Formerly, after having cleaned the piece to be gilded, a gold amalgam was applied.

Now, the brass or copper trinket is steeped in a solution of perchloride of gold and bicarbonate of potash, and in less than a minute the thing is accomplished.

It is called gilding by immersion.

There is another process in which galvanism--But let us admit that M.Larinski's heart is real gold.

In the purest gold there is usually some alloy, to dispense with which resort must be had to the cupel.