I if- M H f' ■* ; - as A T R E AT I S E OF VARNISHING Being a compleat Difcovcry of thofe Arts, with The beft way of making all forts of V A R N I S H for Japan, Wood, Prints, or Pictures. The Method of GUILDING, BURNISHING, and LACKERING, with the Art of Guilding, Separating, and Refining Metals. and of Painting Mezzo-tinto - Prints. Alio Rules for Counterfeiting Tortoise-shell, and Marble, and for Staining or Dying Wood, Ivory, and Horn. Together with Above an Hundred diftind Patterns for J A P A N - work , in Imitation of the INDIANS, for Tables, Stands, Frames, Cabinets, Boxes, Sec. Curioufly 'Engraven on 24 large Copper-Plates. By JOHN STALKER. O XFORD, Printed for, and fold by the Author , living at the Golden Balt in James'- Market, London, in the Year MDCLXXXVIIL a.'. N K S'lS ■» V >, ‘A ft T ^•C i ' sk ) si' - i !l:; i IS jif • ?!"•* • > ... > . 'I .a oo V< 1 : Si'. >• jfi !' i .'i. • - , > ' <• i i K T /, . / ■ . ■ v ’j . . ’ ■ sniuri i ’ - ; i i •.■ . -A - . -y. ■ Y . i - ;:n ’ ! / f 'io S 'ft; . ; A. ' • • Yi: . T ?.HI ■ ' V..V: . * 1 •• <> ;‘H C ‘ -;o Tidin' ■ ; hi lt I : > i’ . - . ■ --nifiSi ; :-yf!i r irrH y Ai t x , V 1' ! C\ 7. \ ;’t ■ n~ ; j;..|T • — . J • i ■ ■ ■ 7 ■■ HV. ■ VV,-, ',- ' ■'< . n. 6 ,H 0 \; v ( •TAO ••‘X O 1 ' a j* * )fl; i - ci ;. : \ t -;i‘ . tiMu lfjir U ’ r rji A TO THE RIHGHT HONOURABLE And moft ACCOMPLISH’D Lady MARY JERMAN M A DAM, T Hough it may appear Prefumptuous for fo mean an Author , to dedicate a Treatife that is fo far from being Faultlefs , as this of mine is ; toaPer- fon of fo High a Quality, and fuch an Exact judgement as T our Ladifoip : T et thofe very fonfiderations that argue this ‘Dedication to be Prefumptuous, do at the fame time fuftify it, becaufethey prove it to be thf ccejfary. (And l doubt not, but a P erf on of Tour Ladifhips (foodnefs, and fondcf centum, loofs upon Pfccefsity, as fufficient to juftify an A chon of this Pfature ; that might otberWife juflly be reputed a Crime.') For the meaner the Author be, and the lefs perfect the Treatife, the greater neceffity for a Power- ful Protection, under the (better of an Eminent Patronage. <*Jlnd hoW can fuch a Poof as this, that has nothing to recom- mend it, but the ufefulnefs, and truth of the Experiments it contains, be better fecured, againflthe Cenfures of this our Critical Age We live in, then by the Patronage of a La- dy, that is no lefs Eminent for her Quality, ‘Beauty, and Veitue, then for her Incomparable Skill and Experience ifi the Arts that thofe Experiments belong to, as Well as in fever al others : For 1 {now Tour Ladifhips Candor, Exami- ne fs, and Judgment to be fuch, that if Lou find the matter of the B oof to be ufeful, and to anfwer the tefl of Experi- ence, You Will eafily over-look any Imperfections , that ri- gid Criticfs, may Cenfuerin the manner of propofmg it ; All which Encourages me to hope fora Cjracious Acceptance of this fmall prefent, which is offer d to Tour Ladifhip with thegreatefl fincerity , and moft profound refpeCt, by MADAM, Your LadifRips moft Humble, and moft Obedient Servant John Stacker. r ■ 1 1 i i I • i. r a •' T l 'I.. i H A >i i ■ •\C ; -IP 1 K< i a •: ■ ii bfiA. •H MbVi \ •a w ■ . -• v\ )VV : ;U: ,iw : Y n '.s A \ AO . t. . 1 ox c v; \0 C 1* 1 ; \1 • .; \ ■ V' 5 ■• • ( . 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W Y V \ • \Y- \x Wi. .mwxa^V v.kvY w\ v ,‘v.aw Y i> i a a.. > W ' Yk • ' Yv' ■ ; ax iv, ’< jff ;A AV \ -Bfcx -j c t&«b*) * ffoajLS . *.w \omvui4i VY| «ofV ~>A\ A > ■ \ ">A o* '■ : v -wo Y \a ’ ' i "-M ", , :> .AwY -it uAx e ?v. v'Y^Y* ww vyfo . oi Wv. <- \0‘: A.Y Av/ff v \dV'W, \ wot 0‘iWvvV- ’'AYA v,N\\'vy V YjOakY • V>aa , -oavV • ■ f t-‘ A G X Iv' ,01' fniiH Jlori! fuiiliibr.I • inf.no2 jrrjILxJO Jlorrt tain ,*3jijat2 m o[ 1 THE PREFACE To the ?Jf dmirers of the Hsfcble iA rts of Painting, Japanning, Guilding, I F the Antiquity of an Art tan advance its credit and reputation* this of the Pencil may juftly claim it ; for although we cannot trace it from its Original, yet we find many valuable Pieces extant in time of Alexander the Great. The Grecians (who always encou- raged Learning and Ingenuity ) had fo great an honour for this Art , that they ordained. That Gentlemens Sons and Freeborn Ihould be firft fent to a Painting-School, to learn the way to Paint and Draw Pictures, before they were inltructed in any other thing; Slaves and vulgar hands, by a perpetual Edict, were excluded from the benefit and practice of it : And laftly, it was enaCted, That the Art it fclf Ihould be ranged in the firft degree of Liberal Sciences. After them the Romans entertainen it with great refpeCt and ve- neration ; and the Jews, though denied this Profeflion by their Law, were not wholly deftitute of Artifts ; for St. Luke (if Tradition may be credited) was a Painter, as well asEvangelift and Phyfi- tian, and for that reafon we honour and refpeCt him as our Patron and Protector. The Civilized of all Ages have given it a kind and moft obliging reception: Candaules King of Lydia purchafed a Table , whereon the Battel of Magnetes was painted with excellent skill, for its weight in Gold ; and King Demetrius} forbore- taking the City of Rhodes, left in the fire and plunder ot Ins fouldicrs he Ihould have loft a Picture, which he prized beyond the Conqueft of the Town. Indeed, they are fo highly valued by us, that we think them fit or- naments for our Churches and Altars. The Hollanders reckon their Eftates and Worth by their pieces^ of Painting, and Pictures with them are ready and current money : in thefe too they dilco- ver their ingenuity, for you fliall rarely meet with a Dutch-joke, but in Picture. Some Femals have alfo been well pleafed with this Art, which they imagin can heighten and preferve their beauties ; Jezebels, who prefer Art to Nature, and a fordid Fucus to a native complexion ; and tis fo familiar to meet with thefe walking Pi- ctures, that unlefs we are very circumfpeCt, we may be impofed upon with Ixion’s fallacy, who embraced a Painted vapour for a Goddefs. Painting will certainly make us lurvive our felves, and render the fhadow more lafting than the fubftance , when the co- lours are laid in the right place, and by the Painters hand. Begging the Mufes pardon, I Ihould prefer a Picture to a Poem ; for the latter is narrow and fhort-liv’d, calculated to the Meridian of two or three Countries, and perhaps as many Ages; but Paint- ing is drawn in a character intelligible to all Mankind, and Hands notin need of a Glofs, or Commentator, tis an unchangeable and * ^ uni- 7 he 7 re face. univcrfal language; Painting can decipher thofe myftical chara- cters ot our Faces, which carry in them the Motto’s of our Souls, whereby our very Natures are made legible. This comely part is the Limners more peculiar Province ; and if the beauty and propor- tion of it can excite our love and admiration, what regard and e- fteem mult we referve for him, who can fo excellently defcribe both. The Rarities of this Art were never yet fo common , as to make them defpicable ; for the world very feldom produced above one famous Artifan at a time ; this Age brought forth a Zeuxis, that an Apelles^ and the third an Angelo^ as it a particular tprightly Ge- nius was required, and they were to rife from the Phamix-afhes of each other, or that Men were to be born Painters as well as Poets. If we duly weigh the merits of the Pencil, we fhall find the defe- rence and refpcct which our Predeceffors paid to the Matters of it, was moft juft and reafonable ; and that we ourfelves ought not to be wanting in gratitude and addrefs. By the Painters affiftance we enjoy our abfent friends, and behold ourdeceafed Anceftors face to face: He it is, that ftretches out our Eighty to eight Hundred years, and equals our Age to that of our Forefathers. The Egyptian Pyramids and embalming Spices of Arabia, were not fufficient to refeue the Carcafs from corruption or decay • and ’twas a grand miftake, to fuppofe the Alhes of one body could be preferved by the duft of another : Painting only is able to keep us in our Youth and perfedlion ; That Magick Art, more powerful than Medaea’s charms, not only renews old age, but happily prevents grey hairs and wrinkles ; and fometimes too, like Orpheus for Euridice,forces the fhades to a furrender, and pleads exemption from the Grave. Mahomet’s is truly the Painters Paradife, for he alone can oblige with a Miftrefs for ever young and blooming, and a perpetual Spring is no where to be found but in his Landskip. In fine, what were the Heathen Gods but fancies of the Painter, all their Dei- ties were his handy work, and Jove himfelf Hole his boafted Immor- tality from him. W ell then, as Painting has made an honourable provifion for our Bodies, fo Japanning has taught us a method, no way inferior to it, for the fplendor and prefervation of our Furniture and Houfes. Thefe Buildings, like our Bodies, continually tending to ruin and diflolution, are ftill in want of frefh fupplies and reparations: On the one hand they are aflaulted with unexpeaed mifchances,on the other with the injuries of time and weather ; but the Art of Japan- ning has made them almoft impregnable agamft both : no damp air, no mouldring worm, or corroding time, can poflibly deface it ; and, which is much more wonderful, although its ingredients, the Gums, are in their own nature inflammable, yet this moft vigo- rously refills the fire, and is it felf found to be incombuftible. True, genuine Japan, like the Salamander, lives in the flames, and Hands unalterable, when the wood which was imprifon'd in it, is utterly confumed. Juft fo the Asbefton of the Ancients, the cloatli in which 1 7 be Treface. which they wrapped the dead bodies, lay unchanged arid entire oii the Funeral Pile, and preferved the body, when reduced to allies, from being mixt with common , and undiftinguilht dull. Not. that tis only ftrong and durable, but delightful and ornamental beyond expreffion : What can be more furprizing, than to have our Chambers overlaid with Varnilh more glofly and reflecting than polilht Marble ? No amorous Nymph need entertain a Dialogue with her Glafs, or Narciflus retire to a Fountain, to furyey his charming countenance, when the whole houfe is one entire Specu- lum. To this we fubjoin the Golden Draught, with which Japan is fo exquifitely adorned, than which nothing can be more beauti- ful, more rich, or Majeftick : Let. not the Europeans any longer flatter themfelve3 with the empty notions of having furpafled all the world befidein llately Palaces, coftly Temples, and fumptuous Fabricks ; Ancient and modern Rome mult now give place : The glory of one Country , Japan alone , has exceeded in beauty and magnificence all the pride of the Vatican at this time, and the Pantheon heretofore ; this laft, as Fliftory informs us, was overlaid with pure Gold, and ’twas but proper and uniform to cloath the Gods and their Temples with the fame metal. Is this fo ftrange and remarkable ? Japan can pleafe you with a more noble profpcct, not only whole Towns, but Cities too are there adorned with as rich a Covering ; fo bright and radiant are their Buildings, that when the Sun darts forth his luftre upon their Golden roots, they enjoy a double day by the reflection of his beams. Thefc delights would make us call to mind the fictions of the Poets, and perfwade us that the Golden Age was ftill in being, or that Midas his With had at length fucecded. Surely- tills Province was Nature’s Dar- ling, and the Favourite of the Gods, for Jupiter has vouchfaf t it a Viiit, as formerly to Danae, in a Golden Jhower, A TO The E P I S T L E to the READER and PRACTITIONER. \7"\ JE have laid before you an Art very much admired by us, and all thofe who hold am V V commerce with the Inhabitants of JAP AN ; but that If. and not being able to furnifh thefe parts with work of this kind, the Englifh and Frenchmen have endeavoured to imitate them ; that by thefemeans the Nobility and Gentry might be comfleatly futnijbt with whole Setts of Japan-work, whereas otherwife they were fare' t to content themfelves with per * haps a Screen, a Dreffing-hox, or Drinking-bmvl, or fame odd thing, that had not a fellow to am fner it: but now you may be ffockt with entire Furniture, Tables, Stands , Boxes, and Look ing-glaf- frames, of one make and deftgn, or what fajhion yon p/eafe ; and if done by able Hands, it may come fo near the true Japan, infinenefs of Black, and neatnefs of Draught, that no one but an Artist jhouldbe able to diflinguijh'em. Tis certain, that not only here, but in JAPAN too, thtreis avafl difference in work : me. our [elves have feenfome that has been brought from thence, as mean andor dinary in Draught, ( though the ground-work may be pretty good,) as you canpojibly imagine. As for our Undertakers m this kind they are very numerous and their works are different ; fonie of them have more confidence than skill and ingenuity, and without modeSty or a blujh impofe upon the Gentry f ul) Stuff and Traffj, for Japan-work, ’ that whether tis a greater fcandal to the Name or Artificer, I cannot dctermin. Might we advife fuch foolijb pretenders, their time would be better imployed in dawbing Whiffles and Puppets for the Toy -Shops to pleafe Children , than contriving Ornaments for a Room of State. Twill certainly pleafe us to hear fuch Ignorants blame this our Publication of an Art, that was not unde; flood by the world; tis unknown, we confefs,even to them, and they themfelves will find upon examination, that we have difcovered more than they ever knew or dreamt of, and in fpite of all their Bravado's, will be beholding to our Rules and Patterns : Thefe Pages are fo far from expofmg our Art , that on the contrary it enhances and raifcs its effeem and value. Thefe will affiff'em to diftinguifh between good Work and Rttbbifb, between an ignorant Kjiave and an Art iff,, and put a flop to all the cheats and coitfenage of thofe whiffling, impotent fellows, whopretendto teach young Ladies that Art, in which they themfelves have need to be infracted, and to the difgrace of the Title lurk and J belter themfelves under the notion of Japan ners Painters, Guilders, &c. What we have delivered in this Treatife,we took not upon Trufl or Hear fay, but by our own per- fonal knowledge