Bronze finish on victorian fireplace

[Anonymous]

Dear All
We have spent an agonising time stripping years of paint off our original victorian fireplace.

Rather than revealing a black shiny finish there is a bronze finish on the fireplace which looks great with the tiles but have we in fact made a serious boo using chemical strippers as I have never seen a bronze finish on a fireplace?

Grateful for pointers as to whether we have inadvertently caused some damage and wiped away the black shiny finish in addition to the years of paint!!

 

[Anonymous]

If you like it, don't worry!
The shiny black you're thinking of isn't a paint or anything more complicated than black-lead polish, which is really a sort of graphite, and easy to create if that's the finish you want. On the other hand, bronze sounds lovely.

 

[Anonymous]

Dear Moo
Thanks very much for your response. I feel the same way and am chuffed with the bronze so after years of being painted over it can now be admired in all its glory!
Thanks also for your tips re the black lead polish.
Best wishes
Michelle

 

[Anonymous]

'Bronze', that'll do me like - what colour is that then?

Gavin the Greased