GEMSTONES

Hyacinth (Jacinthe)

-antimony (Sb)

• probs. Want the naturally occurring form: sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3) and the modern isolate (2 trials).
• Antimony was described by Pliny in Natural History in 2 forms , which he called male and female, apothocaries most likely carried the naturally occurring form--there are multiple apothecary symbols for antimony
• process of isolation was 1st described in 1540 by Biringuccio and it’s unclear whether this knowledge would have been available to the writer (also appears in Agricola’s De re metallica
• Safety:
  
  __http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/sb.htm__
• Sources:
  
  refined--__http://www.carolina.com/catalog/detail.jsp?prodId=845220&s_cid=ppc_gl_products&gclid=CIyxrbnK0MsCFVclgQodm2gI6g__
  
  natural--__http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191814136233?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true__
  
  

-ruby recipe ingredients

• Gold leaf
• White calcined river stones (preferably of some translusence)
  • Read as: quartz that has been fired until it can be ground into a powder
• Nitre
  • Saltpeter (optional, found in marginal note as alternative)
• Minium
  • Latin term applied to mercuric sulphide, then lead tetroxide (red lead), then dragon’s blood
• Charcoal (for a fire of higher heat than for emerald-making if we’re being authentic)

Sapphire

-taffre (?)

-very clear azure enamel

-antique glass (bevel cut)

-old azure enamel

-aquamarines (imitated with white glass)

BLUE ENAMELS:

Ingredients:

Azure <p011r_1>:
Ceruse <p011r_1>:
Oil <p011r_1>:
Egg yolk <p011r_1>:
Water <p011r_1>:
"Rock water" (distilled water from azure mines) <p011r_1>:
Nut oil (p059r)
Turpentine (p061v_3)
Varnish (p093v)
White groundin oil (p093v)
Distemper (p093v)

Tools/Instruments:
An awl (for piercing)
Mortar & pestle or muller
Marble surface
Brush, softened and curled?
Sponge
Canvas & palette (p093v)

Safety hazards:

Ceruse -- lead white derivative
Turpentine
White groundin oil -- likely lead-white oil ground
Varnish? Could contain hazardous materials depending on properties & components of varnish

Need to source:
Azurite
Ceruse (can we make this or sub lead white?)
White groundin oil (can we make this or sub lead white?)
Varnish (collab with varnish group?)
Rock water (sub distilled water?)
Turpentine (multiple types available in lab, which type would be best?)

Materials Hazards for Blue Enamels:

Lead White
(Lead Carbonate Hydroxide)


Common Name: Lead White (appears in recipes as “ceruse”; “white ground in oil”)
Chemical name: Lead Carbonate Hydroxide/(Basic Lead Carbonate)
Chemical formula: C2H2O8Pb3
Melting point: 315° C
Hazard statements from MSDS:

• Harmful if swallowed
• Harmful if inhaled
• May damage fertility or the unborn child
• May cause damage to organs
• Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects

Safety Precautions:

• Wear gloves and lab coat
• Work in fume hood
• Don't ingest
• Cover work surfaces with newspaper

Disposal and cleanup:

• Must be disposed of carefully in a bin labeled “solid waste with lead”
• Take care to clean any instruments that come in contact with lead carbonate hydroxide with a paper towel that can be disposed of in solid waste instead of washing down sink given the threat to aquatic life

Name: Turpentine
Chemical formula: C10H16
Boiling point: 118° C
Hazard statement from MSDS:

• Flammable liquid and vapor
• Harmful if swallowed
• Harmful in contact with skin
• Harmful if inhaled
• Causes skin irritation
• Causes serious eye irritation
• May cause an allergic skin reaction
• May cause drowsiness or dizziness
• May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways
• Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects

Safety precautions & disposal:

• Wear goggles, gloves, and lab coat
• Work in fume hood
• Don't ingest
• Use non-sparking tools
• Contaminated lab clothing should be washed before reuse
• Dispose of contents/container in accordance with local regulations

Name: Varnish
We plan to use varnishes produced by another working group. Properties of specific varnish recipes/ingredients will vary. Once varnishes are produced, we will make note of all safety precautions and protocols.

Red ENAMELS:

1. Dragon’s blood:

Sourcing: Starwest Botanicals produced

__http://www.bulkapothecary.com/product/make-it/wine-making/herbs-spices/dragons-blood/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwlLm3BRDjnML3h9ic_vkBEiQABa5oeRdv342RdRPqMW9OKiphQsz_aSmox7Vy3xNGyYcqWeYaAlWQ8P8HAQ__


2. Eau de vie or Indian laque plate:

Eau de vie: According to Lexilogos, eau de vie means “Boisson alcoolisée obtenue par distillation du vin, du jus fermenté de certains fruits ou de substances alimentaires.Synon. pop. gnôle, goutte; arg. blanche, eau-d'aff(e).Le degré et le velouté de l'eau-de-vie de framboise.”

Sourcing: a brandy made by fermented fruit (not grapes, transparent), maybe at the alcohol shop?


3. Clear turpentine and mastic drops (our lab has both)

Safety protocols: Latex gloves and goggles (eye protection) when working with turpentine and mastic

4. Thick silver leaf--“not the one used by painters but a thicker one, which is burnished by the makers of foil backings for gemstones or by goldsmiths”

Sourcing: our lab has the silver leaf. Is that thick enough?



Procedures:

1. Soak fine dragon’s blood with eau de vie
2. Mix clear turpentine and mastic drops to the mixture of step 1
3. Apply the whole mixture on a thick silver leaf

Red enamel on gold (p006r_1)

1. Venice lake: red lakes laid on alum distinguished by Watin (1785) (Pigment Compendium: A Dictionary of Historical Pigments by Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chaplin, Ruth Siddall); also in Kirby

Sourcing: madder lake pigment (lab), alum (lab)

Safety protocols: latex gloves and goggles

2. Walnut or linseed oil (lab)

Safety protocols: safe

3. Turpentine varnish or spike lavender varnish

Sourcing: what is varnish in nature? Are they the same as turpentine oil and spike lavender oil (our lab has both)?

Safety protocols: Latex gloves; Goggles (eye protection)



Procedures:

1. Make venice lake
2. Grind venice lake on the marble with some walnut oil or linseed oil
3. Mix some turpentine varnish or spike lavender varnish
4. Apply the mixture on gold (do not use brush on gold: brail wood and laque ronde fade away?)

Temperature:

Around 1000 degrees Celsius？(“different temperatures necessary for the varuous colors and layers (Limoges Enamels at the Frick Collection, by Ian Wardropper with Julia Day, p. 10).” But I haven’t found the exact temperature for red enamel)

Red enamel with different metals:

1. On alloyed gold (such escu or pistolet coins) in p124v: “heat it again after being cut to make it reddish” and put gold grains in it (does that refer to paillions, pieces of silver or gold foil?). But it does not write down the ingredient for rouge clair enamel in this case.

2. On burnished/matte gold (p006r_1): white enamel needed as a base

3. On thick silver leaf (p040v_01)

Questions: How about copper? How does rouge clair enamel work on copper?

Other questions: different enameling techniques over gold? (Champlevé, basse-taille, email-peint technique, etc.)