Making and Knowing
A minimal edition of BnF Ms Fr 640 in English Translation

- - - - - folio image: 138v - - - - -

Gold casted very thinly

When goldsmiths have to solder something quickly but don’t have enough time to forge it, they melt gold and then they pour it on a cloth or on anything else that withstands fire. Then they flatten it swiftly with a hammer or another similar tool, and it [the gold] is very tenuous and it even retains the impression of the cloth.

Unalloyed pure gold can be cast into a medal but not into herbs and lizards or other very delicate things if it is not alloyed.

A pansy which is oiled with wheat oil can be cast with alloyed gold.

And other fruit leaves, but with branch[es] that are not large and especially the leaves, once cast, can be soldered.