The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-04-30
GOLD LEAF.
Combined Skill And Judgment REQUESTS
In Its Manufacture.

" against the hight 1t appears to he of q
vivid dark green color; this means tha,
the light is transmitted through the
leaf When il is considered that this
leaf is piece of solid metal, better
idea of the extreme tenuity of thick
ness OF the leat can be comprehended
than by any comparison of figures;
nothing made By the hand of man
equals it in thinresS This extreme
thinness is produced Ly patient ham
meriag. the hammers weighing from
seven to twenty pounds. the tighter
hammers being first used. When tbs
3 true method of this beating IS under
sseoi, the wonder expressed sometimes
that gold leaf heating should not bc
relegatcd ~ machinery grasses; the art
!, belongs to the highest department af
hunian skill AMI ludgme-t Appren-
ticcs have served a term. and hav. been
compelled tJsabaadon tac business. be-
cause they reyer could acquire the
requisite skill. AMI judgment combined
+, necessary to become Successful work
men.
! The only pure gold leaf is tha. used
by de1tist4 sar filing carious teeth, and
it is called fol 1t Is left much thicker
than the gold ls;. for gliding indeed,
it ceuld no; lie beam so thin; for thin
or leaf gold An alloy ii liver and cop
per is u.red 10 i..par. the requisite
tenaclty., Dentists foil Weighs six
graias. live. four and three gins PEI
sheet. or leaf. according to its t.s"k-
ness The lat operation oa tie lcN "a
annealing This $ done oscr char
cpal Il. G. the leaf Icing laid singiy IN
sort OF corn Pooper-a square rccepta-
Gle with wire bottom III the end Of .
hsn,!le-oysr which Is held a similar
cover 10 prevent the flame from carry
ing the leaf away. An ins,ant,s es-
po>ure t. the fame induces rca heat,
when the leaf is lad on sheet of
book tf[Ns 44
The material sor geld leaf and dem
fists fol is coin gold. The gold is pre-
cipitated BY .slsi- atie and nitric pc;tls
ovec = fire to s;.parGt the gold and sill.
,e-. TIE cope OF the alloy passing ofi /
in,tic Aest Tie silver from gold coin
amounts to about sev:n pennyweights
to eight iiundrs.d dollars wo tn OF coin
the amount usually trcat..l at time.
This reduction ani separation of the
mst.sls l. the usual ne ho-l. aad does
no. re. inlr. special d.,,cr:pti0sl aif y 4
The pure god y t.ac1 mel ci IN sand
cruc.bes w.sh the ,rop..r pro ortions of
silver and cooper 10 pro luce the color
OF leaf desired. very fine ornamental
effects being Trodaces! in gliding with
leaf OF different slIssles. The iuid met
u is poured iIto iron moulGs. making
bars seven inches. log. on. and an
eighth inches wi..c and o1ef fourth If 4
All inch thick. Thesss bars are forged !
Ike iron. bcswscn anvil and hammer. l
~ esea the cde.s. aud then rolled in
w.rfu,ls-eesr a rolls 20 a bson moi |
thicker than writing papcr a..i enc inch
wide. Of course. In the roll IA inial. /
the processes. there mus. be occasiona |
anneslings. li
Now tones the first cf the beating |
processes These > .usr.s Of gold Tone
inch sqlarel are PLACED in Pile alter !
pa.ing with larger squares tfour inches |.
or mere) OF .kutch's pepper. 4 material
made from pulp Of animal me liibraae I
intest'nes. esc.-and the /
oatsids OF the pile receives a square of /
The hammcriny then be-
gins with q seven-pouni isanmsr on
. block, of nlsrtfc that rests on .
solid foundation After ono hours
beating the pile is warmed at a fire 10
the gold. process re lu;ring
care. SO that the .kuteh paper lie rot
burncl Tour hours of tcaing sufiiccs
for this preliminary PROCESS. lsl Slua-cs
Of gold being treated in one pie. The
Gnai pro- - req,lirrs great skill. 1hs
partially beaten sqrares a;u packed o,
be o.e. bsltMifia a.te:nrtes OF gold beat
er's skin. until the p.ls contains sts.
s,ssts. The beat ny i continued witt
inc. casinriy heavier RUNNERS until tbs e
IinsAi IA with tie l,,=cnty pound
hammer. : The eolti-beater'ssk nIco.Eca
LrYm Englsnil. and the best Of it--ansl
t..o mo { OF it lis make By o1c family
Ercierick Perkins the skin is So
lhia 80 tO b. almost transparent, and
Yet 1t Is .slonble. two thickncs:s.s II Is
prepared from the lnrgerf iuskes;na ~
tie OK. Each sisset If shes skin is,
rubbed on e4chs~.e. befase the raek y =
made, ands swhsnescv tho pack Ii PEAR I,
,angad tplsc ng the aHtbr gold in the
center aid wee syrsa1. u ID powder
nsade. FROM calc;ncd gy,ruID Of n very
are soit, importe +! frum GERMANY This
. to p:n.ent tln :gc:si lrpm sticking t.
he skin E.sF !s.s sai.f c.s.s II
IL beating. shs: work of spreading the
gold Is ffo.i ike coaL:f Of each square
u gold osp seva.d the edges. and the
Finisss1 >. .riares ;.rs taickec al The e4igcs
Ihaa in the cea;er- a contrary spread, h
ag would spist the edges nld rum the
pauarAk il re-Urany yiny tho llsares int
he pfocesi oi< beating they are som,-
'imes .o.a. bit apatiior piece laid on ~
! patca. l.pp ng over the torn place.
I'll pc f-.niy wclied ia tie alter Leaf
ng. -, -. I...z,t... ar. sss. III
Inc fiHishcl . sIuaEes ars cut To a sizs I
Il thscc a.si tllr:e-eighths inches. and +
packed in q .book holding twenty.
i've sheets. the. paper leaves being /
'ubbed with .reI ochex 10 prevent stick
ug. These books d. tycnty-fye sheets
lre sold st from th:rt; 10 forty cents
'arh. Tho suttiag ps the leaf IS dopa
y kn;yes, WHICH sie imply slip OF the
sutcr sh..sy shell or skin ar ihe MaIacca Il