Poliment – clay that makes gold shine

Gilders have been using this clay for more than 4,500 years. Gilded statues in the Egyptian pyramids demonstrate the skills of ancient Egyptian craftsmen in creating real gold leaf and processing it perfectly with the help of poliment gilding.

We still offer all the materials and tools that are required for this gilding technique today. Learning the poliment technique requires above all time: only through plenty of practice and experience can gilders master this technique perfectly.

All poliments must be bonded with hide glue, rabbit-skin glue, gelatine (glue poliment), or protein (egg poliment) before use.

An overview of types and colours

• “German” poliment – in a wet paste, in the colours red, yellow, white, grey, and black
• “German” poliment – in a dry cone form, in the colours red, yellow, white, grey, black
• French Lefranc poliment – in a wet paste, in the colours yellow, red, black
• American poliment – in a wet paste, in the colours Victorian yellow, Spanish red, French red, Victorian orange