on lire. And as icon as they are corfumcd, grind them
into a fine powder, which put afterward? into a crucible
on a little (ire. When this powder is lighted like fpai -
kles of lire, put it on ihe marble ag^in, and ftir it with an
iron r;;d till you fe« no more fire. Grii.d it then again as
btfore, as .Tnuch as you poiTibly can, and it is fit for gilding
any fort of filver work you plcale.
XVI. "The ^zxiZt to be ufed f«r colouring Jilver plates, gilt
muith the aho've defcrihed ponjoder.
T. Giind well together, into a fubtile powder, ful-
phur and pearl afhes, of Cuch one ounce, and two of com-
mon f?ir.
2. Then, when you want to colour your gilt plates*
have a f]uart of water, and half a pint of chamber-lye, in
which mix a large fpoonful of the above powder. Set
this to bi il in a red copper pot, very clean. When this
fauce boils, hola c;x plate wi.h a filver wi.'-c, and then
plunge it in ; there leave ic for ab- uc a minute, or two at
mofl ; then take it owt again by the fame wire witiiout
touching it with your hand*, and plunge it in the fame
manner in cold clean wa.er. Shcuid it then not look
high ccloured 10 ycur fatisfaftion, put it again in as
b-^fore, till you .*'.nd it fufficiertly coloured.
3. The
S1CR.ETS IN ARTS AND TRADES. I77
3. The next fiep i? to give the piece iHus coloured to
thy burnifrier, with a flricl charge not to ufc any vinegar
in hisburnifh. This receipt is a veiy good and particular
fecret.
XVir. A '^'-ater zvhich gilds copper and hronze, A fecret
'very uj'eful for watch and pin makers.
Diffolve equal pnrts of green vitriol and ammoniac fait
in good double dillilled vin-gar; then vaporate the vi-
negar, and put it in the retort to diiri!. If in the produ.'5l
of the diilillation you lleep your metal after being poliflied
and made hot, it will come out pe^ feclly well gilt.
XVill. Another,
Take burnt copper and ammoniac fait, equal parts ;
alumen plumeumy four ounces; common fait decrepitated,
as much. Diuoive the whole in double diftilled vinegar,
then vaporate this vinegar. Diftil from the reft an aqua-
fortis, in which if you extinguifti, five or fix times, braf?,
copper, iron, or filver, made hot^ lliefe metals will af-
fume the colour of g^ld.
XiX. To gild feel or iron, after Being moell polifhed.
Take ffven ounces of orpine; terra meritay one and
a half; fucotiine aloes, four and a half ; gamboge, three
and a half. Put all into powder, and put it in a retort^
with fo much of pkkle water as will cover thefe powders
by two fingers. St.r well, and mix all together, let it
iiifule four and twenty hours and diflil. With the liq\ioc
which comes f. om the diilillation, keep by for ufe^
rub the iteei, iron, or copper, and fet it to dry in the
fiiade.
XX. To ftlver copper fgures*
\. Cleanfe well firll the figures with a flrono; lye, made
with either pearl or brill alhes, or common fait, ot alum^
no matter which. Wipe them well when done, and rub
them with a cumpufjtion of larta; aad ammoniac fait
r^ nii«d
178 SECRETS IN AR.T5 AND TRADES.
mixed (by means of aquafortis) with a little diflblution of
filver.
2. Now with a piece of leather, welted in your fpittle,
take of thefe powders, and rub the copper figures till the/
are fufficiently filvered.
XXI. To ftl'ver or gild penuter,
t. Take one of the fined and mofl delicate goldfmith's
wire-brufhes ; rub your pewter with it fo as to mark it with
the itrokes of the brufli. When done, lay a double gold
orfilver leaf on that place of the pewter; then put over
it a piece of ikin or leather, and over that fkin fome putty.
With a burniiher rub, for a good while, on that puity;
then with a piece of pewter on the naked gold without
either Ikin or putty.
2. Have a care that the pewter be very clean, and that
your breath fhould not go over it. Therefore to do that
operation, you mull put your handkerchief before your
mouth, and manage it fo in tying it, that there Ihould be
a paffage prefcrved on each fide of your face which (hould
drive your breath alcng your cheeks, round your head,
and quite up behind your ears.
