Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-06-15
BEATING GOLD LEAF
The WAY TIE SQUARES or METAL
ARE WORKED UNDER THE HAMMER.

WI ahe Shcets Are transparent and
80 Fine That 100000 OF Them in a
Pile Would Measure hut nm Inch.
\ local sign writer was in the win
dow Of a large i street establishment
putting gold leaf on the outlines OF let
tiers he had made with a stencil. The
curiosity OF n reporter was aroused as
10 how these tiny sheets OF gold were
reduced TO such minute thinncss. \
visit TO the establishment of one OF
NaShingtoR's largest sign writer's and
talk with the proprietor brought forth
the following:
Il learned the gold beatcr's trade in
Rochester some years ago. Imagine n
slab OF gold measuring eight inches in
width. ten inches In length and half an
inch in thickness being reduced TO
300 sheets OF gold. each five inches
square and almost transparent. and
YOU get a vague idea OF the queer in
duStry known as gold beating.
Imagine a square Of gold three hun
dredths OF an inch in thickness. and
YOU Will appreciate the Drawn and
brain making for the result. and then
reflect that the word beating means
just beating for no power other than
the strength OF n mans arm il nSed in
the proccSs-and you viii have been
mentally initiated into the mysteries
Of silent art.
"tcw persons are familiar with the
work FOR several reasons: First. there
ARE less than twenty-five gold beating
establishments i'm the country: second.
Il is an exclusive industry. and few.
either manufacturers or laborcrs. ARE
admitted TO it's secrets. and, third. the
trade is limited. Therefore il is a most
Interesting study.
Tho gold bCater buys direct from the
government assay Office. where the
Sold is weighed. stamped ana guaran-
tccd. \ fraction too much of alloy
would cause il 10 pulvcrizc or part into
fragments. Twcnty-thrcc carat gold
is used exclusively. Usually the gold
comes I'm nuggets weighing ffty-five
pennywcightS and valued az 500 each.
After the gold has been received II
IS placed i'm cruciblc and made ready
FOR the beating about TO follow Ii is
nodded into "a shape which viii lit into
The only power machine i'm the place.
which congresses the gold into rib
bon ten yards in length. one inch in
width ana one thirty-second inch In
thickness out of this ribbon are cut
22o squares Of equal size.
The work of reducing is begun. To
each workman is given TWENTY-FIVE
squares and these lac places between
the leaves Of book. This book is n
'kutch paper and is scaled with a pat
ent envelope device which prevents the
loss OF PARTICLES OF gold. precaution
made necessary 10y the many turnings
and hoppingS Of the book En- the proc
eSS. y sixteen pound hammer is used.
and the beaten is compelled 10 work IN
interruptedly for twenty minutes to
gain the desired measurements
WELDING "a sixteen pound hammer
for few seconds only Is cxhausting
work for the uninitiatcd. but the beat
erS hammer away as if il was BOYS
play. They must grasp the end OF the
hammer fartheSt from the head. which
Increases its weight. but the benches
they use are SO constructed that they
cause a small rebound of the hammer.
When the 'kutch' book is opened
twenty-five sheets are taken out. and
each sheet CT gold is cut into four
pieces. Its thickness has been reduc-
ell in the operation from one thirty
second of am inch 90 one onc-hun-
drcdth OF an inch. Twenty-Five of these
squares are pun into book called the
'shodder.' The 'shodder' is not pa
per, but a skin. and il Is said that Ger
tain intestinal parts Of 500 oxen are
required to make package or book
OF twenty-five papers. The 'shoddcr'
is made in England by q secret proc
osS. II is the most exclusive industry
IN the world
Like the '6utch' book. the 'Shoder'
book is scaled and handed % the art
ist who is required To pound il ninety
minutes with "a twelve pound hammer.
This reduces the thickness. and when
II Is taken out Of the book each leaf
OF gold is again cut into one inch
squares. This time the gold is SO
fragile that a metal knife blade. no
matter how sharp. would break the
edges; 50 a knife with double blades
Is used. requiring only two strokes 10
cut square.
Now comes the last beating. Each
square is again put into a book called
mold Forty minutes beating is
required 10 give this the proper size.
When The leaves of gold are removed
they are transparent. but perfect In
shape and unbroken. 10 would require
100000 Of them To make one inch in
thickness
The last operation is 10 send them
10 the booking room, where women re
move the gold leaves and place them
in wax paper books ready for sale.
The leaves are SO delicate thar they
can be handled only with bamboo
sticks. So adhesive Is the gold that If
leaf is broken In removing il is cas-
lily patched without a trace OF il being
apparent to the naked eye Washing
ton Star
Two Strange Ailments.
Aphasia, or the loss of memory or