French term (edited): dor� au fer

I've never seen this term before, but it seems to me that the "fer" here might refer to the iron tools which are used to apply the designs --in this case with gold leaf added (as opposed to "blind tooled" decoration, which has no gold or other colored material added to the indentations made by the tooling).

"gauffré", i believe, referrs to a certain kind of decoration, usually applied (in Western bindings) to the gilded *edges* of books, which are called "Goffered edges".

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Note added at 44 mins (2006-02-09 16:08:59 GMT)
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I was just speaking off the top of my head, regarding "goffered edges" --I know them when I see them, but don't know the precise definition.

Here's the OED on the subject:

[f. GOFFER v. + -ED1.]

1. Of frills, etc.: Fluted, crimped.

2. Bookbinding and Printing. Embossed or impressed with ornamental figures, esp. goffered edges. (Also in Fr. form gaufré.)

1866 Bookseller's Catal., Sternhold's Psalms, 1649..in contemporary embroidered binding..gauffered edges.
1879 Print. Trades Jrnl. XXVI. 13 The tops of each card are shaped and goffered.
1894 BRASSINGTON Bookbinding xii. 166 Henry VIII of England had many of his books adorned with gilt and gauffered edges.
1895 J. W. ZAEHNSDORF Short Hist. Bookbinding 24 Gaufre Edges, impressions made with the tools of the finishers on the gilt edges of a book.

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Note added at 46 mins (2006-02-09 16:10:47 GMT)
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And the OED on "goffer/gauffer":

[ad. F. gaufrer to stamp or impress figures on cloth, paper, etc. with tools on which the required pattern is cut, f. gaufre honeycomb (see GOFER1). The usual sense of the English word is in French expressed by gauffrer à la paille.]

trans. To make wavy by means of heated goffering-irons; to flute or crimp (the edge of lace, a frill, or trimming of any kind).

So, it seems that it isn't just a matter of *any* sort of tooling, but "frilly" designs only.