XXII. A compojition to lay on lead^ titty or any other metal,
in order to hold faji the ready gilt lea'ves of peiuter ivhich
are applied on it 5 ufeful for gilding on high feepUi^
domes, ^c,
1. Melt together, on a flow fire, black pitch, two
pounds; oil of turpentine, four ounces ; and a little rofin.
When the whole is difiTolved and mixed well into a kind
of varnilh, lay a coat of it on your work.
2. Upon Heeples, the common method of gilding
cannot, on account of the wind, be pra6lifed; have
only the exaft meafures and dimenfions of the place in-
tended to be gilt, then, at home, and at leifure, cut to
them fome fine leaves of pewter, and gild them as ufual.
When done, you have no more to do but to carry up
thefe pewter leaves, rolled in a bafket, and having bur-
nifhed the place ow which they are to be applied with
the
SECRETS IN ARTS AN» TRAD£«. 1^9
the above compofition, lay the giJt pewter leaves on it>
and they will lldnd fall enough.
XXIII. To dean and 'whiten Jtlver,
I. Rafp four ounces of dry white foap in a dllli. Pour
a pine of warm water on it. — In another difh piU a penny-
wor hofwine lye dried in cakes, and the fame quantity
of the (ame warer. — In athirddifh put alfo another penny-
worth of pearl afhes, with an^nher fi^nilar quantity of the
fame waier,
- 2. Then, with a hair brufti fteeped firft in the wine
lye, then in the pe.irl a(h, and lalUy in the foap liquors,
rub your filver plate, and walh it afterwards with warm
water, and wipe it with a dry cloth kept on a horfe before
the firs for that purpofe.
XXIV. The prfparation of gold in JhelL
Take ammoniac fait, and gold Laves, equal quanti-
ties. Bruife this in a mortar for two or three hours;,
and towards the end add a difcretionable quantity of
honey.
XXV. To bronze in gold colour.
Rub the figure firft with aquafortis^ in order tocleanfe
and ungreafe it well. Th^n grind on porphyry, into 3
fubtile powder, and mix with lintfeed oil, equal quanti-
ties of terra merita and gold litharge. With this corapo-
fition paint the figure over.
XXVI. Another to the famefmrpof*.
Take gum elemy, twelve drachms, and melt it. Add
one ounce of crude mercury, and two of ammoniac fait.
Put all in a glafs phial, and fet it in a pot full of afhes;
lute well the phial, and melt the contents. When per-
feftly diiToIved, add a difcretionable quantity of orpine
and brafs filings; mix all well, and with a pencil paint.
what you will over with it.
16 XXVII. Hq-w
^^
l8» SECRETS IN AUTS AND TRADES.
XXVII. How to matt bumijhed gold.
Grind together blood- ftone and vermilion with the
white of an egg. Then with a pencil lay it in the bottom
grounds.
XXVIII. Hoixj to do the fame to bumijh Jtli>er.
Grind cerufe-white with plain water firft, then with a
very weak ifingb.fs water, and make the fame ufe of this
as of the other.
XXIX. The method of applying gold j or ftlvir, in Jhell, on
the luood.
Black wood, or that which is dyed To, is the fitteft to
admit of this operation. The method of applying it is
this.
1. Take a little gum adragant, which dilute in a
good deal of wa:er, to make it weak. With this weak
gum water dilute your gold or filver; and with a pencil,
lay it on fuch places of your work as receive and fhew the
light, witliout touching on thofe which are the (hades.
To exprefs thefe, touch the parts with indigo dilated in a
\tiy weak gum arabic water.
2. When this is done, lay one coat of drying varnifh,
made of oil of fpike and fandarac. If the varnilh be too
thick, thin it with a little oil ; and in mixing it, take
care not to boil it fo hard but you may bear fome on your
hand without fcalding the place.
N. B, Have attention to make your gum waters for
this fore of work always very weak; otherwife they
would tariiifn and fpoil all the gold or filver.
XXX. To gild fandy gold.
Take any colour, and grind it cither with oil, or with
gum. Lay a few coats of it on your work, according as
you think there may be need of it. When dry, lay one
coat of fize, and while it is flill frefh, fift fome brafs
filings on it; let it dry fo, and varnifh it afterwards.
