Laying & bole or ochre is scattered between the leaves of the
Burnishing ordinary book. This powder will come off on the
Gold work and give it an ugly colour, when burnishing,
unless it is dusted off very carefully.

It is better to get gold specially prepared for fine
work such as illuminating quite pure, and put up in
white books (without bole). “Double” gold-leaf
may be used for a final coat.

Cutting the Leaf.—With the scissors, which must
be quite clean and sharp—and not breathed upon—
(or else the gold will stick to them and tear), cut
a whole or half leaf of gold, together with the paper
leaf on which it lies, out of the book.

The gold is cut on one paper (fig. 99) (not

Fig. 99.

between papers, for then it would stick to both),
and the cut edges of the paper and the gold stick
together slightly. If the edge of the gold is any¬
where loose and apt to flap about, it and the corre¬
sponding paper edge can be nicked together with the
scissors (fig. 100). The gold-leaf being lightly held
to the paper in this way is easily handled.

A piece of gold, about £ inch larger all round than
the form to be gilded, is cut from the leaf in the
manner described above {a, b, fig. 100). Except in
the case of a very large form, it is not worth trying

118

to save gold by cutting it out in the same shape.
Square, oblong, and triangular shaped pieces are
suitable for ordinary
use; these are laid in a
convenient place—the
edge of a book cover
will do very well (fig.

101) — ready to be
picked up at the right
moment.

The burnishing slab
(a flat piece of vul¬
canite, celluloid, or
metal) is placed under
the page to give it a
hard, firm back, which
will make the pushing
and rubbing of the
burnisher effective.

Preparing the Size.—If the size has dried rough,
it may be lightly scraped with the pên-knife—

Laying &
Burnishing
Gold

form to be
gilded (л )

Fig. 100.

Fig. ioi.

removing as little as possible of the surface in
which the essential stickiness frequently seems to
be concentrated.

119