smalts

[sharlote]

I have found some gold flecks or powder and I have been told that it was mixed with an oil to make a gold paint sign makers used to guiled hand painted signs. It was called smalts. Has anyone heard of this and is it of any value? It is at least 40 years old.

[john_hartman]

Crescent Bronze makes a HUGE variety of metal powders which can be mixed into a wide range of clear finishes and paints. I used these in a clear acrylic for the "the watch room" found in the "vitual show and tell" section.

crescentbronze.us
800.445.6810

[joewino]

Smalts is a technique that used (uses) ground glass to create a textured background in signs - especially those using gold leaf cut out letters. It was basically black, although it is available in several different colors.

What you may be refering to is mica powders that are finally ground and may be mixed with clears to produce a gold leaf like finish. They can also be sprinkled on clear after it is applied and before it dries to create the same look.

Smalts is a coarse material that probably not work very well by mixing it will clear.