ANCIENT AND MODERN INK RECEIPTS.
"INDIAN" INK--SPANISH LICORICE--BITUMEN--CARBON
FROM PETROLEUM--PROCESS TO OBTAIN GALLIC
ACID--EFFECT OF SUGAR IN INK--DARK COLORED
GALLS BEST FOR INK MAKING--SUBSTITUTES FOR
GALLS--RELATIVE PROPORTIONS OF IRON AND
GALLS--ANECDOTE OF PROFESSOR TRIALL--
ESTIMATION OF SULPHATE OF COPPER--QUAINT INK
RECIPE--RIBAUCOURT'S INK--HORSELEY'S INK--
ELSNER'S INDELIBLE MARKING INK--BLACK INK FOR
COMMON AND COPYING USES--COMMON BLACK
INK--SHINING BLACK INK--PROCESS FOR "BEST"
INK--INDELIBLE BLACK INK WITHOUT GALLS OR
IRON--INK POWDER--STEEL PEN INK--SOME EARLY
LITERATURE OF THE COAL TAR PRODUCTS--INK PLANT
OF NEW GRANADA--"IMPERISHABLE" INK--FIRE-
PROOF INK--"INERADICABLE" INK--EXCHEQUER
INK--"PERMANENT" RED INK--SUBSTITUTE FOR "INDIAN"
INK--TO PREVENT INK FREEZING--BACTERIA
IN INK--GOLD AND OTHER INKS USED FOR ILLUMlNATING.
INNUMERABLE receipts and directions for making
inks of every kind, color and quality are to be found
distributed in books more or less devoted to such subjects,
in the encyclopaedias, chemistries, and other scientific
publications. If assembled together they would
occupy hundreds of pages. Those cited are exemplars
indicating the trend of ideas belonging to different
nations, epochs, and the diversity of materials. They
can also be considered as object lessons which conclusively
demonstrate the dissatisfaction always existing
in respect to the constitution and modes of ink admixture.
Many of them are curious and are reproduced
without any amendments.
"Indian ink is a black pigment brought hither
from China, which on being rubbed with water,
dissolves; and forms a substance resembling ink;
but of a consistence extremely well adapted to the
working with a pencil-brush, on which account it
is not only much used as a black colour in miniature
painting; but is the black now generally made
use of for all smaller drawings in chiaro obscuro
(or where the effect is to be produced from light
and shade only).
"The preparation of Indian ink, as well as of
the other compositions used by the Chinese as
paints, is not hitherto revealed on any good authority;
but it appears clearly from experiments
to be the coal of fish bones, or some other vegetable
substance, mixed with isinglass size, or other
size; and most probably, honey or sugar candy to
prevent its cracking. A substance, therefore, much
of the same nature, and applicable to the same
purposes, may be formed in the following manner.
"Take of isinglass six ounces, reduce it to a
size, by dissolving it over the fire in double its
weight of water. Take then of Spanish liquorice
one ounce; and dissolve it also in double its weight
of water; and grind up with it an ounce of ivory
black. Add this mixture to the size while hot;
and stir the whole together till all the ingredients
be thoroughly incorporated. Then evaporate away
the water in baleno mariae, and cast the remaining
composition into leaden molds greased; or make
it up in any other form."
"The colour of this composition will be equally
good with that of the Indian ink: the isinglass
size, mixt with the colours, works with the pencil
equally well with the Indian ink; and the Spanish
liquorice will both render it easily dissolvable on
the rubbing with water, to which the isinglass alone
is somewhat reluctant; and also prevent its cracking
and peeling off from the ground on which it is
laid."
* * * * * * *
There is found in small currents near the Baltick
Sea, in the Dutchy of Prussia a certain coagulated
bitumen, which, because it seems to be a juice
of the earth is called succinum; and carabe, because
it will attract straws; it is likewise called electrum,
glessum, anthra citrina, vulgarly yellow amber.
"This bitumen being soft and viscous, several
little animals, such as flies, and ants, do stick to it,
and are buried in it.
"Amber is of different colours, such as white,
yellow and black.
"The white is held in greatest esteem in physick,
tho' it be opacous; when it is rubbed against anything,
it is odoriferous, and it yields more volatile
salt than the rest. The yellow, is transparent and
pleasant to the eye, wherefore beads, necklaces,
and other little conceits are made of it. It is also
esteemed medicinal, and it yieldeth much oil.
"The black is of least use of all. (Sometimes
used by the ancients in making ink.)
