The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
The whole is then antique or color glazed over a sealer coat of clear lacquer or shellac. Or the moulding may be polychromed, according to whether the design is already pressed in the wood, placed there by raised stippling or else flat stippled. A coat of thin pale lacquer is usually applied over all polychroming for protective purposes. On cheaper frames iridescent Tiffany polychrome effects are procured with distemper colors mixed in a good grade of glue. This dries quickly and requires no clear protective top coating, unless a gloss finish is desired.
Metal leaf may also be applied to the fine grades of picture frames, the gold size, usually japan, being applied over the primer-sealer. Dutch silver leaf (Schlagmetal) may be applied at much less expense than the gold leaf and given a gold appearance by spraying on a coat of gold toning lacquer. It will not tarnish, but should be lightly wiped with beeswax; it should not be burnished.
Imitation leather effects may be procured by spraying a coat of clear lacquer over the primer, followed by black crackle lacquer, then brown lacquer enamel and antique glazing if desired. All sorts of novelty effects are possible—the list is limited only by the selling price and the willingness of the operator to experiment.
Crystalizing
AMONG the strictly modern types of finish, -which are the product of laboratory experiment, such as crackle lacquers, is crystalizing varnish. Though of a varnish character and in no sense a nitro-cellulose or oriental lacquer, it is also known to the trade as crystalizing lacquer. Its value with respect to furniture is rather as a decorative medium than as a complete finish, but it has been enthusiastically adopted for camera cases, office appliances, radio horns and fronts, metal novelties, etc., for it is waterproof, tough, and durable, resists oil or gasoline, and is easily kept clean with a damp rag. It may be applied over any kind of hard, non-porous surface, fibre, wood or metal.
The effect is one of myriad softly glowing and scintillating crystals and is obtainable in black for a one-coat job and in clear for a natural (not too pale) or a colored finish over any shade or type of undercoater, enamel, lacquer, japan, shellac or varnish. The clear will reveal plainly any color, decoration, transfers, striping, stencils or even printing underneath, and for a duller lustre or a metallic effect may be coated over with bronze powders mixed in bronzing liquid. As a finish crystalizing is noteworthy in that it will hide surface imperfections, such as scratches, draw marks, etc.
Crystalizing varnish is applied like ordinary varnish, but if brushed, should be applied like lacquer, with as few strokes as possible, without retouching.
