GOLD CRAFT AND THE FRYING PAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2185, 5 October 1920, Page 4

GOLD CRAFT AND THE FRYING PAN.

There is on view in Mr Golders jewellery establishment an interesting array of gold medals to be presented to local footballers this, evening. Three of the medals are exhibited in their initial stage of manufacture,..' showing' the usual

black oxidisation' whch gold jewellery is subjected to after having undergone so much necessary smelting, .hammering, annealing, and powerful rolling. The ohjeelion-ablo-looking oxide is quickly removed by an interesting chemical process called “pickling;” and “wire scratch-brushing,” after which it is subjected to much hand and lathe polishing by alternate grades of emery, and the vigorous application of frijjoli and rouge, special preparation for workers in precious metals, used on various brushes of 'different texture. For .different shades of. finish it.is thou immersed in a bath of gold cyanide, a very powerful poison, having an electric current passing through it, atid finally finished off with a putrid mixture of stale beer and sour vinegar, then dried (not fried) in a frying pan containing'boxwood sawdust, held over a lire. So much -for that beautiful and exquisite finish obtainable in the interesting art of gold and silver designs, but one would not credit that the “precious metal” would be subjected to such a loathsome process to attain it* adjpirable quality, a formulae that quite bespeaks of kitchen routine in having to be “pickled,” “scratched,” “mangled,” “bathed,” tlavuured with “stale beer,” “poisoned,” sweetened with “sour vinegar,’'' a pinch of “sawdust” to taste, and then cooked in the “frying pan.” Foxton is fortunate in possessing such a capable worker in the gold and slversniith's art.