"Some do think that petroleum, or Oil of Peter,
is a liquor drawn from amber, by the means of subterrenean
fires, which make a distillation of it, and
that jet, and coals are the remainders of this distillation.
"This opinion would have probability enough in
it, if the places, from whence this sort of drogues
does come, were not so far asunder the one from
the other; f or petroleum is not commonly found but
in Italy, in Sicily, and Provence. This oil distils
through the clefts of rocks, and it is very likely to
be the oil of some bitumen, which the subterranean
fires have raised."
* * * * * * *
There are various processes for obtaining gallic
acid, one of which is to moisten the bruised
galls and expose them for four or five weeks to a
temperature of 80 degrees Fahr.; by which a mouldy
paste is formed, which is pressed dry and then digested
in boiling water, which after evaporation
yields the acid, and mixed with the solution of
green copperas, makes the, ink. A quicker process,
however, is to put the bruised galls into a cylindrical
copper of a depth equal to its diameter, and
boil them in nine gallons of water--taking care to
replace the water lost by evaporation. The decoction
to be emptied into a tub, allowed to settle,
and the clear liquid being drawn off, the lees are
emptied into another tub to be drained. The green
copperas must be separately dissolved in water,
and then mixed with the decoction of the galls. A
precipitate is then formed in the state of a fine
black powder, the subsidence of which is prevented
by the addition of the gum, which, separately dissolved
in a small quantity of hot water, combines
with the clear black liquid. Besides its effect in
keeping the fine insoluble particles in suspension,
the gum mucilage improves the body of the ink,
prevents its spreading or sinking too much into
the paper in writing, and also acts beneficially by
forming a sort of compact varnish in it, which
tends to preserve its colour, and shield it from the
action of the air. If, however, too much mucilage
is used, the ink flows badly from quill pens, and
still more so from steel pens, which require a very
limpid ink. The addition of sugar increases the
fluidity of ink, and permits the quantity of gum to
be increased over what it would bear without it;
but, on the other hand, it causes it to dry more
slowly, and besides it frequently passes into vinegar,
when it acts injuriously on the pens. The dark-
coloured galls, known as the blue Aleppo ones, are
said by Ribaucourt, and others who have given
much attention to the ingredients for ink-making
to be the best for that purpose, and they are
generally used by the best makers.
"From their high price, however, and that of
galls generally, sumach, logwood, and even oak
bark are too frequently substituted in the manufacture
of inks, but it need scarcely be said always
injuriously. Ink made according to the receipt
given above is much more rich and powerful than
many of those commonly made. To reduce it to
their standard one half more water may be safely
added; or even twenty gallons of tolerable ink may
be made from the same weight of materials.
Sumach and logwood admit of only about one-half
or less of the green copperas that galls will take,
to bring out the maximum amount of black colour.
The colour of black ink gradually darkens in
consequence of the peroxidation of the iron in it on
exposure to the air, but it affords a more durable
writing when used pale; its particles being then
finer, penetrate the paper more intimately, and on
its oxidation is mordanted into it. It is advisable
so soon as the ink has acquired a moderately deep
tint, to draw it off clear into bottles and cork them
well.
"According to the most accurate experiments
on the preparation of black writing inks, it appears
that the proportion of the green copperas ought to
be, and not to exceed, a third of the decoction of
galls used; but the proportions used vary according
to the practical experience of ink-makers, who
have all receipts of their own, which they deem
best, and, of course, keep secret. In the precipitate
an excess of colouring matter, which is necessary
for its durability, is preserved in it. The
blue galls alone ought to be employed in making
the best quality of black ink. Logwood is a useful.
ingredient, because its colouring matter unites
with the sulphate of iron and renders it not only of
a very dark colour, but also less capable of change
from the action of acids or of the atmosphere.
Many attempts have been made by amateurs to
make a good permanent black ink. A good story
is told of Professor Traill. He had succeeded,
after a long series of experiments, in producing an
ink which he deemed to be in all respects A 1,
and which resisted the action of all acids and
alkalies alike. The pleased savant sent samples
of it for trial to several banks and schools, where
it gave general satisfaction; but, alas, an experimenting
scribbler, thoughtlessly or otherwise, applied
a simple test undreamt of by the Professor,
and with a wet sponge completely washed off his
'indelible,' and thereby finished his career as an
amateur ink-maker!"