and experience do promife and aver, that if you punctually obferve them, you muff of neceflity fucceedmll ; and if any Gentlemen or Ladies, having met with difappoint- ments in fome of the Receipts, do cyueftion the truth and reality of them, they may for their fa- tisfaClionfiifitflandswith their convenience') fee them tried by the Author, according to the very Rules fet down ; who is in this, and all other Commands, their moft ready and mofi humble Servant- In the Cutts or Patterns at the end of the Book, we have exactly imitated thtir Buildings, Towers and Steeples , Figures, R ocks, and the like, according to the Patterns which the befl work- men amongjl them have afforded us on their Cabinets, Screens, Boxes, &c. Perhaps we have helpt them a little in their proportions, where they were lame or defective, and made them more p leaf ant, yet altogether as Antich, Had we induffnoufly contriv'd profpective, or fhadow'd them otherwife than they are ; we fhould have wandrtdfrom our Deftgn, which is only to imitate the true genuine Indian work, and perhaps in a great meafure might pace. He and confound the un- experienced Practitioner. We know nothing farther that wants an Apology or Explanation ; but to thefe our En- deavours dofubjoin our hearty Wijbes for your happy Progrefs andSuccefs, and Subfcribe, TOURS. ERRATA In the “Preface, page t.line 4. for in time, read, in the time. /. 1.0. for Magnetes, read, the Magnetes /. 2.8. for, better joke, read, better Dutch joke l. u/t. tis unchangeable, read , for tis unchangea- ble. In the Book , Page y. line iff. for. Giver, read, Glver-dufi. p. 7. /. iy. for Smalt, read Lake /. 4;-, for Sea-green, read fine Smalt, and for, Greens, read, Blews. p. ±j •. /. 31. yir,. Muller or, read Muller and p. 2.9. 1 . 47. for, Venice Turpentine, read, oyl of Turpentine. 1 . ult.for Tur- pentine, read, Turpentme-oyl p. 36. after line the 17. read CHAP. XIII. p. to. 1 . $ for, nar* row, read, many p 77. /. iff. for red, r. brown-red. /.iff. after vermilion, read, or. - Of Japaning CON TENTS. T Hings neceffary to Lave by you- Page i How to make a Mould of any Carved ft time , thereby si character of the heft Spirits, Gums, Me- to imitate it in Pajle. ? ^ tals, &c. To make SeedJdce-varniJh. To make She llj dec -varnijh. To make the bejl IV hit e Varnijh. 1 Of placing Tajie or Carved work on Frames. 62 8 OF Lackering. 62 9 How to make common Lacker. 63 1 o Another fort of Lacker. <5 3 To make a IV hit e Varnif i infer iour to the other. 1 1 How to make the bejl of Lacker now ufed by the To make V renifh that JhallJ'ecureyour draught ,whe- Guilders. 6^ ther Goldwork, or Colours from the injuries of To make a Lacker that may be ufed wothout fire Tarn/f iing y and will give it a glofs. 12 Sun. To Jecure your whole piece , both draught and ground- To lacker on Oyl ', or Bumf ied Silver, work) whereby it may endure polijhmg, and obtain To make Lackering (hew like Burnified gold, a glofs all over like the Indian performances. 13 Of Guilding Metals. General Rules to be diligently obferved in all mvnner Mow to prepare Gold. of varn filing. To varn/Jh Olive-wood. To varnijh IValnut , and all plain woods. How to varnifi black japan' How to make IJinglafs-Jize. How to make Blew Japan. How to make Gum-water. How to make Red Japan. How to make Chef nut -colour Japan. How to make Olive -colour japan. How to work Metals or Colours with gum-water. 64 64 64 14 To guild Silver, Copper, Brafs, or Princes metal .6y 18 Another way to guild Silver, Brafs, &c. 66 1 8 How to heal or heighten the colour of the Gold. 66 19 To take off Gold from any Guilt Hate, without da- 22 mage to the one, or lofs to the other. 66 l To fiver over BraJ's or Copper , as the Clock-makers 24 24 25- 2 6 .6 Of Guilding. do their Dial-plates. 66 To guild Iron, Brafs, or Steel with leaf '-gold or fi- ver. How to refine Silver. 67 To feparate Gold and Silver when incorporated. 6~j How to make Gold-fize for Japan. 28 Dnettions to paint Mezzotint 0 ‘Prints on Glafs, or How to varnif] Prints with white Varnijh. 30 without Glafs, and the colours therein ufed. ? 69 How to lay Speckles, or fir owings, on the out or in- To wajh any of the powdered colours fine. 71 fide of Boxes, Drawers, Mouldings, &c. 31 Of Oy Is, and their price. 72, To lay Speckles on the Drawing part of Japan-work, How to make the bejl Drying oyl. 72 as Rocks, Garments, Flowers, &c. 32 A Drying oyl more ordinary. 72 How to make Raifed work in imitajeon of Japan, To make Varnifhes for t/ieje prints or piflures in and of the Pafle. 33 oyl. 72. To prepta'e. ordinary, rough-grained woods-, as Deal, Another more excellent Varnijh either for pill ures Oak) &c. Whereby they may be Japaned, and look in oyl, 01 • making Prints tranfparent. 72 u 'cd. ^ 35- How to lay Prints on Glafs. 73 Ho w to imitate Bantam-Work. 3 6 To lay prints either Graved,or Mezzotinto' s on glafi. How to take off any Japanpat terns, in this Book, infuch manner, that you may role off all the Pa- upan any piece of work whatsoever . 39 per, and leave only the fiiadow behind. 73 The manner of working and Jetting off of fome To prepare prints, without. glafi or fir aining frame s~{-$ Draughts in this Book. 39 Of the pofture and pofition of the Prints, and thofe How to work the firfl Draught. ^.z that paint them. 7^ To Jet off Raifed work with Black. 42 How to paint a Mezzotinto Landskip on a Glafs, or To work the fecond Pattern. 43 otherwife. 7^ To worfithe third Draught. 44 To paint apiece of 'figures, as Men, IVomen, &c qy How to work in Colours and Gold the great Sprig in How to paint Hair. 76 the lit h Print. 45- How to paint Drapery, or Garments. 7 6 To work in gold-fize the 20 th Print of this Book.agi How to paint changeable Drapery. 77 To work in gold-fize the 21 d Draught of this Bool^ To paint fever a l forts of Red Drapery, and firfl of with per felt, and corrupt metals. 49 the finefi. 77 To guild any thing in Oyl, whereby it may fafely be Another Red near the fame. 77 expofed to the weather. si Other Reds more ordinary without glazing. 77 How to make Primer. ^4 To paint the bejl Ble w, and glaze with Ultrama- Of Fat oyl. ^4 vine. 77 Of Gold-fize in oyl. 5-4 To glaze and paint the bejl purple Drapery. 78 How to mix and lay onGold-ftze. yy Purple without glazing. 78 Of the laying on the Gold, and the Tools required in, Tellow Drapery. 78 and for the bufinefs. yy How to paint the mofl beautiful Tellow. 78 To lacker in oyl, fuel) things as are to be expofed to To finifii, varnijh, and polijh piB ures that are not laid the weather. y 6 on glafs. 70 To prepare and guild Carved Frames in oyl, that To varnijh thefe print s, or other piBures without po- Of. Burnifh- ing. are not to be expofed abroad. To overlay wood with Burnijht gold, or Jilver. Of Gold and Silver five for burnfiling. The bejl way to make Silver -fize. The bejl Gold-fize now in ufe. Another Size for Silver. How to gold jize your Frame. Howto lay on Gold for Burnifhing. How to burn fi your work • How to lay on Silver fize. s6 lifting. 79 S 7 To varnif ipiBur es, and pchfii them Ukg Japan. 79 S 7 To imitate or counterfeit Tor to fe-jheU. 7 9 3-8 Another way to counterfeit Tortoile fhell. 