Gilding, or the art of laying metallic leaf onto a prepared surface, dates back to the ancient Egyptians. Gilded objects from that period as we have seen in Museums have survived the ravages of time practically unharmed. Gold leaf Italian frames from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries tell us the history of gilding. The preparation of the gold leaf, the surface that will receive the gold, and the techniques to apply the gold remain unchanged by time. Twenty-first Century gilders and frame makers take immense pride knowing that they continue to keep alive the work and techniques of the early masters.