Heyden gold
Heyden gold and Heyden silver were the names for so-called composition gold in the 1920s , which the Chemische Fabrik v. Heyden in Radebeul . They were thin metal foils as a cheaper substitute for gold or silver leaf . The foil consisted of non- oxidizing bronze in contrast to other similar materials mostly made of brass .
It was used e.g. B. in the labeling or ornamental design of shop windows or glass signs for advertising purposes . The slightly more matt surface of the material was seen as an advantage over real gold leaf, in which the high gloss was first compensated for by means of etching, which impaired visibility on the advertising surfaces.
processing
First the glass plate was covered with the foil, then a layer of tinfoil for mechanical protection was glued to it. Before it was completely dry, letters and design elements were drawn in mirror image and the two foils were cut through to the glass with a sharp knife. The excess film could now be removed and the remaining material pressed on and painted over with a paint.
The film was offered in rolls of 10, 20 and 50 meters in length and a width of up to 60 centimeters. The price was around 3.50 Reichsmarks per square meter with a minimum purchase of 5 square meters . Contemporary, unprocessed material samples still show hardly any visible traces of oxidation.
Patents
In March 1929 the Reich Patent Office announced a patent for the production of a particularly strong metal leaf substitute with patent retroactive effect from April 3, 1924; Fritz Pfleumer can be attributed to it as an invention. The chemical factory v. Heyden already in 1928 a patent process for the production of metal foils with patent retroactive effect from July 6, 1924.
literature
- C. Beinroth: Process for the production of a usable substitute for gold and silver writing etc. behind glass in a simple and cheap way. Chemical factory von Heyden, Radebeul near Dresden 1927