81 78 How to Dye JVood a beautiful Red. 82 j8 How to (lain a fine Tellow. 82 S 9 To Jlain or dye woods of any colour for inlaied or flo w- 59 red worf done by the Cabinet-makers. 83 60 How to dye or (lain wood Blacky , ,, . 83 60 The bejl BlackJDye for Ivory, Horn, Bone , &c. 83 How to make Pajle, fit to mould or raife Carved To Jlain a green colour on flood, Ivory, Horn, or work on Frames for Guilding, 61 Bones. ' 84 How to make Pajle. 61 How to dye Ivory &c red. 84 CO THE ART OF JAPANNING. VARNISHING, E Very Artift, who undertakes to treat of his Profeftion, before he enters on the work, muft defcribe the Inftruments and Ma- terials with which it muft be performed: and by obferving this method, thofe perfons who either for diverlion or advantage defign to be Mailers of this Art, furnifh themfelves with all things neceflary after the belt manner, lhall lay a good foundation, and may proceed to pratlife with chearfulnefs and fuccefs. And that no one may impofe upon you in the Price or Goodnefs of your Drugs ; that your Spirits be very ftrong, your Gums and Metals of the belt ; take this following account, as your only fecurity againft all coufenage and impofture. But before I fpeak of thefe things which the Shops fupply us with, I prefume tis convenient to ac- quaint you with others, that conduce to the compofition, mixture, and prefervation of the Varnilh, Colours, &c. And i. two Strainers are required, made of pretty fine Flannel or ordinary courfe Linnen, in lhape like a Tunnel, or Sugar-loaf, or a Jelly-bag that women ftrain Jellies through : one is ufeful for ftraining your white Varnilh, and the other for your Lacc-varnilh, and Lackers, when you make any. z. You muft have two Tin-tunnels ; one to ule with your Lacc- varnilh, and Lacker, and the other for your white varnilh for the fame ule. 3. You muft be furnilhed with feveral Glafs bottles, and Vials finall and great, according to the quantities of varnilh you make or ule ; and alfo with Gally-pots of feveral fizes, to put your varnilh in when you intend to varnilh : and for your Blacks, with which other things muft fometimes be mixed, Gally-pots are better than any other veftels to mix your blacks and hold your varnilh, becaufe they are deeper than Pottingers, and not fo wide, fo that the varnilh doth not fo loon thicken, for the Spirits in a deep Gally-pot do not fo fuddenly evaporate. 4. You lhould provide feveral forts of varnilhing-tools, or Pen- cils, according to the greatnefs or finalnels of the thing you defign to work. Your varnilh ing Pencils are loft, and made of Camels hair, and are of feveral prices, according to the bignefs of them : the bell that I know are fold in Blackamoor-ftreet by Clare-market, but you may have them alfo at fevenal Colour-fellers in and about London, from fix-pence to half a Crown or three lliillings the Pen- cil. y. You muft procure Pencils to draw with, finall and greater, Goofe, little Goofe, Duck, and Swallow-quills , according to your B work. i The Art of Japanning , Varnifhing , &c. work. The longeft haired Pencils I efteem the belt for this ufe ; you may have them all at the places aforefaid. 6. Y ou Ihould get xoo ol Mufle-lhells, that you may have them always in readinefs to mix your Metals or Colours in, as occalion lb all lerve : not that you need ufe the tenth part of them at once, but that you may not be to feek when you want ; and for change, when your metals or colours, by frequent mixture, iliall grow dir- ty, which will be, if you work in Gum-water, as I lhall hereafter oblerve. 7- You Ihould furnilh your felf with Rudies, which are called Dutch-Rulhes, with which you mult fmooth your work before you varnilhit; and as you lay your ground of Colour or Black, if any knob or roughnefs appear on your work, you mult take a Ruth and rufh it off; fo mult you do as oft as you find any roughnefs or grit- tinefs upon your work, either in laying your Grounds , or varnilh- ing it up. You may buy them at the Iron-mongers. b. \ ou mult have Tripoly to polilh your work after it is var- nilh ed, which mult be fcraped, or finely pounded and fifted. But of this I lhall have occafion to fpeak more largely, when I come to give rules for varnifhing : you may have it at the Iron-mongers. 9. You cant be without ltore of Linnen-rags as well coarfe as fine, with which you mult polilh and clear up your work, as lhall be Ihewed hereafter. I0 - You mull have Sallet-oyl for clearing up your work, as lhall be notified in its proper place. All thefe things every Practitioner ought to provide, as being neceffary to his future performances. CHAP. I. arc commonly ufed will fometimes be too weak, either by neglect ordifhonedy of the Diftiller , who hath not diffidently deflegm d or drawn all the watery from the lpirituous parts. Therefore the heft way to prove your Spirits, is to take fome in a fpoon, and put a little Gun-powder in it, and then fet the Spirit on fire with a little paper or candle, as you do Brandy, and if it burn fo long till it fire the Gunpowder before it go out, it is fit for ufe, and will diffolve your Gums. All pretenders to this Art know this way of trying Spirits, and the damage weak Spirits do the Varnifh : but fince my defign is to inform the ignorant and learner, it is reafonable and ne- ceflary in this place to infert it. To choofe Gum Lac, c tiled. Seed-Lac. I he bed Seed-Lacc is that which is large-grained, bright, and clear, freell from duff, flicks, and drofs. The Drugfters afford it at feveral rates, proportionable to its goodnefs, generally for 14.. id. i8d. the pound. To choofe Gum Sandrick. 'l ire bell Gum-Sandrick is the largeft and whitell, or that which calls the leafl yellow. Let it be as free from dull or drofs as you can. The value of it is commonly ix or 14-d. the pound. To choofe Gum Anims. The whiteft, cleared, and molt tranfparent is the bell, and t price is fometimes 3, 4., or ys. the pound, according to the goodneL . V znice-Ttirpentine. The only directions that can be given for the choice of it are, that the cleared, fined, and whitefl is the belt ; and is fold at ib or xod. the pound. White Rojine. The bell white Rofine is white and clear, and purchafed at 4-d. or 6d. the pound. SheU-Lacc. The belt Shell-Lacc is the mofl tranfparent, and thinnefl,and th- ■ which(if melted with a candle)will draw out in the longefl and fine: hair (like melted wax) becaufe the toughelt. There are counter- feits, which you mull endeavour to difeover by the aforementioned rule. The true may be procured at i8d. or xs. the pound. Bole drmoniak. The belt Bole Armoniak is as fine as red Oker, and of a deep dark, blackifh-red colour, free from grittinefs or gravel, and is commonly called French-Bole. Gum dr thick. rhe bed is clear, tranfparent, and white : you may pick it your fdf from the Drugders, but then you mud pay fomething more ; the common rate is ixd. the pound B x Gum 4, The Art of Japanning, Varnifljing , &c. Gum C ill. The beft Capall is the whiteft, freeft from drofs, and thick dark fluff that is incorporated with the Gum. It is of it felf a thick whitifli heavy Gum, and rarely without