XXXr. Fami^.
SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES. l8t
XXXI. Varnljh to he laid on gilding and fil'vering.
Grind verdigreafe, on marbl'^, wlrh common water, in
which you have infufed fafFron for eight hours.
XXXII. ^he method of bronzing.
Take three pennyworth of fpal, one of litharge, a gill
oflintfeed oil. and boil the whole to the confillenee of an
unguent. Before you apply it, dilu e the quantity you
intend to make ufe of wich turpentine oil, and lay a coat
of vermilion on the work before bronzing.
XXXIII. A nvater to gild iron with, .
1. Put in a glafs bottle, with a pint of river \vater, one
ounce o; wliite copperas and as much of whire alum;
two drachms of verdigreafe, and the fame quantity of
common fait. Boil all together to the reduaion of one
. baU. Then (lop the bottle well for fear the contents
Ihould lofe their ftrength.
2. To gild the iron with it, make it red hot in the
fire, and plunge it in this liquor.
XXXIV. To make the fine ivriting gold,
1. Take gold in (liell, and fulphur, in the proportion
of ten drachms of this, well grinded on porphyry and
amalgamated, to every feqnin-worth of the o. her. Put
this mixture into a proportionable leather bag, in which
work it continually for the fpace of two days, then pour
all into a crucible, and burn it on a flow fire. This done,
waih what remains with filtered litiie water, and by
filtration alfo, get your water out again from the com-
pofition. If after this operation, you do not find it
high enough yet in hue, wafh it again and again in the
fame manner, till it looks fine.
2. To apply it, dilute fome bol armenian with ifin-
glafs, ar;d write what you pleafe, and let it dry; then
apply your gold, and when dry burniih it.
XXXV. H(m
I 8a SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES.
XXXV. Ho'W to get the gold or fil'ver cut of gilt flates,
i» Mix together one ounce o^ aquafortis , zn^ on^ of
fpring water, with half an ounce ot common, and one
drachm of amm 'niac falls. Put alt on the fire, ard boil
it; then put in the plate to foak from which you want to
get the gold or filver out, A little while after, cake your
plate out, and fcrape it over the liquor.
2. The gold will remain fufpended in this regal-water;
and to make a feparation of them, pout in it double the
quantity of common water; or again, throw a halfpenny
in it, and boil it, and all the gold will fixitfelf to it.
XXXVI. To gild paper on the edge,
1. Beat the white of an tg^ in three times its quantity
of common water, and beat it till it is all come inio a
froth. Let it fettle into water again, and lay a coat of it
on the edge of your paper.
2. Next lay another of bol armenian and ammoniac
fait, grinded with foap fuds. Then put the gold, and
let it dry, before burnilhing it.
XXXVir. To gild on ifellum.
Mix fomefafFron in powder, with garlick juice. Put
two or three coats of this on the vellum, and let it dry a
little, but not quite. Then breathing on the coat, apply
the gold leaf with cotton ; and when dry, burnifli it.
XXXVIII. Another
Lay firft a coat of lime and burnt ivory, grinded to-
gether with a weak ifinglafs water. Apply the gold on it i
and when dry, burnifh it,
XXXIX. Another njiiay.
Grind and mix together four ounces of bol armenian,^
one of aloes, and two of flarch ; dilute it in water, and
lay a co^t of it on the vellum, then the gold immediately.
When i»U is dry, burniih it.
' XL. A
SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES. l8*
XL. A gilt ivithout gold*
Take the juice from faff on flowers, in the feafon, or
dry fafFron in powder, with an eq'ial quantity of yellow
orpine well purified from its earthy panicles. Grind all
well together, and put it a digefting in ho! horfe dung
for ihefpace of three weeks. At the end of that term you
may ufe it io gild whatever you like.
XLI. I'o giU ivithout gold.
Open a hen's egg by one end, and get all out from the
infide. Re-fill it again with chalidonii*s juice and mer-
cury ; then (lop it well with madich, and put it under a
hen which juft begins to fet. When the time of hatching
is come, the compofition will be done, and fit for gilding.
