Ormolu is a French term meaning fire-gilded bronze and with an exact translation of “ground gold”. It is often used to describe gilt-bronze mounts on French 18th and 19th Century furniture, clocks, and decorative objects. The English and the rest of the continent also employed ormolu in their decorative arts, but not to the extent of the French. The French elevated the chasing and sculpting of gilt-bronze mounts to an art form. Charles Cressent (1685-1768) and Jacques Caffieri (1678-1755) were the early fondeurs-ciseleurs who created exquisite baroque and rococo ormolu mounts for furniture and decorations with Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843) and Pierre Gouthiere (1732-1813), who were neoclassicists working from the Louis XIV to the Empire period.
The word ormolu is also associated with other terms such as mercury gilding, fire-gilding, bronze dore and gilt-bronze. These terms all refer to the same process. The technique of making an ormolu mount or fixture is highly toxic and is not used today as a result. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury gilding in which a solution of mercury nitrate is applied to a piece of bronze; followed by the application of an amalgam of gold. The item is then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burns off and the gold remains, adhering to the metal object. Thus rendering the object as a brilliant piece of “gold”. The bronze mounts were cast by lost wax casting, and then chiseled and chased to add detail.
In 1830 to 1832, the legislation in France outlawed the use of mercury gilding, although it continued to be employed. The mercury oxide fumes driven off in the process are highly noxious and many of the fondeurs-ciseleurs in France perished from “fossy jaw”, a disease caused by mercury gilding. Many large prizes were offered for the invention of a process which would mitigate this. Sadly nothing was found.
We have for offer in our October 24-25th auction a fine group of 18th and 19th century ormolu chandeliers, cartel clocks, mantle clocks, candelabra, surtout de table, and lanterns. The Louis XIV period could be considered The First Gilded Age and the second half of the 19th Century, The Second Gilded Age. A variety of both Gilded Ages can be found in our upcoming auction.