that dark and drofly mix- ture ; but that which is cleareft and freeft from the faid ftuft' is the beft. The price is n, 16, or i8d. the pound, according to the goodnefs. To choofe Gum Elemni. The belt Gum Elemni is the hardeft, whiteft, and cleareft, freeft from drofs or dirt. It is brought over commonly in the bark or husk of a Tree ; which you may take off as well as you can before you ule it. The Shops can afford it at 4 or yd. the ounce. Roftne. The beft is the clear, and tranfparent, and clarified. It may be had at 3d. the pound. IfingUfs. The beft Ifinglafs is that which is cleareft, and whiteft , freeft from yellownefs. It is, if good.,worth 3 or 4-d. the ounce ; you may have it cheaper by the pound. The fame may be obferved by other things ; for the greater quantity you buy at a time, the cheaper will your purchafe be. Gambogium. The beft is that of the brighteft yellow, and freeft from drofs. Some of it is dirty, thick, and full of drofs : there is difference in the price according to the goodnefs ; the beft is worth 6 A. the ounce. To choofe Benjamin, or Benzoine. The beft is that of a bright reddi Hi colour, very like to clarified Rofine, but never fo fine, freeft from drofs or filth. Tis as in good- nefs, 4-d, 6 A, or 8d, the ounce. Dragons Blood. The belt is the brighteft red, and freeft from drofs. You may buy it in drops (as the Drugfters call it) which is the beft. They are made up in a kind of leaf or husk: it is commonly 8d. fome- times 1 ad. the ounce, according to the goodnefs. I have here given you an account of thofe things and Gums you will have occafion for in Japanning and Varnilhing, and are all to be bought at the Drugfters at or neer the prizes I have fpecified ; and may ferve to inform you in fome meafure of the Gums, their excellencies and value, but time and practice will make greater dis- coveries. Indeed grains of Allowance muft be made for their dif- ferent prizes ; for their rife and fall depends upon the plenty or fcarcity of them, and varies according to the goodnefs of the com- modity. It is not neceffiiry to furnilh your felf with all, or any part of thefe, but as you have occalion to make ufe of them : for of fome, The Art of Japnnnbig , Varnijlbig, &c. f fome an ounce will ferve you a great while,, of others a pound will be ufed at one time ; of which you Will know more, as 1 ihall have oecafion to treat of them in their order. 1 Ihall now proceed to Metals, which I will alfo give you fome account of ; and firft, OfBmfs-dujl, which is commonly amongjl the Artifls csiied Gold-dull. This cannot be made in England fit for ufe, though it hath often been attempted, but comes from beyond Sea, as the reft of the Metals do that are good. Germany is the place where the belt of all forts is made. The belt Brafs-duft is that which is fineft, and of the brighteft and molt gold-like colour ; which you may belt difcern, by taking a little on your finger, and fqueezing it along your finger with your thumb ; and if it be good, it will look with a bright and rich luftre, if bad, it will appear of a dull clayilh colour, and will never work lively and bright. Several forts of tins Me- tal are imported here from foreign parts ; which differ vaftly as to the coarfnefs and finenefs, and the different ways of working them ; As for inftance, the coarfer fort will work well with Gold-fize, which will not with Gum-water ; other differences will arife alfo, which are fubject to the difeoveries of practice and experience. From this difference of Metals proceed^ that of the prizes ; for fome are worth iz or 14.S. the ounce, whilft that others amount to not above 4. or ys. for the fame quantity. But thefe are two ex- tremes; the firft very good, and the other altogether as vile and bad ; for xherc is a middle fort between both, which is generally afforded, by thofe that buy of the Merchant, for 8 or m the ounce, which will work well. To chonfe Sllver-duft. Some have attempted to make Silver here in England, but none I ever faw comparable to that beyond Sea ; for that enjoys a lively bright luftre like poliflied or new-coined filver, ( which you may find by lqueezing it between your finger and thumb) whereas that which we make here is dull, dead, and heavy, and indeed is a fitter reprefentation of a Colour than a Metal ; and by companion you may find, how the dimnefs of the counterfeit is obfeured by the dazling luftre of the true. Its price is anfwerable to its goodnefs and excellency, for its loweft rate is no lefs than ids. the ounce. But I would not have the price fright any one fo far, as to prefer cheaper before it, for tis neither fo ufeful nor pleafant in the work, and the bell will go farther than this proportionable to its price. Tis cuftomary in Japan to ufe feveral forts of Metals that are cor- rupted and adulterate, and they are laved too in garments , flowers, houfes,and the like, which makes the work look more beautiful and furprizing : thefe likewife are vended and fold for the aforefaid ufe, and are commonly called, Firlt, Green-gold , Is a certain corrupted mettle, calling a kind of a dead greentlh colour, and is commonly fold at 6s. the ounce. C Dirty ° 1 be Art oj Japanning, Varnijhing , &c. Dirty-Gold Is another kind of corrupted metal, which bears fome refem- blance to diolfy dirty Gold : it may be purchaled at 6s. the ounce. Porvder-Tinn Is 1 inn grinded to dull, of a dull, dark, though filverilh colour : made ufe ot in Rocks, See. Its price the fame with the former. / ' , Of Coffers There are three forts. Natural, Artificial, and Adulterate. The Natural is ground without mixture, well cleanfed, and is of the true genuine colour of Copper, and is fold at 6 or 7s. the ounce. 1 he Artificial accordingly exceeds the Natural ; it is more deep and ted, but very clear, and its bright glittering colour lhews how far it is poflible for Art to exceed Nature. Tis very rarely pro- cured, or fold under ios. the ounce. The Adulterate Copper is of a thick , heavy, metallick colour, and is commonly ufed to work other metals on, as if that be layed for a Ground, you hatch or highten with bright gold, or other light metal ; and fold at 6s. the ounce. There is alfo ufed in Japan-work metals, commonly called Spec- kles, of divers forts, as Gold, Silver, Copper, and many other co- lours, fome finer than other, and worked according to the fancy of the Artift, either on Mouldings, the out or in-fide of Boxes, Draw- ers, &c. Of thefe, thole that are ii ffd in the Indian work, are the Gold, Silver, and Copper, though, as aforefaid, every one may take their own fancy or humor in the ufe of them. They are made here in England very well, and are fold each of them much at a price, y or 6 Ihillings the ounce, according as they are in finenels. So that what I faid concerning the rates of Gums, will hold good here alfo. That a glut or fcarcity of thefe enhances or abates the price ; but generally thefe are expofed to fale at the rates I have affixed to each of them. Thefe are fold by great quantities by feveral Merchants in London ; and in lefler, by as many. I lhall only mention two, viz. a Gold-beater, at the hand and hammer