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Price of Gold Leaf

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Mike Jackson
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Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Mike Jackson »

I think I posted something similar to this a while back, but just bought a new pack of gold and thought I'd do it again.

The last pack of patent 23 K gold I bought cost me $699.50. That wasn't really that terribly long ago, but I didn't write down the date.

The replacement pack cost me $1014.50 last week.

When we moved to Jackson Hole in the mid '80s, a pack cost between $325 and $350.

http://www.randomuseless.info/gasprice/gasprice.html

With that said, gasoline was around $1 per gallon back then. Looks like both have gone up about 3.5 times in that period.

Cheers,
Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson / co-administrator
Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY

Photography site:
Teton Images
Jackson Hole photography blog:
Best of the Tetons
erik winkler
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by erik winkler »

I wish I could say: "Don't worry be happy", but I feel the pain too.
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
John Studden
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by John Studden »

......The quality of Gold Leaf is very suspect these days, along with where a lot of it is claimed to be manufactured, I have used a lot of "repackaged " far eastern type Gold that just does not lay or burnish well....There always seems to be cut lines that cannot be burnished out....ruining the perfect look we all seek........On the recent Disney job Noel & myself did all the Gold was from Wrights of Lymm, in England & I have to say it is the best I have used for years. no overlap burnish lines, perfect mirror finish, that applies to all carats we used. They manufacture all their own Gold Leaf & have done for a very long time..........Because you are importing the stuff there is no local VAT to pay, I think a pack of 23.75 was a little over 600.00 or so...........Highly reccomended, as are all their materials, especially their brushes..............
John Studden
Valencia Signs, California
DAVE SMITH
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by DAVE SMITH »

Second that what John said. I also use Wrights and Handover gold due to the clean gild it leaves . Best gold I have found for glass work.
Dave
Lee Littlewood
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Lee Littlewood »

Me too (or is it three?) - Wright's of Lymm is nice to deal with (e-mail because of the time difference) and their website is packed with good stuff (but be prepared for a lot of opening and closing windows).
That said, one of the reasons they are cheaper is that their leaf size is a bit smaller than usual. Most gold leaf is 3.25" square, and Wright's (I bought the 23.5K "extra thick loose leaf") is closer to 3.0" square.
Remember that there is a shipping fee (it ran about $60 this spring) which probably does not depend much on the amount of leaf - it is always a small, dense package. And be prepared for a lot of folderol if you try to do a wire transfer; I guess they are common in Europe but rare here.
where am i? Now, when i need me...
DAVE SMITH
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by DAVE SMITH »

Lee. I deal with Clive the owner and also Sam , maybe worth contacting them to see if they would accept Paypal.
Just a thought.

Dave
Rich Hawthorne
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Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Rich Hawthorne »

John Studden wrote:......The quality of Gold Leaf is very suspect these days, along with where a lot of it is claimed to be manufactured, I have used a lot of "repackaged " far eastern type Gold that just does not lay or burnish well....There always seems to be cut lines that cannot be burnished out....ruining the perfect look we all seek........
Yes, I have had the exact same problem. This week I opened another pack of 23.75K from the same source and with my last (unhappy) experience with this stuff I tried an experiment. After the first gild I examined the resulting gild and as expected I saw many overlap lines which would not burnish out. So, with a wet q-tip I rubbed out the lines and the second gild covered everything and did not leave lines. It was extra work but it came out much better. I will avoid buying gold from such sources in the future. Personally, I have had good results with W&B gold leaf from Chicago. I will have to try and get some of the Wrights of Lymm gold to try it.
Kent Smith
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Kent Smith »

I just received a pack of 23K from W&B, made in the US, great quality and $725.00. They are the last of the domestic gold beaters, family operated, always friendly and my order arrives in just a few days.
Rich Hawthorne
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Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Rich Hawthorne »

Kent Smith wrote:I just received a pack of 23K from W&B, made in the US, great quality and $725.00. They are the last of the domestic gold beaters, family operated, always friendly and my order arrives in just a few days.
I agree with Kent. I've used W&B for years and as he says, they are the last domestic gold beater in the USA. Great quality, great service, great people.
Mike Jackson
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Mike Jackson »

Hi again,
For reference, I paid $1014.50 for a pack of 23k patent Italian gold leaf. That price included 2 day shipping and COD charges.
The $699 old price also reflected 2 day shipping and COD charges. I bought my leaf from Art Essentials of NY.

