Gilding. 
Gilding in 
oil. 
Ground of 
paint. 
Preparation 
of oil size. 
280 
J 
sate ious to raise 2 fine surface, because the size be- <i 
comes hardened with. those small irregularities, which » 
vent the surface of the gold from presenting a po- . 
it over with an agate fixed ina handle, or a dog’s tooth. 
It is requisite to attend to, the state of dryness of the 
work before burnishing: for if the size is not-sufficient- - 
, the gold rubs off or scratches; and.if too dry, it, 
ished surface. 
Gilding in oil.—This is used. for work which 
posed to the weather, and is therefore performed on 
wood, lead, or other metals, and sometimes. on stone. 
The ground must be laid of oil :paint instead of size, 
and whitening as for burnishing gilding. White lead is 
a very proper 
coat. of yellow ochte and verinilion mixed up with 
-drying oil. . This’ has a colour which will render any 
slight defects in the gold less apparent. If great nicety 
is required, the last coat of paint, when dry, should be . 
rubbed smooth with pumice stone. In general this is 
neglected, because oil gilding is in almost all cases in- « 
tended to be viewed at a distance. 
The surface, thus prepared, is ready to receive the fat | 
oil'size, by which the gold leaves are to be:cemented - 
upon it. This is prepared from linseed cil, exposed to 
the weather in a large flat pan, which is filled five or - 
six-inches deep with water, and the oilis poured upon 
the water about an inch deep. It should be placed 
where it will receive the action of the sun and rain for 
five or six weeks in summer, | This will cause the oil 
to become thick like treacle, and some impurities will 
descend into thé water. The oil isthen to be taken off 
the water, well separated from it, and poured. into a 
long phial, which is to be heated until the oil becomes 
perfectly fluid, by the settlement of the ‘foul parts to 
the bottom. The clear oil size is then to be poured off, 
and strained through flannel. To render the oil fit for 
use, it is ground to a thin paint with yellow ochre. A 
coat of this paint or size 1s brushed .over the surface 
’ which is to be gilt, but if found too thick to work 
Sizing the 
work, 
Gilding. 
Leaf gilding 
on paper, 
&a 
By gum 
£12@. 
Gilt letters. . 
Writing 
size. 
well, it must be mixed up with drying oil. Great care 
must be taken to cover every part,: and to render this 
very certain, a second coat may be spread over. the first, 
after it is dry, The gold deaves./are applied upon this 
second size, when it is in such a state of dryness, that, 
on touching it with the finger, it feels strongly adhesive, 
but at the same time does not:come off upon the finger. 
The gold is applied: by the same means as before de- 
scribed for burnished gilding, and after becoming dry 
is brushed over to remove the superfluous aa if 
this operation produces any spots, they must be retouch- 
ed with the’ size, and fragments of gold applied where 
it is requisite. 
Leaf Gilding, on paper or vellam.—This is extremely 
sunple, as the surface requires no other preparation 
than a wash of dilute gum water, or isinglass size. 
Upon this the leaves of gold are Jaid, when itis ima 
certain state of dryness, which must be known by prac- 
tice : if it has become only a little too dry, it:may be 
sufficiently damped by breathing on it. When the sur- 
face is coyered with gold, it can be burnished with an 
agate, or dog’s tooth. 
Gilt Letters—If it be required to ‘gild manuseript 
writing, a/strong sizemust be used for writing, ihstead 
of ink: it is made of gum ammoniac dissolved in 
water previously impregnated witha little gum arabic, 
and some juice of garlick : this forms.a fluid of a milky 
colour, which will flow very readily from a pen, or it 
can be laid on according to any design by a‘camel-hair 
pencil; it may be suffered to dry, and then, by breath. 
GILDING. 
is ex- - 
for the first. coat; then a second - 
‘mixture is dry, 
> 
ing upon the 
yermilion, 
or vellum must be 
leaves, as béfore directed. 
ink; 1. of stnichnee duniielaliee 
afiee leh pitted with thy. are 
ioaceeke Sete 
filled up with an ink» co ed of 
eggs, and the raised "davies | nie & 
istamps when applied upon the paper 
deave the mixture upon. the »paper in 
letters, engraved upon the face of the stamp, a 
siderably raised. The gilding is 
by rubbing it with a piece 
before directed. ps E : : uit 
Book-binders imprint gold letters on: the backs of Gok 
‘books, without any size, by means of brass types, which on 
are cat the same as printing types ; these are made hot 
in a charcoal fire; and are pressed the place where 
the letters are to be, over which a leaf of gold has been 
previously spread. The heat and pressure causes the 
to adheré'to the leather, where the. typ 
plied, but the gol 
same manner; but when a length of Lordering is re- 
quired, the ya is engraved on the surface of a 
small roller, which is used hot, in the same manner as 
the types. » Mt + rT ee 
In order to gild the ss the leaves of books, or gi 
writing paper, they must be strongly screwed in a press, paper 
after being cut as.smooth as. possible, and the 
sized with isinglass glue, mixed up with spirits of wine. 
The gold: should be laid on when the size arrives ata 
roper degree’of dryness. . © ws 0 RAT 
2 The Brench workmen ‘aground of bole ammo- 
niae, mixed up with powder » by means 
of white of eggs. This is‘Jaid - thinly wpon ‘the 
edges, after isinglass’ size ‘or gum’ has’ been applied. 
when the ground is dry, it is rubbed ‘smooth with a wet 
rag, and this moistens it-sufficiently to take the 5 
the gold. | 
Japanners’ Gilding. —Gilding’ with a is Japa 
only used whet thi appearance of foe is desi: 
red.. The-powder is sprinkled upon the article after 
the cement has been laid on. This method is not 36 
durable as leaf-gilding, that is, “it ‘requires a greater 
ong lw of to form an ae fectual haps 
y this means ; for this reason it is generally cor 
nip coat of varnish, and is hence called japanners’ 
% To reduce the gold to powder, two different means 