XLII. To gild on calf and Jheepjkin,
Wet the leather with whites of eggs. When dry, rub
it with your hand, and a little olive oil; then put the
gold leaf, and apply the hot iron on it. Whatever the
hot iron (hall not have touched will go off by brufhing.
XLllI. Gold and Jili)er in jhilL
1 , Take faltpetre, gum arable, and gold leaves, and
walh them all together in common water. The gold will
fink to the bottom, whence pouring the water off you may
then put it in the fhell.
2. The filver is worked in the fame manner, except the
faltpetre, inftead of which you put white fait.
XLIV. To gild marble.
Grind the fineft bol armenian you can find with line-
feed or nut oil. Of this you lay a coat on the marble,
as a kind of gold iize. When this is neither too frefh,
nor too dry, apply the gold ; and when thoroughly dry,
burnifh it.
XLV. To apply gold on glazed nvares, chryftal, gla/s,
china, i^c*
Tnke a penny-worih of lintfeed oil, and as much of
gold
184 SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES.
gold litharge; a halfpenny-worth of umber, and as much
ofcerufc. Grind all together on marble; and with a
little hair pencil, dipped into the faid colour, draw
whatever you will on the abovementioned wares, Ai foon
as dry, lay your gold on it with cotton, which p.fs along
your cheek before taking the geld with it. And as loon
as this is perfediy dry, burnilh it.
XLVI. Matt goU in til.
Take yellow ochre, a little umber, white and black
lead, which grind all together uith greafy oil, and ufe it
when necelTary.
XLVII. To dye any .netal, crjlone, gchJ colour, luithoui geld.
Grind together in a fubtile powder amnyoniac fair,
white vitrioi, faltpetrc, and verdigreafe. Cover the
metal, or ftone vou want to dye, all over with this powder.
Set it thus covered, on the fire, and let it be there a full
hour; thtn taking it out, plunge it in chaniber-lyc.
XLVIil. To ivhiten copper.
Take one ounce of zinc, one drachm and a th rd part
of it of fublimed mercury. Grind all into powder, thea
rub with it what you want to whiten.
XLIX. To njohiten Jiher toithout the ajjijiance of fire.
Take Mons martirum's talo, which calcine well in an
oven till it can be pulverifed. Sift it very iine. Then
dipping a piece of cioth or IlaiFin it, rub the filver with it.
L. To 'whiten iron like jll^er.
Mix ammoniac fait powder, and quick-lime, in cold
water. Then make your iron red-hot feverai times, and
each time, plunge it in that diffolution. It will turn as
white as H^s^i,
CHAP.
( i8s )
CHAP. VIII.
The Art of Dying Woods, Bones, Gfc.
I. The compof.tion for red.
I. /^^HOPBrafil wood very hne, and hoil it in com-
V> nion v\ater, till it has acquired an agreeable
colour; then ftrain it through a cloth.
2. Give your wood rirft a coat of yellow, m ide of
faiFion, diluted in water. Then the wood being thus
previoufly tinged with a pale yeilow, and dried, give af-
terwards feveral coats of the Bralil wood water, tiU the
hue pleafcsyou.
3. When the laft coat is dry, burnifh it with the bur«
nifher, and lay another coat of drying varnifh with the
palm of your hand j and you wiil have a red oianged very
agreeable.
4. If you want a deeper red, or rather a darker^ boil
the Brafil wood in a water impregnated with a difibiutiQn
of alum, or quick lime.
II. Another red.
Soak the chopped Brafil wood in oil of tartar ; and with
it rub your wood, proceeding for the reft as above
direfled.
III. Another njuay*
Pound orchanetta into powder ; mix it with oil of nut;
make it lukewarm, and rub your wood with it. The
reft as above.
IV. To
l86 SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRACES.
IV. To {^ye nvQod in a purplijh colour.
Soak Dutch turnfol in water; add a tirfture of
Brafil wood made in lime water ; and you will obtain a
purple, with which you may dye your wood, and then
burnifh and varnifh as ufual.
