop for help.
Frank LaRoque and Virgil both offered to help
(as did others) ...
Frank made the new wood
and Virgil cast the brass ormolu and had it gold plated.
I color matched and finished the wood. I failed to make the gold
plating look old and patina'd, so I had my artist paint them to look old!
(The process involves adding rottenstone to the paint to add texture.)
It wasn't my intention to deceive anyone that these are reproductions.
I left the new wood intact without any wear and tear - so that is one
easy way for me to identify them.
(The brass can only be distinguished by looking at the interior -
there is a different casting mark on the two new ones ).
The conclusion of this story was when I delivered the four legs to
the customer (a very picky wanna-be interior designer - who has
the nobility title of "Princess" titled on her business card -
she is after all, descended from Russian nobility. . .)
Anyway, the customer picks two of the four legs
and goes upstairs to check them
against the original cabinetry for color match.
To my chagrin, she picked the original two,
thinking that they were the reproductions.
Then she calls me upstairs to announce
that they don't match exactly perfectly,
but that they are all right and acceptable after all.
Handing her the claim release, I said "Sign here",
smiled, and left her home for good.
Rich Conley
Gig Harbor, WA