Ormolu

Ormolu (/ˈɔːrməˌluː/; from French or moulu 'ground/pounded gold') is the gilding technique of applying finely ground, high-carat gold–mercury amalgam to an object of bronze, and objects finished in this way. The mercury is driven off in a kiln, leaving behind a gold coating. The French refer to this technique as "bronze doré"; in English, it is known as "gilt bronze". Around 1830, legislation in France outlawed the use of mercury for health reasons, though use continued to the 1900s.^{[citation needed]}

Craftsmen principally used ormolu for the decorative mountings of furniture, clocks, lighting devices, and porcelain.