V. A blue purple.
Take that fort of German tarnfol which painters uTe
with fize. Diffolve ic in water, and ftrain it through a
linen cloth. Give a coat of this dye to the wood j and if
the hue be too ftrong, give it another coat of a paler dye,
by adding clear water lo a part of the other. When dry,
buiniih it as ufual.
VI. Another.
Four ounces of Brafil, a:id half a pound of India
woods, boiled together in two quarts of water, with one
5jun€e of common allum.
VII. A blue far 'wood.
Slack Hrne in water, and decant it out of the ground*
In three pints of this water diffolve four ounces of turnfol,
and boil it one hour. Then give feveral coata of it to
your wood.
^ VIII. A green.
Grind Spanifh verdigreafe into a fnbtil powder with
llrong vinegar. Add and mix well with this, two ounces
of green vitriol. Boil all of it a quarter of an hour in
two quarts of water, and put your wood afoaking till the
colour be to your liking. For the reft proceed as above.
IX. A yellonx),
DifToIve turnfol in two quarts of water. Then grind
feme indigo on marble with that water, and fet it in 3
veilel on the fire with weak fize to dilute it. When done,
give a coat of this dye to your wood with a brufh, and
When dry, polifh it with the burniftier.
X. Another
SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES. 187
X, Another yelh
Boil in water fome grinded terra merita, and foak your
â– v-'ood in it afterward.
XI. Another finer yelloii).
Four ounces of French berries, boiled for about a
quarter of an hour in a quart of water, with about the
bulk of a Hlbert of roch-alum. Then foak the wood
in it,
Xir. To dye iKOod in a fine poUfijed nuhife*
Take the fineft Englifh white chalk, and grind it In
fubtile powder on marble, then let it dry, and fet it in
a pipkin on the fire with a weak fized water, having
great care not to let it turn brown. When it is tolerably
hot, give firft a coat of fize to your wood, and let it dry :
then giv e one or two coats of the aforcfaid white over it.
Thefe being dry alfo, polifh with the rulhes, and burniih
with the burniiher.
Xlil. To dje in polifljed hlack.
Grind lamp-black on marble with gum water. Pat it
next in a pipkin, and give a coat of this, with a bruftj,
to your wood j then polifh it when dry.
XIV. Another ivay, v
Soak bits of rufty iron in the bell black ink. A few
days after rub your wood with it, and when you fee it
well penetrated and dry, polifh it with the burnifher.
XV. To imitate ehony,
Infufe gall-nuts in vinegar, wherein you have foaked
rufty nails ; then rub ycur woud with this ; let it dry,
polifh and burnifh.
XVI. Another ivay,
Chufe a good hard wood, and not veiny, fuch as pear,
jpple, or hawthorn trees, and blacken them. When
black.
rSS SECR.ETS IN ARTS AND TRADES.
black, rub them with a b;t of cloth ; then with a reed
brufh, made on purpoie, dipped in melted wax, mixed in
a pot with common black, rub your wood till it fliines
like ebony.
XV^II. Another ^^vay.
Holly li a very fit fort of wood to take the dye o^
ebony. Form it firft into the ftiapeyou intend to give it,
then put It in a hatter's copper to boil, leave it till it has
acquired a perfedl degree of blacknefs. Then take off
the filth of the dye, and polifh it as you would ebony,
with rufnes, &c,
XVIII. JJne black eafily made.
Take good ink, put it in a ftone pan, new and wel^
realed, then fet it in the fun to exficcate it into a cake-
When dry, take and fcrape it out from the pan with a
knife, and grind it into an impalpable powder on marble.
This powder, diluted with vamilh, will produce a fine
black.
XIX. To dye ijoood Jll'ver fajhion.
Pound tin glafs, in a mortar, an4 reduce it into pow-
der. Add water to it by degree?, till it comes into a
liquid like liquor for painting. Put it in a clean pipkin,
with fize, and fet it on the fire to warm. Brufti your
wood with this liquor; and when it is dry, bumifhir.
XX. To dye in gold, Jllver^ or copper.
Pound very fine, in a mortar, fome roch-cryflal with
clear water. Set it to warm in a new pipkin with a little
fize, and give a coat of it on your wood with a brufh.
When dry, rub a piece of gold, filver, or copper, on the
wood thus prepared, and it will alTume the colour of fuch
of thefe metals as you rub it with. After this is done,
burnilh it as ufual.
