Fancy brass brackets, such as gas brackets, are usually only dipped in a nitric acid bath and burnished. If the dipping does not give the desired brightness, the brackets are dipped again and again, and thoroughly washed and dried between each dipping. If the finish is not then suitable, the brackets may be dead dipped; this gives a dead yellow surface, and axter the prominent parts are burnished presents a very artistic appearance. To dead dip, alter well pickling the articles, place in stronger nitric acid till a frothy appearance results; then wash in water and dip for a few seconds in the strongest nitric acid. Wash in a bath containing a little dissolved argol or cream of tartar, and dry in warm sawdust; then burnish the articles and lacquer in clear lacquer. A different but equally pleasing appearance may be given to the bra. lots by bronzing. A bath that imparts to brass a shade from brown to a deep red be made by dissolving 2oz. of nitrate of iron and 2oz. of hyposulphite of soda in lpt. of water. Immerse the articles in this till they are of the required tint. For a shade from a pale green to a deep olive green, add 1 part of perchloride of iron to 2 parts of water. For a dark green tint take 1 pt. of water, 1 oz. of nitric acid, and 4oz. of nitrate of copper.

A bronze which gives a very good finish is composed of 1 part oxide of iron, 1 part white arsenic, and 12 parts hydrochloric acid. All grease must first be removed from the articles and the bronze painted on with a brush. When dry the articles may be burnished in the usual way in part, or plain lacquered with a clear lacquer, or they may be plain varnished, according to taste.