History
Leaf gold – fascination for nearly 5000 years
Gold has always fascinated men. The production of genuine leaf gold has a surprisingly abundant history. The oldest surrenders have their origin in India.
From there, the art passed on over the civilized nations of South East Asia to the western world. In the ancient Rome specific corporations of gold-beaters existed already In a handwriting dated from the 12th century by Theophilus the basics of production are described, which were valid until the fifties of the 20th century.
At about 1400 gold-beaters made their debut as established craftsmen. Later on gold-beaters workshops were built in Vienna, Paris, London, Birmingham and even in North America.
But the foreign gold leaf was not able to win the market. Gradually , production of gold-leaf centered upon the town Nuremberg, Fuerth and Schwabach.
In the 19th century 70% of the population of Schwabach were engaged in this trade. Thus Schwabach became the "gold-beater’s town".
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