What is the difference between ormolu and gilt bronze?

Ormolu and gilt bronze refer to the exact same material of cast bronze treated with a gold finish. French makers and traditional dealers historically used ormolu to describe the high-grade mercury gilding found on fine furniture. The terminology often shifts depending on regional preference or the specific period of manufacture, but the underlying metal and finishing techniques remain identical.

Are these mounts removable from the furniture?

Most mounts are held in place by small brass screws or pins that pass through the wood from the interior. Removing them is discouraged because the wood surrounding the screw holes shrinks and hardens over centuries, making realignment difficult. Original mounts were fitted specifically to each individual piece of furniture during initial construction, meaning they rarely interchange cleanly with other items.

How do I distinguish eighteenth-century pieces from nineteenth-century revivals?

Eighteenth-century originals show hand-cut screw threads and subtle irregularities in the bronze casting from sand-moulding techniques unique to that era. The timber framing and internal oak carcase construction also reflect period workshop practices. Nineteenth-century revival pieces, while often exceptionally well made by makers like François Linke, utilise machine-standardised fixings and crisper, more symmetrical castings characteristic of industrial advancements.