There are a lot of people out there who do not know about the various gold leaf products being sold in the market. A gold leaf is nothing but a very thin layer of the metal that is used by craftsmen to apply over various items to make it more aesthetically appealing

1. Gold Leaf Products
There are a lot of people out there who do not know about the various gold leaf products
being sold in the market. A gold leaf is nothing but a very thin layer of the metal that is used
by craftsmen to apply over various items to make it more aesthetically appealing. It is often
used over sculptures, picture frames and various other objects. The gold leaf is highly fragile
and can easily break in unskilled hands. It demands a high level of skill, patience and is labor
intensive. This is the reason that gold leaf products are higher priced than others. Of course
the inherent value of the metal also makes gold leaf price high. The gold leaf price is also
dependant on the market value of gold, which as we all know constantly fluctuates.

2. A Brief History
Gold leaf has been in use for thousands of years. The Egyptians too used it in their pyramids
and also on burial tombs. A lot of empires such as that of the Romans also decorated their
buildings with it. Asian countries such as Japan and China manufactured this delicate gold
and these were very popular.

3. Why are gold leaf products so Popular?
Gold has always been a symbol of power, health and success. It is a symbol of the sun and
vitality. Moreover the inherent value of the metal gives the impression that whosoever
owns such products is very rich and belongs to the upper strata of society.
Another reason for its popularity is that it increases the aesthetic value of whatever it is
placed on.

4. What are the gilding supplies Required?
It is the art form of gilding that covers an object with gold, which may be in the form of a
leaf or a gel. There was a time when a majority of gilding was limited to vases, but slowly
this started being applied to a variety of other things such as furniture, pens, and ornaments
and even on edible items.
There are various types of gilding supplies that are needed for completing different types of
work. The tools used for gilding is dependent on where it is needed; whether the
requirement is for the exterior or the interiors, what type of material will it be applied to:
1. Agate stone tools are very important. It is this tool that presses the leaf into place.
The smooth surface of agate stone makes it convenient for the craftsman to polish
any item evenly without wrinkles.

5. 2. Gilding knife is necessary to cut the gold leaf into required sizes and shapes. The
edge of the knife is not very sharp, but if touched by hand will need to be cleaned
with alcohol.
3. Cushion is the surface on which the leaf is placed on for cutting and shaping.
4. Gilder’s tip is a flat shaped brush that lifts the leaf gently and places it on the surface
to be decorated.
5. Burnisher is a tool which as the names suggests polishes the surface to bring a bright
shine to gold leaf products.