in Long-acre ; and an- other of the fame trade, over againft Mercers-Chappel in Cheap- fide. Having given you an account of Gums, and Metals, I lhall brief- ly run over the Colours, which formerly our ignorant Englilh and French Practitioners ufed to mix with their Japan-work, but im- properly ; for the true natural Japan-work, fo called from the Illand of that name, did fo far furpafs all the painting of Bantam, and the neighbouring places, in goodnefs of black and ftatelinefs of draught, that no fidling pretender could match or imitate it ; and the igno- rant undertaker not being able to make his work look well and lively. the Art of japanning, Vamiflring, &c. . y lively,, inferts feveral colours as a file to fet it off, when (unfortu- nate man) inftead of art;, fancy., and skill, he expofes a piece gay, queint, gawdy, finical, and mean, the genuine product of ignorance and prefumption ; and an ornament of Bartholmew, or Alehoufe, rather than a Palace or Exchange. The miftake of Bantam-work for Japan, arofe front hence : all work of this kind was by a general name called Indian ; by ufe they fo far confounded all together, that none but the skilful could rightly diltinguiffi. This mult be alledged for the Bantam-work, that tis very pretty, and fome are more fond of it, and prefer it to the other, nay the work is equally difficult with Japan : But if I mult give you my opinion, my skill and fancy induce me to believe, that Japan is more rich, grave, and Majeftick, and for that reafon ought to be more highly efteem- ed. But fancy, like Proteus , putting on a thoufand fliapes, can- not, ought not, be confined ; and thole who are inclined to admire colours, may find fafe and exact rules let down by way of informa- tion. And firft, fome colours we call tranfparent ; fuch as are thofe we lay upon Silver, Gold, or fome light colour, and then they ap- pear in their proper colours very beautiful and lively. Of thefe for your ufe is, firft, Diftilled Verdi greece. for a green ; fine Lake for a red ; fine Smalt, for a blew. To render thefe ufeful, you muft obferve the following method : having provided a Porphyr, or Mar- ble ftone, with a Muller, take what quantity of Verdigreece or Smalt you pleafe, and with Nut-oyl, fo much as will jult moiften it fit to work, grind it upon your ftone till it be as fine or finer than butter; then put them in Jhclls, mixing them with Turpentine- oyl till they be thin enough tor your u (i , lay thefe upon liiver, gold, or any other light colour, and they will be tranfparent, and alter their lightnefs or darknefs according to the lightnels or dark- nefs of the metals or colours you lay under them. The fame may you do with Lake for a red, only inftead of Nut-oyl, ufe Drying oyl to grind it in. Other colours are ufed which have a body, and are layed on the black of your table or box, where you have defigned any thing, as Flowers, Birds, &c. Thefe are Vermilion for a red. White-lead for a white ; fome ufe Flake-white for a white, which is a purer white, and much better, but for ordinary work the other will do : if you make a blew to lay upon your work, you muft take Smalt, and mixing it with Gum Arabick-water put in what, quantity of white- lead you pleafe, to make it deeper or lighter, as your fancy fhalJ direct; but you muft put in white-lead, becaufe your blew will not otherwise have a body ; fo muft you do with all colours that have not a body of themfelves. Some ufe Rozett, fine Lake, and Sea-green, for a Purple, and other forts of Reds and Greens : and in- deed nays of working are very numerous, which being now out offalhion, I lhould to no purpofe both trouble you, and tire my felf, by increafing the number ; thofe tvhich I have mentioned are C x abun- 8 The Art of Jdpanhing, Varni/bing, &c. abundantly fufficient, for any that defign to have fomething befide gawdy colours in their work. Twill be convenient here to infert a caution concerning thefe Colours ; that they are all to be layed with Gum-water, except the tranfparent ones above-mentioned : and whofoever hath a mind to work, either in Gum-water, or Gold- fize. Hi all hereafter receive fufficient Inftrudtions for both. According to my promife I have in full treated oi Gums, Me- tals, and Colours ; I ffiall now in full proceed to dilcover the me- thods that are ufed to make Varniffies. CHAP. II. > Howto make Varnishes. 7a make Stei-Lacc-Varni{b. T Ake one gallon of good Spirit, and put it in as wide-mouthed a bottle as you can procure ; for when you ffiall afterwards ftrain your varriiffi , the Gums in a narrow-mouthed bottle may ftick together, and clog the mouth, lo that it will be no eafie task to feparate or get them out. To your fpirits add one pound and a half of the belt Seed-lacc ; let it Hand the fpace of hours, or longer, for the Gum will be the better diffolved : obferve to ffiake it very well, and often, to keep the Gums from clogging or caking together. When it hath Hood its time, take another bot- tle of the fame bignefs, or as many quart-ones as will contain your varnifh ; and your ftrainer of flannel made as afo refold m this book,, fallen it to a tenter-hook againA a wall, or fome other place con- venient for ftraimng it, in fuch a pofture , that the end of your ftrainer may almoft touch the bottom of your Tin-tunnel, which is fuppofed to be fixed in the mouth of your empty bottle, on pur- pofe to receive your ftrained varnilh . Then fhake your varmffi well together, and pour or decant into your ftrainer as much as conveniently it will hold, only be fure to leave room for your hand, with which you mull fqueez out the varnilh ; and when the bag by fo doing is almoft drawn dry, repeat it, till your ftrainer be- in- almoft full of the dregs of the Gums, ffiall (the moifture being alf prefled out) require to be difcharged of them : which fieces or dregs are of no ufe, unlefs it be to burn, or fire your chimny. This operation muft be continued, till all your varnilh is after this man- ner ftrained; which done, commit it to your bottles clofe ftopt, and let it remain undifturbed for two or three days : then into an- other clean empty bottle pour off very gently the top of your var- nilh, fo long as vou perceive it to run very clear, and no longer ; for as foon as you obferve it to come thick, and muddy , you mult bv all means delift : and again, give it time to reft and lettle, which ’twill do in a day or two ; after which time you may attempt to draw off more of your fine varnilh, and having lo done you may Cs 9 lay it up, till your art and work (hall call for its affiftance. Tig certain, that upon any emergency or urgent occalion yon may make varnilh in lefs time than rp hours, and ufe it immediately, but the other I recommend as the belt and more commendable way : befides, the varnilh which you have from the top of the bottles firft pour’d oft’ is of extraordinary ufe to adorn your work, and render it glolfy and beautiful. Some Artifts, through haft or inadvertency, fcruple not to ftrain their varnilh by lire or candle- light : but certainly day-light is much more proper, and lefs dan- gerous; for Ihould your varnilh through negligence