Gold Leaf Glossary

 

Composition Leaf – fake gold, copper and zinc alloy to imitate gold

Veriegated Leaf – a composition leaf in colors, red, blue, and green

Veriegated Amorphic Leaf – not as much movement as variegated

Gold Leaf – 3 3/8 square leaf in carats 9 – 24

Pack – 500 leaves, or 20 books

Book – 25 leaves in a book

Regular Gold – average thickness decided by manufacturer.

Double Gold – leaf is 10% – 20% thicker

Glass Gold – higher quality with fewer pinholes

Surface Gold – used where leaf will be distressed or toned

Loose leaf – leaf not adhered to tissue

Patent or Transfer Leaf – gold mounted to special tissue paper

Size – oil or water base “adhesive” leaf adheres to, quick or slow (3 hr. or 12 hr)

Skewings – irregular gold leaf flakes (schaibin)

Shell Gold – powder gold suspended in gum Arabic in tablet form

Ribbon Gold Leaf – leaves of loose gold placed continuously on light weight

paper with slight overlaps.