Sign writing, gold leaf, heraldic art, pub signs, gilding and English heraldry

For many hundreds of years gold leaf has been used to decorate and highlight, and is regarded worldwide as the symbol of quality, permanence and tradition.

It is the ultimate signwriting medium, as it is virtually pure gold (23.75ct), it will never tarnish or fade and will always retain its optical properties. It is used extensively in the licensed trade, by quality retailers, the church and religious organisations. Gold can be applied to many materials and will retain its long life, for example when applied to glass, the design life is in excess of one hundred years.

We use both transfer and loose gold and platinum leaf, as the optical properties are totally different, as are the effects.

	Buckleys Yesterdays World, Battle, East Sussex on timber
	Close-up of the title showing lettering
	The Great Eastern, Brighton, East Sussex on timber
	Close-up showing lettering with white walls altered to avoid screen glare
	Presentation plaque on glass
	Cooper & Son, Seaford, East Sussex. Glass fascia together with window writing
	Farrer (part of the Goldsmith Group), Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Glass fronted with carved timber behind
	Detailed view of the above title
	Two Sawyers
	Forge Brewery
	Kentish Rifleman
	Hastings Ladies Circle
	Goldsmiths- on timber
	Wolf Armouries- gold and silver leaf
	Howes Bookshop
	The Old Well House
	The Parish church of Etchingham, East Sussex.
	Christ the King.
	Queens Inn entrance sign.
	Queens Inn information sign.
	Body Shop fascia sign with gilded letters.
	Body Shop secondary sign with gilded letters.
	Mark signwriting in Knutsford, Cheshire with transfer platinum leaf.
	Mark Wilkinson's showroom in Knutsford: the finished product in platinum leaf.
	Gold leaf on a mirror for an inn in Germany.
	Cooper & Son gold leaf hanging sign.
	Leeford Place Hotel- main fascia sign.
	Leeford Place Hotel- restaurant sign.
	Leeford Place Hotel- directional sign.
Mark Wilkinson: series of 7 images showing process.
	After the timber was carved to our drawings the glass was positioned and marked out to define the area to be gilded.
	The carved timber being gilded in transfer platinum leaf.
	After outlining, the back of the glass was gilded with platinum loose leaf. The brush used, known as a 'gilders tip', uses static to pick and 'float' the loose leaf platinum on to the size.
	After gilding the glass it was 'backed up' to protect the platinum leaf, and the excess leaf removed.
	The carved and gilded timber was then secured in position.
	The gilded glass was positioned and secured with a hardwood surround.
	This shows the detailed effect of the timber gilded with transfer platinum and the glass with loose leaf platinum.
Out of interest this technology from the Victorian/Edwardian era should look this good until approximately the year 2110. The following was a commission from the Duke of Westminster for properties in Buckingham Palace Road: for 32 gold leaf signs on stained oak. A series of 5 images:
	Complete range of directory and floor signs.
	134/136 Buckingham Palace Road.
	144/146 Buckingham Palace Road.
	148/150 Buckingham Palace Road.
	Detail of the floor signs for 144/146 Buckingham Palace Road.
The following was a commission from Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber for decorative gilding at the Apollo Theatre, Victoria, London for his musical 'Bombay Dreams'. It consisted of gilding twenty columns 13.5m high and 30cm diameter at the base increasing to 75cm at the top. Series of 4 images.
	The height of the columns is demonstrated by the size of the technicians working on the stage.
	To the right of the stage columns have been gilded awaiting burnishing.
	To stage right columns now burnished, the ungilded part in the centre is awaiting the sound system to be fitted.
	The base of the columns- even in low light, the gold 'glows'.
This commission was completed on time and on budget and involved some 200sq metres of gold leaf.