"New Jersey Style" - Chemistry, Technique & Time

By Carol Mitlesdorf, contributing editor and photographer 

It is not happenstance that Bill Riedel, master guilder and Alan Johnson, master pinstriper are great friends and lifetime residents of New Jersey. They have numerous crossing threads in their friendship, the most noticeable being their love for the craft of hand lettering and gilding. Their common work ethic for excellence in technique and creativity culminates in their recent collaboration on the Kopper Kart Klone. Even though both men have reluctantly joined the digital age of email and cell phones, they never stopped hand painting and gilding, even when the sign industry (now saturated in computers and vinyl) refers to their skills as a “lost art”.

Bill Reidel, Sr.

The art of gilding or gold leafing (includes copper and silver) is one of the most mysterious and tedious crafts to master. To this day it can only be done completely by hand using the same techniques passed down for centuries. Both Bill and Alan have made a significant portion of their living by just keeping it simple, drawing hand rendered patterns, using hand made brushes and good old paint from a can and having a practical understanding of chemistry, technique, common sense and time.

Bill Riedel, Sr. remains one of the world’s master craftsmen. Master guilder (specializing in water gilding, reverse on glass), sign painter, teacher and award winning wood carver is a native to Little Ferry, NJ. Bill sets the bar for how good, clean living has allowed him to enjoy a rich and active life into his 80’s. He served in the Navy during W.W.II, father of five and founder of Riedel Sign Company, he now spends his semiretirement traveling the world, teaching the trade secrets of his craft to anyone who is interested, participating in numerous charity events, skiing and playing as much golf as possible.