Restore Cast iron fire place.

[badmofo]

Hi all,

I have a victorian cast iron fireplace that a former owner has half covered in some kind of gold colouring. How can i get it back to black? I tried stone and grate polish which did nothing!

Thanks for reading.

 

[badmofo]

I didn't explain too well so here's a pic:

 

[alice]

The pic shows some nice art nouveau details. If you can't scrape the gold off, it might very well be in the metal, maybe some sort of plating. Are you sure it's paint?

The detail reminded me of this fireplace. It's a reproduction, but it's a cast of an original, from what I understand. It seems to have some of the same details as yours and they date theirs about 1900. Do you know the date of yours?

alice

 

[chuckey]

hi Alice, the moldings on the columns are almost identical to the ones on my victorian freplace, as you remark the ends of the central "feature" is art noveauish. But you didn't see the little "wings" underneath the central feature, it is art deco. So I reckon some foundary started with a victorian pattern and kept on modifiying it to suit the latest fad. I would say its art deco. I expect that there was one produced in the 1960s with a paisley pattern on it somewhere.
Frank

 

[alice]

Probably so!

This is an example of why I find dating by style so interesting. You have to take into account each individual feature and then factor in the entire look, along with technical, social and economic variables.

I know many people enjoy the structural/architectural aspects of period homes, but it's the surface decoration I find fascinating.

alice

 

[badmofo]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

The gold stuff is not paint, I dont think it will scrape off.
Do you think i can try nitromoors on it without the risk of damage?

To answer your question, the house was built 1890-1900.