Foil stamping, foil production and processes

The manufacture of gold leaf is based on a highly original process, specific to a particular craft industry: beating. The minimum thickness of the leaf depends on the ductility of the alloy. Thanks to the information provided by the last gold beater in France (the Dauvet company), which we would like to thank, we describe here the shaping process used in a beating workshop (a batterie d'or) and how it is possible to mechanically model the stages . The application of the resulting foils to various substrates is then described.