or chance take fire, value not that lofs, but rather thank your Itars that your .felf and work-houfe have efoaped. Should I affirm, that the boiling the Lacker and Varnilh by the fire, were prejudicial to the things themlelves, I could ealily make good the aliertion ; for they are as well and better made without that dangerous element, which if any after this caution will undertake, they may feelingly allure themfelves that tis able to fpoil both the Experiment and Opera- tor. On the other hand, no advantage or excellence can accrue ei- ther to Lacker or Varnilh ; efpecially when,as fome of them do, tis boiled to fo great a height, that this YEtna is forc’d to throw out its fiery eruptions, which for certain confume the admiring Empe- docles, who expires a foolilh and a negligent Martyr ; and it would almoft excite ones pitty, to fee a forward ingenious undertaker, pe- rilh thus iu the beginning of his Enterprife ; who might have juftly promifed to erect a noble and unimitable piece of A it, as a tailing monument of his fame and memory : but (unhappy man) his be- ginning and his end are of the fame date : his hopes vanifh, and his mifchance ffiall be regiftred in doggrel Ballad, or be frightfully reprefented in a Puppet-ftiew, or on a Sign-poft. To make Shell-Tacc-v arnifij • Whofoever defigns a neat, glolfy piece of work, muft banilli this as unferviceable for, and inconfiftent with, the rarities of our Art. But becaufe tis commonly ufed by thofe that imploy themfelves in Varnilhing ordinary woods, as Olive, Walnut, and the like ; tis re- quifite that we give you directions for the compofition of it, that if your conveniency or fancy lead that way, you may be fupplied with materials for the performance. Having therefore in readinefs one gallon of the belt Spirit, add to it one pound and a half of the belt Shell-Lacc. This mixture being well ftirred and ffiaked toge- ther, Ihould Hand about twenty four hours before tis (trained : You might have obferved, that the former varnilh had much fediment and dregs ; this on the contrary has none, for it wholly diffblves, and is by confequence free from all drofs or fieees ; tis requifite how- ever to ftrain it, that the (ticks and draws , which often are in the Gum, may by this percolation be feparated from the varniffi. But although this admits of no fediment, and in this cafe differs from the aforementioned varnilh, yet tis much inferior alfo to it in an- D other io The Art oj Japanning, Vmii/ljing , See other rcfpect ; That this will never be fine, clear, and tranfpareniq and therefore twill be loft labour to endeavour, either by art or uid li 1 try, to make it fo. This fmall advantage however doth arife, that you need not expect: or tarry for the time of its perfection, for the fame minute that made it, made it fit for ufe. This, as I hin- ted before, is a fit varnifh for ordinary work that requires not a polilh; for though it may be polifhed, and look well for the pre- fent, yet like a handfom Ladies beautiful face, it hath no fecurity again ft the injuries of time ; for but a few days will reduce it to its native milt and dulnels. Your common Varnifh-dawbers fre- quently ufe it, for tis doubly advantageous to them : having a greater body than the Seed-Lacc, lefs labour and varnilh goes to the perfecting their work ; which they carelefly flubber over, and if it looks tolerably bright till tis fold, they matter not how dull it looks afterward ; and lucre only being defigned,' if they can com- pafs that, farewel credit and admiration. Poor infufficient Pre- tenders , not able to make their work more apparent, or more Lift- ing than their knavery ! And tis pretty to think, that the fame mifty cloak will not cover the fraud and the impoftor ! that the firft lhould be a foil to the fecond, and the dull foggy work ferve only to fet off the knavifh Artift in his moft lively colours ! But to conclude, if with a pint of this varnifh you mix two ounces or more of Venice-turpentine, it will harden well, and be a varnifh good enough for the inlide of Drawers, frames of Tables, Stan-pil- lars, frames of Chairs, Stools, or the like. Painters Lacker made alfo with this Varnifh, and fomething a larger quantity of Tur- pentine put to it, ferves very well for lackering of Coaches,Houfes, Signs, or the like, and will glofs with very little heat, and, if occa- fion be,without. To make the heli White-varni(h. I would defire the Reader to obferve , that when any Drugs, Gums, or Spirits, are fet down for the ufe and making of Varnifh, Lacker, or the like, though we do not to every particular write the belt of fuch a fort, yet that you lhould underhand our meaning to be filch, when we do not particularly forbid the getting or buy- ing of the beft; for tis irkfom and tedious to every fingle drug to affix the word Beft : wherefore to avoid fo needlefs a repetition, I fliall forbear mentioning it above once, either at the beginning or end, as it fhall feem moft neceffary. Befides, tis a very reafonable fuppofition; for you mu ft not expect to raife a Noble piece* from drofs or rubbifh ; to erect a Louvre or Efcurial with dirt or clay, nor from a common Log to frame a Mercury. But to return to our defign of White- varnifh : Being furnifhed with one pound of the whiteft Gum Sandrick, one ounce of the whiteft Gum Maffick, of the cleareft Venice-Turpentine three ounces, one ounce and a half of Gum-Capal, of Gum-Elenmi half an ounce, of Gum-Ben- Zoin or Benjamin the cleareft half an ounce, one ounce and half of t i cleareft Gum Aniline, and of white Rofine half an ounce. The Gums the Art of Japanning, Varni/biiig, &ci Gums thus feparately and in their due quantities provided,, each be- ing the belt and molt excellent in its kind ; 1 mult delire you to ob- ferve carefully the following order in their mixture and diflohition. Put the Capal and Rofine in a glafs-vial,with half a pint of Spirits to dilfolve them : for the fame end to another glafs, containing three quarters of a pint of Spirits, coniine the Gum Animas, Ben jamin, and Venice-Turpentine. The Gum Sandrick and Maftick fhould likewife enjoy the priviledg of a diftinft bottle, and in it a pint and half of Spirits, for their more effectual dillolution ; and laltly, the Gum Elemni by it felf, content with one quarter ot a pint of Spirits to dilfolve it. Tis not highly neceflary to obferve the quantities of Spirits fo exactly : but this in general I advife, that all your Spi- rits exceed not three quarts. They mult in this diltinct manner be dillolved, the better to extract the whole virtue of each Gum, and prevent their clogging arid caking together, which would much hinder their being quickly or throughly diffolved. I mult not for- get further to acquaint you , that the Gum Aniline and Benjamin be very finely pounded and reduced to powder , before they are mixed with the Spirits ; you may all'o bruife the Capal and Rofine, as for the reft, they may be ufed or put into the Spirit as you buy them, without any alteration. Having thus carefully mixt ’em, let them cards one another for two or three days, and make them dance or change places, by lhaking very briskly