Chased Edges
Transfer the design on thin tissue paper, lay the paper carefully upon the edge of the book placed in the press so that design and edge tally perfectly, and fasten the paper by pasting it on the gilding boards.
If you now by the aid of a dull awl or a pin trace the design of the tissue paper on the edge, it will appear and will be the gilder’s guide. When this has been done with all necessary care, remove the paper and burnish the parts of the edge between the tracings by means of a small, pointed burnisher.
This alone relieves the ornament from the dull gilt ground.
The full effect of such edges will be imparted when the outlines of the ornaments are pressed in. To do this, fine steel stencils or stamps are best used, the same as are used for fine leather work. These stamps and the above mentioned agate burnishers can be obtained from Wm. Leo, Stuttgart.
Take the point stamp in one hand and a light hammer in the other and with an easy, equal, hammering make dot after dot of the marked pattern. If the dull ground is then profusely marked with the small pearl stamp as shown in the illustration, the effect of such edges leaves nothing to be desired.
The effect is still more surprising when the ornaments are produced in gold of a different hue or of silver or color. In the former case the ornaments are carefully penciled in with albumen solution, gold of a lighter hue, silver or aluminium is put on, and, when completely dried, is burnished.
Colored ornaments are likewise scraped out and then produced by painting.
It is a question though, whether the total effect of this last named is a refined one.