Pathé shot this cool documentary of British artisans turning gold blocks into gold leaf. There’s clearly a lot of remarkable skill involved, but there’s also a remarkable lack or hearing protection around some very noisy machines.
This documentary has everything: delightful voiceover, impeccably dressed factory workers calmly plying their trade as finger-crushing machinery clanks inches away, and fascinating trivia. For instance, they cut the finished gold leaf with sharpened bamboo, because it would stick to steel.
• The Art of Gold Beating (1959) (YouTube / British Pathé)