Peoople have mentioned Wrights of Lymm from England, and also the 3" size vs 3.25".
For the people that responded, how much did it cost for shipping, and how long did it take?
Does anyone have an address, phone, URL, and email for them? Has anyone asked them about PayPal yet? That'd help.

Kent et al,
You mentioned W&B, made in the US, and prices in the $725 range. I assume you still have to pay shipping and maybe some COD or handling charges?
Kent, can you supply their address, phone, URL and email address?

The price for the pack of gold I ordered was around $970. I asked about half a pack price and they told me $550. That's a pretty big whammy for breaking a pack. Maybe it worked, because I went ahead and purchased the full pack. Not sure how to feel about it, however.

Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson / co-administrator
Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY

Photography site:
Teton Images
Jackson Hole photography blog:
Best of the Tetons
bob gamache
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by bob gamache »

Hi guys
I purchase most of my gold from Urban at WnB to keep it 'local', good prices, good people, good quality gold....haven't gotten a bad one yet!

I also keep a pack of wrights of lymm handy at all times! Definatley a superior gild and you receive shipment in a few days.

Being close to nyc I was using Sepp Leaf, but not so much anymore because of high pricing due to their high rent on park ave.
Bob Gamache
Terry Colley
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Location: Stockport England

Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Terry Colley »

I have bought from Wrights of Lymm for 35 years without any problem on any product. A few points on the gold, You can buy as many books as you like the price of each book is the same no charge for breaking a pack so if you want 3 or 17 the cost is per book. Also they offer a service on transfer (patent) where they will press the leaf firmer onto the paper , this is useful when gilding small letters or lines as you will use less gold. This pressing does have an effect on how shiney the gold is the firmer the press the less shiney the gild. The leaf size is 3 & 1/4" or 80mm square
web site is http://www.wrightsoflymm.co.uk
Telephone 01925 752226 outside the uk +44 1925 752226
Fax 01925 757569

i know they post for free in the Uk if the order value is over £100.00 but not sure on international shipping (i dont get too much posted as they are only 15 miles away and I tend to collect)
Terry Colley
Stockport, England
Signwriter/maker
Kent Smith
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by Kent Smith »

Wehrung & Billmeier Co., 1919 Playbird Road, Sheboygan, WI 53083 920-459-8206 Urban R. or Urban J. Billmeier. 3rd and 4th generation. Originally started by Jake Wehrung and Frank Billmeier in 1905 then run by Urban F. untill Urban R. took over.

S&H $14.40

I would suggest using a credit card or set up a house account to avoid cod charges as I have.

They will sell by the book or half-pack which is somewhat more expensive. They will email a current price sheet in pdf format when requested. One thing I really like is that they do their own alloys so the color and quality is consistant while most European beaters farm that out.

As a matter of interest, I recently finished a personal project with some saved Hastings (the premier standard for leaf) and yesterday finished a sign for a customer using a couple new books of W&B on slow size...they matched perfectly.
erik winkler
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by erik winkler »

Kent Smith wrote: they do their own alloys so the color and quality is consistant while most European beaters farm that out.
Most American beaters you meant probably, if besides this company there are any? :wink:
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
joe cieslowski
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Re: Price of Gold Leaf

Post by joe cieslowski »

Here is my invoice from my last order from Weights of Lymm....prices in pounds...10/16/12

20 23.5ct Extra Thick Gold Leaf Transfer unit price 19.45 net 389

2 23ct Loose gold Leaf unit price 16.15 net 32.30

Carriage and packing charge 35.00

Total net Amount 456.3

Then they gave me a 56.40 refund??????

Bottom line in US dollars, $758.69 total

As I recall I got it in about 3-4 days thru the US post Office.

I've had excellent results with it on my surface gilds.

Joe
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
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