All That Glitters is Gold
Gilding brings back the patina of treasured antiquities
The ancient craft of gilding—applying thin layers of gold atop furniture and decorative accessories—has not changed since Medieval times. Artisan Fiona Blunden employs the same age-old techniques as gilders from the pre-1500s as she restores and repairs antique furniture and mirrors for The Wren’s clients.
Born and bred in Kilkenny, Ireland, the country’s noted Medieval Capital, on a 350-acre farm, Blunden received early training in silversmithing in her home country before moving to London to apprentice with a renowned gilder. There she honed her craft, gilding furniture and antique mirror frames. She is trained in the art of both oil and water gilding, although she primarily focuses on water gilding since that is the application most used on antique furniture. It’s an intricate craft with multiple steps, including carefully applying tissue-thin layers of 23-carat gold sheets to furniture and frames. Her skill in knowing what sections of the furniture to polish and how long to burnish them to achieve the desired effect is what makes her work stand out as fine examples of the craft.
Today, she has more than 30 years of experience in the industry restoring furniture for individuals, museums and antiques dealers internationally from her Vermont studio, which is housed in the renovated Bridgewater Woolen Mill, a textile mill with a history dating to 1828. “I most enjoy rescuing pieces that others are ready to send to the dumpster,” Blunden says. “I love to repurpose furniture and particularly enjoy restoring mirror frames back to how they were originally designed, especially creating molds for replacing the missing parts of a frame or adding gilded ornamentation to an old table.”
Her latest project is the restoration of a Chippendale mirror that came from someone’s barn, with missing pieces and in need of gilding and burnishing. “Restoration is time consuming and a process that requires patience, but I love bringing pieces back to life. There is ritual in doing things the traditional way, and I appreciate mixing the old with the new in a project,” she says.
“It’s fun to find just the right amount of sparkle when gilding a lighting fixture, for instance. I like a bit of shine but want to make sure the piece looks authentic. The Wren and its clients appreciate antiques. Like me, they find a touch of gold is nice in a house,” Blunden adds. Any projects that Blunden restores today are most likely to last another 100 years or more.
Blunden only accepts commissions of high-end projects, which makes her a puzzle piece-fit with The Wren. “Fiona has a passion for gilding, and her attention to detail when bringing antique frames and furniture back to usable and beautiful condition is phenomenal,” says The Wren’s founder, Lori Bate. “We appreciate how she can mix the old with the new and make it look so cohesive. It’s perfection!”