* * * * * * *
"Nicholson, in his Dictionary of Chemistry, an
old but valuable work, says that Ribaucourt found
vitriol of copper, in a certain proportion, to give
depth and firmness to the colour of black ink;
but, from whatever cause, this has not taken a
place among the commonly-used ink-making ingredients--
probably because it acts injuriously on
steel pens."
* * * * * * *
"A quart of rain Wate. 3 Ounces of Blue
Knolly Gawalls. Bruise ym it must stand & be
stirred 3 or 4 times in ym Day & then Strain out
out all ye gawells all ten Days and 2 Ounces of
Clear Gummary Beck & 1/2 an Ounce of Coperous
1/2 an Ounce of Rock Alum half an Ounce
of Loafe sugar ye Bigness of a Hoarsel nut of
Roman Vitterall Bray ym all small Before they be
put in it must be stirred very well for ye space of
two weeks.
"A receit forink.--1727
"William Satherwaite."
(The above receipt is a literal copy of the original,
now in my possession. It purports to have been
written with the mixture it specifies.)
* * * * * * *
"M. de Champnor and M. F. Malepeyre, 1862,
in their Mannel state that Ribaucourt's ink is one
of the best then in use. The formula for its preparation
is as follows:
Aleppo galls, in coarse powder, 8 ounces.
Logwood chips, 4 "
Sulphate of iron, 4 "
Powdered gum-arabic, 3 "
Sulphate of copper, 1 "
Crystallized sugar, 1 "
Boil the galls of logwood together in twelve pounds
of water for an hour, or till half the water has
been evaporated; strain the decoction through a
hair sieve, and add the other ingredients; stir till
the whole, especially the gum, be dissolved; and
then leave at rest for twenty-four hours, when the
ink is to be poured off into glass bottles and
carefully corked.
* * * * * * *
"Mr. J. Horsley gives the following receipt:
Triturate in a mortar thirty-six grains of gallic
acid with three and one-half ounces of strong decoction
of logwood, put it into an eight ounce
bottle, together with one ounce of strong ammonia.
Next dissolve one ounce of sulphate of iron in
half an ounce of distilled water by the aid of heat;
mix the solutions together by a few minutes'
agitation, when a good ink will be formed, perfectly
clear, which will keep good any length of time
without depositing, thickening, or growing mouldy,
which latter quality is a great desideratum, as ink
undergoing that change becomes worthless. It
will not do to mix with ordinary ink, nor must
greasy paper be used for writing on with it."--
Chemical News (1862).
* * * * * * *
"New Indelible Marking Ink.--Dr. Elsner gives
the following as a stamping ink for goods before
undergoing bleaching, or treating with acids or
alkalis. It consists merely of one ounce of fine
Chinese vermilion and one drachm of protosulphate
of iron, well triturated with boiled oil varnish."
* * * * * * * *
"Put Aleppo galls, well bruised, 4 1/2 oz. and
logwood chipped, 1 oz. with 3 pints soft water, into
a stoneware mug: slowly boil, until one quart remains:
add, well powdered, the pure green crystals
of sulphate of iron, 2 1/2 oz. blue vitriol or verdigris,
(I think the latter better) 1/2 oz. gum arabic
2 oz. and brown sugar, 2 oz. Shake it occasionally
a week after making: then after standing a
day, decant and cork. To prevent moulding add
a little brandy or alcohol.
"The common copperas will not answer so well
as it has already absorbed oxygen."
* * * * * * *
"Pour a gallon of boiling soft water on a pound
of powdered galls, previously put into a proper
vessel. Stop the month of the vessel, and set it in
the sun in summer, or in winter where it may be
warmed by any fire, and let it stand two or three
days. Then add half a pound of green vitriol
powdered, and having stirred the mixture well together
with a wooden spatula, let it stand again
for two or three days, repeating the stirring, when
add further to it 5 ounces of gum arabic dissolved
in a quart of boiling water, and lastly, 2 ounces of
alum, after which let the ink be strained through a
coarse linen cloth for use.
"Another. A good and durable ink may be
made by the following directions: To 2 pints of
water add 3 ounces of the dark coloured rough-
skinned Aleppo galls in gross powder, and of
rasped logwood, green vitriol, and gum arabic,
each, 1 oz.
"This mixture is to be put into a convenient
vessel, and well shaken four or five time a day, for
ten or twelve days, at the end of which time it will
be fit for use, though it will improve by remaining
longer on the ingredients. Vinegar instead of
water makes a deeper coloured ink; but its action
on pens soon spoils them."
