ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, December 31, 1995              TAG: 9601020086
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: B-3  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press 

HOUSE MACE OVERHAULED WITH NEW GOLD COATING VIRGINIA TAXPAYERS SHELLED OUT $3,500 SO THE GEM OF STATE GOVERNMENT COULD BE ELECTROMAGNETICALLY RETOUCHED AFTER YEARS OF WEAR.

Virginia taxpayers financed a $3,500 face lift of the House of Delegates' mace, an ancient symbol of authority that is lugged into the chamber at the start of every floor session.

The 45-inch-long mace, fashioned from sterling silver early this century by English craftsmen, now has an electromagnetically applied 24-karat gold coating that replaces a gold wash worn away by years of handling.

The man who did the work, Boris Paskvan of Kensington, Md., said restoration of the mace is a worthwhile expenditure.

``This is a piece, a ceremonial piece. It is old, good stuff,'' he said. ``Why not restore it?''

Maces, originally weapons of war, emerged in 14th-century England as symbols of authority - a sign that the House of Commons had convened with the sanction of the throne.

Since then, the mace has been adopted by many legislative bodies and is also used in academic and ecclesiastical processions.

In Virginia, as the House is gaveled to order, the sergeant-at-arms places the 20-pound mace in a cradle in front of the speaker's desk. Upon adjournment, the mace is returned to a glass display case in the old hall of the House of Delegates just off the second-floor rotunda.

Sergeant-at-Arms Donald O. Campen Jr. wears white cotton gloves when handling the mace. That might have slowed wear and tear, but not enough for House Clerk Bruce F. Jamerson to rule out having the mace refinished.

In addition to the restoration, a travel case for the mace was built of mahogany at a cost of $920. It has a cushioned brace and is lined with flannel.

Until now, the mace has been wrapped in an old blanket when it is taken to ceremonial events outside Richmond, including commemorative sessions of the General Assembly in Williamsburg and Jamestown.

``It was something not appropriate for the mace,'' Jamerson said.

LENGTH: Short :   48 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  AP. Virginia House of Delegates Clerk Bruce F. Jamerson 
          holds the newly refurbished mace inside the House chamber.