Items that are cold painted have decorative paint that is added after a piece if made. It’s on the surface and not fired on to fuse it to the surface in a kiln. Because they are on the surface, cold painted finishes are quite fragile and should be handled carefully. They should never be cleaned with alcohol-based cleaners or solvents, as that will dissolve the paint. It’s best to clean them with a dry paintbrush or a barely damp with water cloth.
Vienna bronzes are often cold painted, as are other bronzes and spelter pieces. Many ceramics are also cold painted including Japanese redware, some McCoy and some Shawnee pottery pieces. Kitschy pieces in particular are often cold painted.