* * * * * * * *
"Beat up well together in an iron mortar the
following ingredients in a dry state; viz. 8 oz. of
best blue gall-nuts, 4 oz. of copperas, or sulphate
of iron, 2 oz. of clear gum arabic, and 3 pints of
clear rain water.
"When properly powdered, put to the above;
let the whole be shaken in a stone bottle three or
four times a day, for seven days, and at the end
of that time, pour the liquid off gently into another
stone bottle, which place in an airy situation
to prevent it from becoming foul or mothery.
When used put the liquid into the ink-stand as required."
Take 6 quarts (beer measure) of clear water,
soft or hard, and boil in it for about an hour 4 oz.
of the best Campeachy logwood, chipped very thin
across the grain, adding, from time to time, boiling
water to supply in part the loss by evaporation;
strain the liquor while hot, and suffer it to
cool. If the liquor is then short of 5 quarts, make
it equal to this quantity by the addition of cold
water. After which let 1 lb. of bruised blue galls,
or 20 oz. of the best common galls, be added. Let
a paste be prepared by triturating 4 oz. of sulphate
of iron (green vitriol) calcined to whiteness, and
let half an ounce of acetite of copper (verdigris)
be well incorporated together with the above decoction
into a mass, throwing in also 3 oz. of coarse
brown sugar and 6 oz. of gum Senegal, or Arabic.
Put the materials into a stone bottle of such a size
as to half fill it; let the mouth be left open, and
shake the bottle well, twice or thrice a day. In
about a fortnight it may be filled, and kept in well-
stopped bottles for use. It requires to be protected
from the frost, which would considerably
injure it."
Infuse a pound of pomegranate peels, broken
to a gross powder, for 24 hours in a gallon and a
half of water, and afterwards boil the mixture till
1-3d of the fluid be wasted. Then add to it 1 lb.
of Roman vitriol, and 4 oz. of gum arabic powdered,
and continue the boiling till the vitriol and
gum be dissolved, after which the ink must be
strained through a coarse linen cloth, when it will
be fit for use.
"This ink is somewhat more expensive, and yet
not so good in hue as that made by the general
method, but the colour which it has is not liable to
vanish or fade in any length of time."
* * * * * * * *
"Infuse a pound of galls powdered and 3 ounces
of pomegranate peels, in a gallon of soft water for
a week, in a gentle heat, and then strain off the
fluid through a coarse linen cloth. Then add to it
8 oz. of vitriol dissolved in a quart of water, and
let them remain for a day or two, preparing in the
meantime a decoction of logwood, by boiling a
pound of the chips in a gallon of water, till 1-3d
be wasted, and then straining the remaining fluid
while it is hot. Mix the decoction and the solution
of galls and vitriol together, and add 5 oz. of gum
arabic, and then evaporate the mixture over a common
fire to about 2 quarts, when the remainder
must be put into a vessel proper for that purpose,
and reduced to dryness, by hanging the vessel in
boiling water. The mass left, after the fluid has
wholly exhaled, must be well powdered, and when
wanted for use, may be converted into ink by the
addition of water."
* * * * * * * *
"Ten parts of logwood are to be exhausted with
eighty of boiling water. To the solution one thousandth
of its weight of yellow chromate of potash
is to be added gradually. The liquid turns
brown and at last blue-black. No gum is needed,
and the ink is not removed by soaking in water.
--Chemical Gazette, London (1850)."
* * * * * * * *
"Shellac, 2 oz.; borax, 1 oz.; distilled or rain
water, 18 oz. Boil the whole in a closely covered
tin vessel, stirring it occasionally with a glass rod
until the mixture has become homogeneous; filter
when cold, and mix the fluid solution with an ounce
of mucilage or gum arabic prepared by dissolving
1 oz. of gum in 2 oz. of water, and add pulverized indigo
and lampblack ad libitum. Boil the whole
again in a covered vessel, and stir the fluid well to
effect the complete solution and admixture of the
gum arabic. Stir it occasionally while it is cooling;
and after it has remained undisturbed for two
or three hours, that the excess of indigo and lamp-
black may subside, bottle it for use. The above
ink for documentary purposes is invaluable, being
under all ordinary circumstances, indestructible.
It is also particularly well adapted for the use of
the laboratory. Five drops of creosote added to a
pint of ordinary ink will effectually prevent its becoming
mouldy."
* * * * * * * *
"In November, 1854, Mr. Grace Calvert read a
paper before the London Society of Arts in which
he said that he hoped before long some valuable
dyeing substances other than carbo-azotic acid
would be prepared from coal tar.
