In a corner of the National Palaces Administration in Ottoman-era Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, a group of men and women work to restore a number of different objects that date back to the Ottoman empire, in their workshop they meticulously work to piece back together various different artefacts

The workshop contains More than 100 different objects, from mirrors to frames, from screens to sofas, all decorated with 23ct gold leaf, which was commonplace at the height of the empire. Maintaining the authenticity of the objects is important so they use 23ct gold leaf like the original goldsmiths would have used for the objects. Also, as in the original pieces, they use water-based and oil-based gold sizes

Gold leaf was very popular in the 19th century particularly in Ottoman palaces though the use of gold leaf dates to the rise of the empire itself including during and after the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century. Gold leaf was used everywhere from everyday objects like tools to weapons.