Enamel......Question

[Doc]

Would enamel used on helmets as rosette centers be opaque or would it be transparent like a regular piece of glass.

Thanks

[Dan Howard]

Most historical enamels were opaque but some were transparent. A neat Anglo-Saxon technique was to use transparent red enamel over a textured gold surface that sparkles in the light. It looks beautiful. A lot of modern enamels aren't enamel at all but specially-designed polymer substitutes like Ceramit and Colorite. We are going to use Ceramit on my reconstruction of Agamemnon's cuirass.
http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=28063

[PhilusEstilius]

Where the Romans did use enamel they also did inlays with a paste type material such as the inlays of this umbernate brooch.

[PhilusEstilius]

Where the Romans did use enamels they also used many types of paste inlays such as this umbernate brooch.
In fact with this apron strap from a belt they have used both situations where the yellow is indeed enamel and is opaque however the red inlay is a paste one.
[attachment=8374]easyshare143Medium.jpg[/attachment]

[Ariovistus]

I have often wondered this as well. This is the Celtic Battersea Shield which is an excellent example of enameled bronze. It was dated rather ambiguously (350 bc - 50 bc) and is of Insular Celtic origin so I don't know if it would apply to what you are looking for. But it appears to be opaque.

[Doc]

Hello,

Thank you for the replies. I appreciate it.

Dan, that is an interesting idea for making transparent enamel so that the gold beneath is visible. Its almost the same as in oil painting where a darker glaze is used over a lighter color to give an optical color combination that can look like a glow.