SECTION VII*
. Of gilding .
E A TH E R may be gilded by all the fame methods which have beefi given for gilding paper, or Vellum; except, that where the gold fize is ufed, there is no occafion to wet the leather to prevent the run-ning of the oil out of the bounds. Either leaf gold or the powders may therefore be employed as well for leather, as paper: but, unlefs in the finer work of the japaning leather gilders, or other particular ufes, the German powder alone is ufed. It is needlefs confe- quently to repeat here the methods above
Ihewn with refpedt to the gilding paper for Covers to books, &c. which-equally wdifuit for this purpofe in general: but as there is a manner of gilding leather peculiar to the bookbinders, it is requifite to explain it.
The method of gilding ufed by the bookbinder is to have the letters, or copartments, Icrolls, or other ornaments, cut in fteel ftainps; not by finking, as in moil other cafes, but by the projection of the figure from the ground. Thefe ftamps are made hot; and leaves of gold being laid on the parts accommodated to the pattern or defign of the gilding/ the hot ftamps are preft ftrongly on the gold and leather; and bind the gold to it in the hollows formed by the ftamp : the other redundant part of the gold being afterwards brufhed or rubbed off.