What is "gesso" on old Vienna Clocks?

[doug sinclair]

Steve,

According to Malcolm Gerschler in his book The Watch & Clock Pronunciary, gesso is a form of plaster of Paris used for making bas-reliefs. Gesso-dura is a hard form of gesso. I have also heard it described as "artist's plaster". I think it was formed in several different ways into fancy trim on (for example) picture frames, early Neuchatel clocks, and other places by casting it wet into a mold, or forming it with sculpting tools from the form of a thick slurry. It was then often gilded using gold leaf, and sometimes painted. Anyway, that's my take on it.

Regards,
Doug S.

[Tom McIntyre]

Gesso is plaster, usually plaster of paris sometimes horsehair plaster, applied to a wood surface and carved in detail. It is often then gilded but sometimes finished with other applied finishes.

In some French furniture, the carving underlies the gesso and it is used to give a very smooth surface to allow gold leaf to be applied or to give a very high gloss finish without the difficulty of preparing a wood surface to the same level. Of course, you lose the wood grain when you apply gesso.

------------------
Tom McIntyre
President, NAWCC Chapter 174
Pocket Horology Web
Tommy the JOAT's Web

[Tom McIntyre]

Doug and I were posting simultaneously. Two answers for the price of one. :biggrin:

------------------
Tom McIntyre
President, NAWCC Chapter 174
Pocket Horology Web
Tommy the JOAT's Web