(3012) Gilding Leather.

Manufacturer and builder 6, 1882

Dampen the skin with a sponge awl water, and :drain it tight with tacks on a board sufficiently large. When dry, site it with clear double size; then bent the whites of eggs, with a wisp to a foam and let them stand to settle; then take books of leaf silver and blow out the leaves of silver on a gilder's cushion; pass over the leather carefully with the egg size, and with a tip brush lay on the silver, closing any blister that may be left with a bunch of cotton. When dry, varnish over the sivered surface with yellow lacquer, until it has assumed a fine gold color. The skin being thus gilded, may be cut into suitable strips or patterns. It should he carefully observed to have the skin well dry before sizing it. Bookbinders gild the edge, etc., of leather in a different way. They first go over the part intended to he gilded with a sponge dipped in the glair of eggs (the whites beaten up to a froth and left to settle}; then, being provided with a brass roller on the edge of which the pattern is engraved, and fixed as a wheel in a wheel in a handle, they place a before the fire till heated, no that, by applying a wetted finger, it will just hiss. While the roller is heating, they rub the part where the pattern is intended to come, with an oiled rag or clean tallow, and lay strips of gold leaf on it, pressing ot down with cotton; then with a steady hand they run the roller along the edge of the leather, and wive the superfluous gold off with an oiled rag, and the gold adheres in these parts where the impression of the roller has been made, while the rest will rub off with the oiled rag.