William Ashcroft Australia is located in Preston, Victoria.
We manufacture Stagg Brand gold leaf, which is beaten by hand on the premises. Stagg Brand gold leaf has been manufactured in Australia since 1919.
We employ two gold beaters, and we believe that we are the only Australian company still using this traditional method. Our gold beaters are ably supported by our cutters and fillers, who take the beaten gold from the moulds, quarter it and re-fill the moulds. The process is repeated three times, and when the gold leaf is placed in the booklets it is about one two hundred and fifty thousandth of an inch thick.
We believe that beating the gold by hand produces a superior product, as it retains its strength better than gold beaten by machine.
We also manufacture flower containers for monuments, usually from brass, which are then chromed or gilded. We are able to match odd sizes, and welcome one-off as well as large orders.
We commission the manufacture of specialist tungsten tipped chisels, for granite, sandstone and marble.