Electroplating a simulated bright brass finish

The method of brush plating a metallic member to provide an ornamental and corrosion-free surface having the appearance of bright brass comprising the steps of:

• selecting a metallic workpiece to be brush plated;
• electroplating a preplate coating of bright nickel on said workpiece;
• preparing an aqueous alkaline brush plating electrolyte solution including gold and silver in the proportion of about 8 to 1 parts by weight and also including either cobalt cyanide or nickel cyanide;
• applying said electrolyte solution to said workpiece by brushing said electrolyte solution on said workpiece with an applicator which comprises a carbon rod in the presence of an electric current using an applied plating voltage of about six to seven and one half volts to electroplate a coating of gold-silver alloy on said workpiece;
• the proportions of gold to silver in said alloy being about 5 to 4 parts by weight, said alloy also including a small amount of cobalt or nickel, the thickness of said coating being no more than about one ten-thousandth of an inch;
• rinsing and polishing said coating to produce a smooth surface on said coating;
• and
• repeating and applying, rinsing and polishing steps at least once to produce a coating having a thickness of approximately one ten-thousandth of an inch.