Gold leaf… what is it?

May 23

Above: Pure 24k leaf on a gilders cushion with a gilders knife

More facts on Gold... 💛

Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets by gold beating and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades, the most commonly used gold is 22-karat yellow gold, pure 24k gold will have a golden yellow red tone. The art of gold beating is of great antiquity, being referred to by Homer; and Pliny states that 1 oz. of gold was extended to 750 leaves, each leaf being four fingers (about 3 in.) square; such a leaf is three times as thick as the ordinary leaf gold of the present time.

Layering gold leaf over a surface is called gold leafing or gilding. A primer base and size are laid and the gold is applied, gold dust and skewings are brushed away. Traditional water gilding is the most difficult and highly regarded form of gold leafing. It has remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years and is still done by hand.

The term metal leaf is normally used for thin sheets of metal of any color that do not contain any real gold. Pure gold is 24 karats. Real yellow gold leaf is about 91.7% pure gold. The more silver the gold contains the whiter the colour will be. Silver colored white gold is approximately 50% pure gold. Keep in mind, pure 24k gold leaf will not tarnish. Mixed metal leaf, imitation leaf or 'composite leaf' are NOT edible and WILL tarnish and must be sealed.

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_leaf

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Goldbeating)f