Section VI
Of the gilding proper for the coloured paper for binding books, and other fuch putpofes.
This kind of gilding is performed in much foe fame manner as that for inking with paint» ings in water colours j except that in foisoafe, the gilding being intended generally to form fome figure or defign, foe gum water or fize, inftead of being laid on with a brufh or pencil, is moft generally conveyed to foe ground by means of a wooden plate, or print, and moft expediently by an engraved toller, which make an imprefiion of foe figure or design intended j and that, as foe riling of the gold from the fbrface of foe ground is no dif- advantage in this kind of gilding, as it is in that mixt with paintings, foe gum water or fize may be much ftronger; which wffl contribute both to bind foe gold firmer, and to give it a fort of embofled appearance that improves foe effect. In this kind of gilding, foe japaners gold fize may be aHo eommodi- oufly employed j for, as the paper tnuft he moiftened before it be printed, there is no inconvenience liable to happen from the running of the gold fize thus ufed. Where foe embofled appearance is wanted in the greateft degree, the gold fize fhouM indeed always be ufed: and in this cafe fhould be thickened with yellow oker mixt with as much red kpd, as foe proper wprking of the print will • admit,
The wooden plates or prints ufed for gilding in this manner, are worked by the hand, and are to be charged with the gum water or fize, of whatever kind it be, by letting it gent- * ly and tvenly down on a cufhion on which the gum water or fize has been copioufly fpread by means of a proper brulh j and then, preffing it on the paper prepared by moiften- ing with water, and laid horizontally with feme Iheets of other paper under it. Where the rolling print is employed, the gum water or fize mull: be laid on it by a proper brulh, immediately out of the pot or vefiel which contains it: but too copious an ofe mull be avoided for fear of fpreading it beyond the fines of the defign or pattern. Thefobfequent management of the gold, whether leaf or powder, mull be the fame in the foregbfng kinds of gilding.
It rarely anfwers to ufe the leaf gold in this kind of painting, nor even the true gold powder : but die German powder, or that formed of die leaves called Dutch gold, is moftly employed, and anfwers well enough die purpofe. The manufactures of the gilt and maibled papers have not been fo much cultivated in our own country, as it were to be wifhed, fince very great fums have been always annually paid, both to Germany and Genoa, on this account: and the improvement of this manufacture is, therefore, a very fit objeCt of attention to that moft laudable lbciety for the eftabjifhment and encouragement of ufeful arts, who have offered premiums to thofe who
would give -proofs of. their endeavours or fuc- cefs in parallel instances. .
Of gilding prop& for letters of gold on
;' . • and the embjllifhment of '
The moft ealy and neat method of forming letters of gold on paper, and for ornaments of wripngs is, by the gold , as it was formerly called : the method of managing which is as follows. . ,
“ Take gum Ammpniacurft, and powder “ it; and then diflblye. it in water previoufly “ impregnated with a littlp gum Arabic, and .“ fome juice of garlic. The gum Ammonia- “ curri will not diffolve in watef, foastoform a tranlparent fluid, but produces Ja milky “ appearance; from whence the mixture is “ called in, medicine the Ammoniacum. “ With the lac Ammopiacum thus prepared, “ draw, with a pencil, or write with a pen on “ paper,. or vellum, the intended figure or “ letters of the gilding. Suffer the paper “ to dry; and then,; or any time afterwards, “ breath on it till it be moiftened ; and “ immediately lay leaves, of gold, or, parts “ of leaves cut in ,the molt advantageous man" ner to fave the gold,. over, the parts drawn “ or written upon with the lac Ammonia- “ cum; and prefs them gently to the paper “ with a ball of cotton or foft leather. When “ the paper becomes dry, which a ihort time “ or gentle heat will ,foon effedt,; bmfli off, with a fbft pencil, or rub off by a fine lin- u nen rag, the redundant gold which covered ** the parts between the lines of the drawing “ or writing.; and the fined hair ffrokes of “ the pencil or pen, as well as the broader, will “ appear perfectly gilt.”
