This collection has sold.

DUTCH GILT are exquisitely made decorative papers.

Metal Prints were originally made in Germany in the 18th century and even then, only for a relatively short period of time.

Dutch Gilt prints once adorned book covers, endpapers, and delighted children as "fun papers".

Known as Dutch Gilt (though made mostly in Germany, with "Dutch" likely a cheeky twist on "Deutsch" or from Dutch export trade), these shimmering sheets imitated the luxurious brocades and damasks of the era but today they should perhaps be referred to as... Scottish Gilt Papers!

With patterns and designs inspired by original German & Italian patterns, French Papiers Dominotés, Italian woodblocks, and European designs from the 1600s onward, we periodically offer small but intriguing collections. Made on a variety of papers ranging from antique handmade through to modern machine-made, with traditional surface finishes including tricolour harlequin, daubs, solid tints or even just plain, these are the only contemporarily-made Dutch Gilt papers available anywhere in the world.

The precise historical method of making these has been lost in time and remains mysterious, but it likely involved wooden plates or engraved rollers, gold size (adhesive), dusting on and brushing off golden metal leaf, brushing and adding colour via dabbing or stencilling.

Despite this lost knowledge, through research, experimentation and lots of mistakes, techniques have been developed allowing a reprise in the production of these beautiful papers.

This process is essentially the same as making a normal relief print with extra pressure on the press and a few added steps, including replacing ink with metal leaf, and waiting for the weather conditions to be perfect. Humidity must be just right for the paper's surface to grip the leaf properly!

Dutch Gilt Metal Prints are perfect for interior design, bookbinding, framing, journaling, collage, decoupage, or simply treasuring as art.

HANDMADE IN SCOTLAND

This collection has sold.