VOCABULARY TERMS: RELIEF ETCHING, RELIEVING

Relief Etching. A method of producing raised relief by dissolving away all incuse surface area with acid leaving the wanted raised area undisturbed. This is accomplished by coating the surface with a wax forming an etching ground and scraping away the area to have the incuse area eaten away by acid. Such a piece has no modulated relief – it is a flat original surface with incuse design areas. See acid etching, photoetching.

Relieved, Relieving. Removal of a portion of a darkened medallic finish after it has been toned to form a highlighted, two-toned effect. Relieving is accomplished by buffing as a step in the finishing process. A slurry mixture of water and fine pumice is flooded over the surface of an oxidized metal surface, it is then buffed under a wet wheel to remove the darkened oxidation (sulphatization), this reveals a portion of the darkened surface left intact in the crevices and low points. The process is called oxidized and relieved to form an antique, oxidized or French finish (the French developed it) – all three terms mean the same. See buffing and polishing; oxidation; finish and finishing; highlight, highlighting.

To read the complete entries on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Relief Etching (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516616)
Relieved, Relieving (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516617)

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