(Correspondence) [472] Gilding Books.

Manufacturer and builder 10, 1872

White of egg well beaten up is the ordinary sticking material used by binders to put the gold-leaf on. The leather back of the book is varnished with it, and when dry, a strip of gold-leaf is put on the place where the letters or ornaments are to e placed, the letters used are common printing types, (they must be new, however, and not been used with printing ink.) They are heated a little aboe the boiling point of water, which is easily tried with a wet finger, and then they are pressed on the gold-lef for a few seconds only, when the melting of the albumen or white of egg under it fixes them to the leather of the book. The ornamental figures used are commonly made of brass and manufactured for the use of bookbinders, while the type is screwed in an appropriate brass or iron holder, with wooden handle. The back of a well-bound book being always round, the proper way of putting on the gilded letters and ornaments requires a certain way of manipulation, which it is best to acquire by visiting some good bookbinder's shop in the next large city, to see the operation and the use your eyes properly so as to get all little details. The sides of books being flat, it is best to put the letters and ornaments under a press. The type is put up in a proper form, it is heated, put under the press with the varnished side of the book, covered with oldleaf on the right place, and the press screwed down. Sometimes the binder puts the strip of gold-leaf on the face of the type, in place of on the book. This is equally good, and under certain circumstances preferable.