Gilder's tip

An implement used to gather up fragile gold leaves so they can be carried to the gilding area, it is brush-like with a row of camel hair of varying density protruding from two cards, about four inches wide. In order to pick up the metal leaf, the Gilder runs the brush through his own hair to make the tip slightly oily so that the leaf will attach. A Gilder's Tip is usually necessary only with fragile gold leaf because other metals are heavy enough not to need the Tip. Source: Ralph Mayer, "A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques"