sorry, I haven't posted in so long that I forgot how to post pics....lemme work on this :/

k, trying again:

Hmmm. I am kind of crafty but I don't know that I would feel confident about my ability to keep the dark paint where I wanted it and at the same time cover the gold.

I haven't worked with glazes but the point of them is supposed to be that they aren't as opaque as paint, so some of the gold would likely shine through.

I'd probably use craft paint and if you wanted a metallic look Martha Stewart has several colors of metallic. I used some recently for a picture frame I painted and they were easy to work with using a dry brush or a sponge. I did both, but I wasn't trying to keep part of the frame unpainted so I can't attest to how easy that would be.

It's a pretty mirror, too!

There are others with more experience with this than me, but I would think that you would kind of "dry" paint it. Load your brush and then dab some of it off before pouncing small amounts onto the frame. I have even used wadded up paper towels with very little amounts of paint on it, almost dry, to dab on paint. I would get one of those small bottles of craft paint at JoAnns or Hobby Lobby and experiment. If you dab some on and don't like it, you could probably wipe it off. I have also used a product called Treasure Gold by Plaid Enterprises that really worked for me and was easy. I actually just remembered this after I had typed all of the above. I used it in kind of a pewter to go over a gold mirror. I used my fingers to put it on sparingly and then wiped over it with a paper towel. It was fast and easy and only cost a few dollars. Hope I am not confusing you, and I also hope others chime in with some suggestions for you.

Look for Rub'n'Buff. It is a metallic wax that comes in a tube, in a variety of colors, that you can apply with your finger or a cotton swab or small brush. Most craft stores sell it.

Thanks for the suggestions. I googled Treasure Gold but it doesn't come in any color close to bronze/brown. Rub n Buff seems like it may work although I'll have to check out the colors in person. The closest to a bronzy-brown appears to be "spanish copper". Les, do you think these waxes can be mixed (I'm assuming thinned first)to achieve the right color? I see it comes in ebony also so a dab of this mixed with the copper color might work (?).

I've used black shoe polish to tone down gold paint. It comes in a tin and I suppose it's more a wax than a polish. Apply with a soft cloth and a light hand.

Hmmm...shoe polish. Did the black atop of gold create brown(ish)?

Pretty mirror!

I would dry brush craft paint on the gold areas. No priming just make sure it's dust free. You could also even use an old rag to wipe the paint on but I think a small brush would be easier.

I've never had luck finding the Rub N Buff Spanish Copper color in stores so the craft paint would be easier and faster for me than ordering online.

Do you have a JoAnn or Hobby Lobby near you? That is where I found Treasure Gold in silver. Looks good rubbed over my gold frame, very lightly. Hope you find the look you are wanting.

Nope, it stayed black and gave the pieces an antiquey type patina. When applying you want to hit the high spots of the piece, if that makes sense.

I do have a Joanne near me but I went to Michaels yesterday and picked up a bottle of "Sophisticated Finishes" in blackened bronze. The color seems right, now it'll be a matter of correct application. We'll see....