Endangered Species: Gilders of Gothenburg
Grimhild Angertuva continues to work as the gilder …
Passion for art objects, inquisitiveness in quotidian household objects and the curiosity in crafts make Grimhild Angertuva to run her own antique shop. However, her primary profession is gilding and she could not think of anything else other than to be a gilder.
“We are so few now,” says the gilder with concern. What will happen to gilders in few years? She is worried for the profession for it may disappear, and the art and craft of gilding like the endangered species.
Gilder in Swedish is ‘förgyllare’. Gilding is a technique of applying a thin coat of gold – gold leaf or gold powder – to objects of wood, stone, or metal. Thus, such an object becomes a gilded object or gilt. Metal objects are gilded with silver (silver-gilt). Gilding methods range from handwork, gluing, chemical gilding, and electroplating or gold plating.
Grimhild Angertuva runs her own shop in the forecourt of the oldest building in Gothenburg aka Göteborg. Grim Art supplies the residents with a range of services gildings, sheet metal, restoration of antique objects and furniture, restoring household pieces that are of historical or familial value to the owner and decorative painting. The unique skill of Grimhild is using traditional and environmental friendly materials for gilding and restoration.
Grim Art is not only a shop but a miniature museum strewn with objects not only from Gothenburg and Västra Götaland Region of West Sweden but also from other parts of the world.
Grimhild is running the antique shop and restoration centre on the premises since November 2016. She is one of the tenants of Higab at the Kronhuset.
A 19th century mirror is one of the favourite objects of Grimhild. She says the mirror has made its way to Sweden from the USA but how it came here is a mystery as is the case with many objects of antiquity. She imports gold for gilding from the UK.
For gilding, restoration, buying gifts, and decorative painting, contact:
Grimhild Angertuva
Grim Art
Tel: 0733 800 284
Email: g@grimart.nu
Visiting: Kronhusbodarna
Postgatan 8B
411 13 Göteborg
Grimhild Angertuva has not only found passion in her profession but also a loveable means for her livelihood. She works from her home in the countryside which also serves as warehouse and from the shop at the oldest building in Gothenburg.
