Letters primed to receive gold leaf at Carnegie Library

The Carnegie Library Building in downtown Wichita took one step closer Wednesday to looking like it did a century ago.

Robert Elliot began the process of applying gold leaf to the words “City Library” on the facade of the building, 220 S. Main.

The process was cut short Wednesday because of rain, but Elliot said he expects the gold leaf will be applied in the next few days.

He has a base coat on the letters now, and expects to put a few more coats on before applying the gold leaf.

He wouldn’t say how much the 23-carat gold leaf cost, but “suffice to say it’s worth every penny.”

“It’s a long-lasting product,” he said. “It’ll last longer than paint, because gold doesn’t tarnish, doesn’t patina, and it’ll hold up quite well for decades to come, so in the long term it’s an economical solution. You might even say it’s a special process for a special building.”

Fidelity Bank now occupies the building, which, 100 years ago, was used as a library. It has also been a municipal court building and the Wichita Omnisphere and Science Center in the past century.

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Letters primed to receive gold leaf at Carnegie Library."