"In another paper read before the same society
in 1858 he said: 'This expectation has now been
fulfilled. Messrs. Perkins and Church have obtained
several blue coloring substances from the
alkaloids of coal tar, and one from naphthalene.'
Also that himself and Mr. Charles Lowe had succeeded
in obtaining coal tar products yielding colors
of a beautiful pink, red, violet, purple, and
chocolate. (These were not soluble in water)."
* * * * * * * *
"Among vegetable substances useful in the arts
is one that has long been known in New Grenada
under the name of the ink-plant, as furnishing a
juice which can be used in writing without previous
preparation. Characters traced with this substance
have a reddish color at first, which turns to a deep
black in a few hours. This juice is said to be
really less liable to thicken than ordinary ink, and
not to corrode steel pens. It resists the action of
water, and is practically indelible. The plant is
known as coryaria thymifolia."
* * * * * * * *
"Desormeaux recommends that the sulphate of
iron be calcined to whiteness; coarse brown sugar
instead of sugar candy; 1/4 oz. acetate of copper,
instead of one ounce of the sulphate, and a drop
or two of creosote or essential oil of cloves to prevent
moulding." (See Ribaucourt receipt, p. 194.)
* * * * * * * *
"Mr. John Spiller communicated to the London
Chemical News (1861) a paper on the employment
of carbon as a means of permanent record. The
imperishable nature of carbon, in its various forms
of lamp-black, ivory-black, wood-charcoal, and
graphite or black lead, holds out much greater
promise of being usefully employed in the manufacture
of a permanent writing material; since, for
this substance, in its elementary condition and at
ordinary temperatures, there exists no solvent nor
chemical reagent capable of affecting its alteration.
"The suggestion relative to the mode of applying
carbon to these purposes, which it is intended
more particularly now to enunciate, depends on
the fact of the separation of carbon from organic
compounds rich in that element, sugar, gum, etc.,
by the combined operation of heat and of chemical
reagents, such as sulphuric and phosphoric acids,
which exert a decomposing action in the same
direction; and by such means to effect the deposition
of the carbon within the pores of the
paper by a process of development to be performed
after the fluid writing ink has been to a certain
extent absorbed into its substance--a system of
formation by which a considerable amount of resistance,
both to chemical and external influences,
appears to be secured. An ink of the following
composition has been made the subject of experiment:
"Concentrated sulphuric acid,
deeply colored with indigo .......... 1 fluid ounce.
Water, .............................. 6 " "
Loaf Sugar,.......................... 1 ounce, troy.
Strong mucilage of gum-arabic
2 to 3 fluid ounces.
"Writing traced with a quill or gold pen dipped
in this ink dries to a pale blue color; but if now a
heated iron be passed over its surface, or the page
of manuscript be held near a fire, the writing will
quickly assume a jet black appearance, resulting
from the carbonization of the sugar by a warm
acid, and will have become so firmly engrafted
into the substance of the paper as to oppose considerable
difficulty to its removal or erasure by a
knife. On account of the depth to which the
written characters usually penetrate, the sheets of
paper selected for use should be of the thickest
make, and good white cartridge paper, or that
known as 'cream laid,' preferred to such as are
colored blue with ultramarine; for, in the latter
case, a bleached halo is frequently perceptible
around the outlines of the letters, indicating the
partial destruction of the coloring matter by the
lateral action of the acid.
"The writing produced in this manner seems indelible;
it resists the action of "salts of lemon,"
and of oxalic, tartaric, and diluted hydrochloric
acids, agents which render nearly illegible the traces
of ordinary black writing ink; neither do alkaline
solutions exert any appreciable action on the carbon
ink. This material possesses, therefore, many
advantageous qualities which would recommend its
adoption in cases where the question of permanence
is of paramount importance. But it must, on the
other hand, be allowed that such an ink, in its
present form, would but inefficiently fulfil many of
the requirements necessary to bring it into common
use. The peculiar method of development rendering
the application of heat imperative, and that of
a temperature somewhat above the boiling point of
water, together with the circumstance that it will
be found impossible with a thin sheet of paper to
write on both sides, must certainly be counted
among its more prominent disadvantages."
* * * * * * * *
"Fire-proof ink for writing or printing on
incombustible paper is made according to the following
recipe: Graphite, finely ground, 22 drams;
copal or other resinous gum, 12 grains; sulphate
of iron, 2 drams; tincture of nutgalls, 2 drams;
and sulphate of indigo, 8 drams. These substances
are thoroughly mixed and boiled in water,
and the ink thus obtained is said to be both fire-
proof and insoluble in water. When any other
color but black is desired, the graphite is replaced
by an earthly mineral pigment of the desired color."
