Yeah, avoiding tourists is the secret. Getting there right when it opens was our trick.

Honestly read a thing from a bookbinder saying that super bright new gold leaf on old stuff just looks wrong. Tbh they said it's better to use a toned-down finish or even colored foil for stuff that gets handled, because the shine calls attention to the repair, not the book. That bright look you described totally fits what they were talking about. It's more about showing off the fix than keeping the book's real feel.