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- Gold mosaics (3) (entfernen)
ESEM-EDX analyses for the characterisation and reproduction of nineteenth-century gold tesserae
(2012)
Environmental scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (ESEM-EDX) is a versatile working tool for the examination of gold tesserae as well as for the selection of suitable materials for their reproduction. In this paper, the ESEM-EDX analyses of original gold tesserae and their damage types are presented. These analytical results form the basis for further calculations of glass properties and experiments. These calculated values enable the determination of the relevant glass properties and allow us to choose the appropriate type of modern glass for further experiments. Subsequent experiments convert this knowledge into practice. By comparing the analytical results from the original glasses and the replicas the accuracy and precision will be shown.
A research project of reconstructing historical gold mosaics deals with reconstructing weatherproof gold and silver mosaics according to historical models.
The gold mosaics examinded originate mainly from germany from 1880 to 1920 and are composed of three parts. They consist of a matching support glass, the gold or silver layer and a cover glass. By examining the morphology and layer thicknesses with the ESEM, and using chemical analysis with the EDX, the relationship of glass composition and damage patterns was established. The glass analysis provided quantitative composition data and made it possible to determine its chemical stability. It supplied the basis for calculating glass characteristics and was referred to when casting suitable historical mosaic glass. The analysis of the qualitative composition of the gold and silver layers also served as a model for reconstruction. After testing selected reconstructed gold mosaics in the climate chamber, the ESEM was used for capturing leaching and other process data and the glass composition was optimized accordingly. Over 100 predominantly historical gold mosaics were analyzed and the results entered into a database which can now be consulted for comparative investigations to determine both origin and date.