Investing in Skills: Gilding at SohoFrames

We invest heavily in our business, not just in the latest machinery, like our Gunnar computerised picture mount-making machine, but also in our team through continuous training and development.

The Art and Process of Gilding Picture Frames

We gild picture frames here at SohoFrames in our Soho workshop. Gilding is the application of fine metal leaf — usually 24k gold — onto the specially prepared wooden surface of the frame.

We used to send our frames out to external contractors for gilding. However, we were never fully satisfied with either the turnaround times or the final quality. So, we decided to take matters into our own hands.

The Challenge of Learning Gilding

Getting professional gilding training isn’t easy:

• Over several years, we enrolled team members in various college courses. 
• Unfortunately, each course was eventually cancelled for one reason or another. 
• We were repeatedly left without a reliable learning pathway.

A Different Path: Learning from Masters

Determined to pursue this craft, we took a different approach. We reached out directly to some of the industry’s most respected gilders, with the goal of learning from them privately — a modern take on the traditional apprenticeship model.

Finally, after years of trying, it happened.

Intensive One-on-One Gilding Training

A gilder whose work and ethics we admired arrived at our Soho workshop and began teaching us directly.

• One-on-one intensive training sessions
  
• Hands-on practice and self-study
• Follow-up visits to review progress and techniques

By 2024, we had fully brought the gilding process in-house — developing our own methods, our own signature style, and upholding our own high standards.

We think you’ll like the results.