XXI. To gi've nuty or pear tree^ ivhat undulation you like.
Slack fome quick lime in chamber lye« Then with a
brulU
SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES. 189
brufh dipped in it form your undulations on the wood ac-
cording to your fancy. And when dry, rub it well with
a rind of pork.
XXI r. T^o imitate the root of nut-tree,
Givefeven or eight coats of fize to yoor wood, till it
remains ftiiny. Thm before your fize is quite dry, ftrike
here and there a confufed quantity of fpots with biftre
grinded with comimon water. When dry, varnifli it with
the Chinefe varnifh.
XXIII. To gi've a fine colour to the cherry tree luood.
Take one ounce of orchanetta ; cut it in two or three
bits, and put it to foak for forty-eight hours in three
ounces of good oil of olive. Then with this oil snoinc
your cherry. tree wood after it is worked and fhaped as
yo J intend it ; it will give it a fine lullre.
XXIV. To marhle njoood.
1. Give it a coat of black diluted in varnilh. Repeat
it one, tvvo, three, or as many times as you think proper ;
then po!i{h it as ufual.
2. Dilute fime white varnilh made with white gum,
or Ihell-lac, and white fandarac. Lay this white on the
bhck ground, tracing with it what oddities you like.
When dry, give a light rub with rufhes, then wipe it,
and give a lall coat of fine tranfparent white varnilh, in
order to preferve the brightnefs. Let this dry at leifure,
then polilh it.
XXV. To imitate ivhiie marble.
Break and calcine the finefl white marble you can find i
Grind it as fine as you poflibly can, and dilute it with
fize. Lay two coats of this on your wood, which, when
dry, polilh and varnifli as before direfled.
XXVI. To imitate black marhle.
Burn forae lamp black in a /hovel, red hot, then grind
it
lg» SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES.
h with brandy. For the bignefs of an egg of black, pot
the lize of a pea of lead in drops, as much of tallow, and
the fame quantity cf foap. Grind and mix thefe to-
gether, then dilute it with a very weak fize water. Give
fOHF coats of this ; and, when dry, polifh as ufual.
XXVII. A counter fa^ion of coral,
1. Reduce goat's horns into a fabtile powder. Put it
in a clear lye made cf lime and pearl a(hes. Le^t there
reft for a fortnight. When reduced into a palp, add cin-
nabar in powder, or dragon's blood in tears, pulverifed
very fine, in what quantity you may judge neceifary to
give the quan:ity of matier you have got a fine and perfcft
coral hue.
2. Next boil this compofitlon till it comes very thick;
then take it off frc m tl.e fire and mould it in moulds
fhaped in forms of coral. Of elfe call it again in what
other forts of moulds you like, to make figures of it, and
other forts of work, which will produce a fine effed.
Obferijauon, This fecret was worth immenfe fums of
money to him who f und it out. The Turks paid them
magnificently. But this branch of trade was fo.>n put to
an end by the cheats whxh were pra«5tired with the mer-
chants of Tunis and Aigiei s.
XXVIII. To take the imfrejpon of any feal
1. Take half a pound of mercury ; the fame quantity
of chryftaline vitriol; as much verdigreafe. Pulverife
well thefe two laft ingredients, and put them along with
the firft in a new iron pan, with fmith's forge water, btir
all well with a wooden fpatula, till the mercury is per-
fet^ly incorporated with the powders. Then wafti that
pafte with cold water, and change it till it remains quits
clear as when you put it in. Put the lump in the air, it
will harden.
2. When y u want to take the impreflion of a feal with
it, take it and place it over the fire on an iron plate.
When there appears on it feme drops like pearls, then it
is hot enough ; take it off and knead it in your hands
with your fingers, it will become pliable like wax;
fmootheD
SECRETS IN ARTS AND TRADES. J^l
fmoothen one fide of it, and apply it on the feal, preffing
it to make it take the imprefrion. When done, lift it up,
and fet it in the air, whe^e it will come again as hard as
metril, ^.vd w!li ie. ve you to feal the fame letter, as the
original (cd itfelf, without any probability of difcovcr-