The steel burnisher used is illustrated by Fig. 70; it has a wooden handle.

All the gilding done in the finishing of books is executed with gold leaf. The gold leaf is put up into small paper books, each containing twenty five leaves of gold, and is sold by the hundred leaves (four books). Gold leaf varies in colour according to the manner in which the metal is alloyed before being beaten out. The different tints are deep gold, ruddy orange, medium gold, pale gold, and pale lemon. Generally deep gold is preferred by London binders.

With regard to preparing the edges to receive the gold, screw the book into the press, with the edge to be gilt level with the top of the press, carefully ascertaining that the leaves are quite level with each other, and then give it a coat of size. The fore edges are first dealt with. When the size is dry, scrape the edge until all irregularities of the leaves disappear. the scraper, which should not have a very sharp edge, is held between the thumbs and fingers of both hands in an inclined position, and is worked, with some amount of pressure, along the edges of the book in a direction away from the operator. The scraping is continued until the edges are perfectly level and smooth. To gild edges that have not been properly treated at this stage will simply be a waste of gold.

A little Armenian bole or red ochre, mixed with a little thin glaire, is smeared over the edges with a bit of sponge, and then wiped off as clean as possible with' a bunch of clean shavings. When dry the edges are burnished. This red ground forms a good foundation for the gilding. The edges are then glaired, and the gold leaf is ap­plied.

An alternative method of treating the edges after scraping is to mix a small portion of size with a little blacklead until they form a paste; brush some of this on the edge quite evenly, and then brush briskly with a hard brush until dry. If the edges now present an even appearance no parts being left unblackleaded apply first a coat of glaire and then the gold-leaf.

Before using the gold cushion its surface should be rubbed over with some Armenian bole or powdered red ochre to prevent the gold adhering to the cushion should the latter be in any way greasy. A leaf of gold is then placed on the cushion and made to lie flat and smooth by blowing gently on the centre of the leaf. The leaf is then cut to the desired size, the edge of the knife being sharp, but not too keen. The tip or cotton wool is made slightly moist or greasy by drawing it across the forehead; this is done so that the gold leaf may readily adhere to the tip; or instead cut a piece of writing-paper a little larger than the strips of gold leaf, and rub it on the hair to make it slightly greasy. There is enough natural grease in the hair of everyone for the purpose mentioned only the slightest possible amount being needed. The leaf is now picked up by pressing the paper into contact with it, and laid in its place on the book edges.

< Gilders Gold Cushion