It is ufual to fee in old manufcripts, that are highly ornamented, letters of gold which rife confiderably from the furface of the paper or parchment containing them in the manner of emboffed work ; and of thefe feme are lefs fhining,. and others have a very high polifh. The method, of producing thefe letters is of two kinds; the: one by friction on a proper body with a folid piece of gold: the other by leaf gold. The method of making thefe letters by mean6 of folid gold is as follows.
- “ Take chryftal; and reduce it to powder. “ Temper it then with drong gum water, till c< it be of the confidence of‘paffe ; and witk “ this, form the letters; and, when they are ** dry, rub them with a piece of gold of good a colour, as in the manner of polifhing; and “ the letters will appear as if gilt with bur“ nifht gold.”
Kunckel has, in his fifty curious experiments, given this receipt: but omitted to take the lead notice of the manner, how thefe letters are to be formed; though the mod difficult circum- dance in the production of them. It may, however, be done, by means of a damp in this manner. Let the embofled figure, either of the feparate letters or of whole wprds, be cut in deel; fted i and, nhhfen the ftarhps are to be udd, abctnt'eacfa letter carefully with ike end of à large feather dipt in oil ; bat not fb wet as to law: drops indht hollows af the , damps. Fill dielh cascade letter*, in the damps, witbthe above mixture of powdared chryftal and gtsm watte ; and, wiping the other parts of themperfeÛly clean, place them then on the paper or vellum, laid over fome fheets of paper : taking oare, that the letters may be in the. exaffc pofitson where they ought to lie, firike then the Damp in a perpendicular direction, but nottôofotxàbly; and lake it off in the fame direction. The letters will be left in their profite places by this means, and will have the fame proportions as their archetypes in die damps.
Where leaf gold is ufed for making em- bofied letters in nunufcripts, die above com- pofition cannot be ufed ; but there are lèverai others, which will very well fupply its place : of which die following has been given as very excellent»
“ Take die whites of eggs ; and beat them u to an oily confidence. Then take as much “ vermilion as will be required to thicken the ** whites of the eggs to the confidence of pafte. * Form the lettons of this pafte, by means of ** the ftamps, in the manner before dirofted ; u and when they are become dry, moiften. “ them by a fmall pencil with ftrong gum “ water ; oblerving not to let it run beyond the " bounds of the letters. When the gum wa* ter is of a proper drynefs, which mud be tc judged of by the rule before given, ctwef “ the letters with leaf gold; and prefs it cfofe « to every part of them, by cotton or fofe “ leather. After- the gilding is dry, it may he " polifoed by the dog’s tooth, or the other pco ** pet burnifoe*.”
There are feveral various methods, with rev fpeft to die cement ufed, by which, the edges of bodes or paper may be gilt: as ftrongguro water, or ifinglafs fize, or glovers fize, may be employed : but as the gum water, and weaker fizes, are apt to run beyond- the edge-; and flick the leaves together, ifinglafs melted with the addition of feme common proof fpirit of wine, and a fixth part of hony or fugar candy is greatly preferable: but a. third of bole armoniac well powdered muft be added.
The following compofition has been like- wife approved of for this purpofe,
“ Take bole armoniac, and fugar candy weU <c powdered, each equal parts,: mix them with “ the whites of eggs beaten to an. oily confifl* “ ence; and the cement will be fit for ufe.’’ In order to the ufing any of thefe cements» die paper, whether it be in quires, or books» fliould be well cut, and poljfhed on the edges to be gilt; and then ftrongly ferewed down by the prefs in which ftate, it is to he brufhed over, firft with a little of the cement without the fugar candy, or the bole; and when that is diy, either with the cement above given, or any other folution of gum or fize with the propet proportion of the bole: after which it may be iuffered to dry; and then water polifhed by rubbing it with a line linnen rag flightly moift- ned. It is then in a ftate fit for receiving the gold; only it muft be again gently moiftned at that time: and the leaves may then be laid on, being cut according to the breadth they are to cover; and prefled clofely down by a cotton ball: and after the gilding is thoroughly dry and firm, it may be polilht in the manner of the foregoing kinds.