* * * * * * * *
"Ineradicable Writing.--A French technical
paper, specially devoted to the art and science of
paper manufacture, states that any alterations or
falsifications of writings in ordinary ink maybe rendered
impossible by passing the paper upon which
it is intended to write through a solution of one milligram
(0.01543 English grain) of gallic acid in as
much pure distilled water as will fill to a moderate
depth an ordinary soup-plate. After the paper thus
prepared has become thoroughly dry, it may be
used as ordinary paper for writing, but any attempt
made to alter, falsify, or change anything written
thereon, will be left perfectly visible, and may thus
be readily detected."
* * * * * * * *
"Exchequer Ink.--To 40 pounds of galls, add
10 pounds of gum, 9 pounds of copperas, and 45
gallons of soft water. This ink will endure for
centuries."
* * * * * * * *
"Take of oil of lavender, 120 grains, of copal
in powder, 17 grains, red sulphuret of mercury, 60
grains. The oil of lavender being dissipated with
a gentle heat, a colour will be left on the paper
surrounded with the copal; a substance insoluble
in water, spirits, acids, or alkaline solutions.
"This composition possesses a permanent colour,
and a MSS. written with it, may be exposed to the
process commonly used for restoring the colour of
printed books, without injury to the writing. In
this manner interpolations with common ink may
be removed."
* * * * * * * *
Boil parchment slips or cuttings of glove
leather, in water till it forms a size, which, when
cool, becomes of the consistence of jelly, then,
having blackened an earthern plate, by holding it
over the flame of a candle, mix up with a camel
hair pencil, the fine lamp-black thus obtained, with
some of the above size, while the plate is still
warm. This black requires no grinding, and produces
an ink of the same colour, which works as
fregy with the pencil, and is as perfectly
transparent as the best Indian ink."
* * * * * * * *
"Instead of water use brandy, with the same
ingredients which enter into the composition of
any ink, and it will never freeze."
* * * * * * * *
"Bacteria in Ink--According to experiments
which have recently been completed at Berlin and
Leipzig by the leading bacteriologists of Germany
the ordinary inks literally teem with bacilla of a
dangerous character, the bacteria taken therefrom
sufficing to kill mice and rabbits inoculated therewith
in the space of from one to three days."
* * * * * * * *
"The most easy and neat method of forming
letters of gold on paper, and for ornaments of
writing is, by the gold ammoniac, as it was formerly
called: the method of managing which is as
follows:
"Take gum ammoniacum, and powder it; and
then dissolve it in water previously impregnated
with a little gum arabic, and some juice of garlic.
The gum ammoniacum will not dissolve in water,
so as to form a transparent fluid, but produces a
milky appearance; from whence the mixture is
called in medicine the lac ammoniacum. With the
lac ammoniacum thus prepared, draw with a pencil,
or write with a pen on paper, or vellum, the
intended figure or letters of the gilding. Suffer the
paper to dry; and then, or any time afterwards,
breath on it till it be moistened; and immediately
lay leaves of gold, or parts of leaves cut in the
most advantageous manner to save the gold, over
the parts drawn or written upon with the lac
ammoniacum; and press them gently to the paper
with a ball of cotton or soft leather. When the
paper becomes dry, which a short time or gentle
heat will soon effect, brush off, with a soft pencil,
or rub off by a fine linen rag, the redundant gold
which covered the parts between the lines of the
drawing or writing; and the finest hair strokes of
the pencil or pen, as well as the broader, will appear
perfectly gilt."
It is usual to see in old manuscripts, that are highly
ornamented, letters of gold which rise considerably
from the surface of the paper or parchment containing
them in the manner of embossed work; and of these
some are less shining, and others have a very high
polish. The method of producing these letters is of
two kinds; the one by friction on a proper body with
a solid piece of gold: the other by leaf gold. The
method of making these letters by means of solid gold
is as follows:
"Take chrystal; and reduce it to powder. Temper
it then with strong gum water, till it be of the
consistence of paste; and with this form the letters;
and, when they are dry, rub them with a
piece of gold of good colour, as in the manner of
polishing; and the letters will appear as if gilt with
burnisht gold."
(Kunckel, in his fifty curious experiments, has given
this receipt, but omitted to take the least notice of
the manner these letters are to be formed, though
the most difficult circumstance in the production of
them.)