each bottle or vial once in two hours for the firft day ; the remaining time Ihake them at your own conveniency. Then take a bottle large and capacious enough to hold all the varnilh you have made, and through the fine linnen Strainer (of which in tbp beginning) ftrain all your gums, mixt as aforefaid ; but fqueez gently, and not with fo clofe an hand as was required for your Seed-Lacc : for by this ealie percolation you prevent the fandy, hard, gritty fluff pafling through into your varnilh. Some never ftrain it, but with great diligence pour it off" as long as twill run clear from each bottle. But if I may be a com- petent Judg, this is not fo good a way or fo convenient, for thefe reafoiis: You have not, firft, fo much varnilh, neither can you pour it offfo clear and fine as you may by ftraining. Again, your dregs being left in, by frequent ufe will fill up your velfel, and the frelh Gums will mix with the old, and llacken the melting of them, all which our method difallows of, and keeps the bottles empty, and fit for the fame repeated ufe, without thefe inconveniences. The varnilh thus ftrained having Itood three or four days, (the longer the better,) pour of gently as much as will come very clear, referving the thick and muddy part at the bottom for ordinary ufes ; as mixing with other varnilh for black work, ortoglofs the iii-fide of boxes, as we lhall hereafter more fully dil'cover. To make a Wbite-varmflj much inferior to the former. This is made out of two diftinct Varnifhes, the one Sandrick, the other of Maftick ; of both which take the following account. D x Having 1 - The Ait of Japanning, V ami Jinn g , &c. Having provided three quarters of a pound of gum Sandrick, mix •it with two quarts of Spirits;, and having been well lhaken, and flood for about two days, decant or ftrain it into another bottle, and referve it for ufe. Take alfo of clean pickt Maftick the fame pro- portion to an equal quantity of Spirit with the former, and in eve- ry particular obferve the rules for making the Sandrick, as to fet- ling, lhaking, decanting, and flraining it. Now when you defign to varnilh a print or any thing elfe with this varnilh, your ufual proportion for mixing them, is to add a double part of gum Maftick to a Angle part of gum Sandrick. As for inftance : fuppofe the work would take up or confume three quarters of a pint of varnilh ; then by the foregoing rule you mull put half a pint of Maftick to a quarter of a pint of Sandrick-var- nilh, and fo accordingly in a lefler or greater quantity. And we think lit to make thele varniihes feverally, and fo mix them, that we may have our varnilh anfwer to our delires in foftnefs or hard- nefs. Now when you have fet by your work for two days, you may try its qualities, if, by prefling your warm linger on it, you leave your print behind you, tis a lign that it is too foft, and a walh or two of the Sandrick will harden it: if it not only relift your touch, but hath fome ftreaks, flaws, or cracks, like fcratches, fome- times more' or lefs, you may be fure tis too hard, and it niuft be re- medied by a walh or two of your Mallick-varnilh. Some ufually difi’olve thele gums together, and others mix them before hand, and by fo doing are not certain how their varnilh willfucceed; for it often happens, that fome parts of each gum are fofter than others, and fo the contrary. Should therefore a varnilh ed piece prove too foft, or hard, this way cannot remedy it ; for to walh it again with the lame, is only a repetition of the former mifcarriage. Thele things being premifed, I need not infer which way will prove the molt rational, certain, and fatisfadtory. To make Varnijb, that {ball fecttre your Draught, whether GoU-wo>k , or Colour, from the injuries ofTarnijbing, and will give it a glofs. Before we come to the Varnilh, tis requilite to acquaint you with the manner of preparing Turpentine, which is the chiefeft in- gredient. Take then of good Venice-turpentine as much as you plcafe, inclofe it in a Pipkin that will hold double the quantity that you put in. Having prepared a lire that will never flame out, but burn gently and clearly, fet your pot over it, but be cautious that it boil not over, thereby to prevent the firing your Turpentine and your Chimny. To this gentle boiling motion caufed by the fire you mull join another, and with a ftick very often ftir it, until you find tis rendred fit for ufe ; which you may difcover, by dropping a little of it on the ground ; for when tis cold, it will crumble to powder between your fingers, if it be lufficiently boiled ; and when tis brought to this pafs, nothing remains but that you let it cool, and prelerve it for the following compofition. Your The Art of Japanning, Vatnifhiiig, &6i j * Your Securmg-varniih requires a quarter of a pint of the fineft Seed-Lacc-varnilh, (which is always the top of it,) and one ounce of this boiled Turpentine finely powdered ; they mult be both Ifiut up clofe pri loners in a double glafs-viaf or bottle, capacious enough to contain a double quantity; which being fiopt dole, may be plac’d over a very gentle fire, that it may ieifiirely heat, thereby to foreftall the danger of breaking the glafs, which it is certainly part when tis exceeding hot ; and in this condition keep it for I'ome time, fimpering, and finding : then take it off, and give it vent by unftopping ; fo done, return the ftopple lhaking it well, and place it on the fire again, never difeontinuing the operation ; but repeat the fore Hi id method, till fuch time as your Turpentine lhall be fo far diilblvcd, that the bignefs of a large Pea lhall only remain vifi- ble ; for that being the drofs and indiffoluble part, will not endure to be incorporated. Being arrived to this degree, remove your V arnifh, afford it two days to cool and fettle ; and vouchfafe the clearer part frelh lodgings in a clean bottle, that may entertain and keep it for your future defigns. Now whatfoever you propofe to be by this varnifh fecured, if convenience will allow, fhould be deftined to a warm place, that it may dry the fooner ; if you cannot admit of it, then give.it the fpace of half an hour to dry between every waflr ; however it will glofs either way. Then take a Pencil, for great work large, and fo the contrary, proportionable to your draught : with this Pencil dipt in the varnifh, fecure it, that is, pals it over, leaf by leaf) and fprig by fprig, not omitting to give your Rocks, Figures, &c, the like entertainment ; but be fure above all, that your fteddy hand never trefpafs upon the leaft part of your black or ground-work. Having run over all your draught thus, three or four times, for oft- ner may fpotl the colour of your metal, you may reft fatisfied that your, undertaking (whether of Gum-water, or Gold-fize) is armed againft all injuries and Tarnilh ; and, if performed Artift-like, adds to the native luftre of the metals, with an artificial glofs more bright, durable, and furprizing. To fecure your whole piece, both Draught and Ground-work, whereby it may endure polifh- ing, and obtain a Glofs all over , like fome of the Indian performances. ‘ Here alfo, as in the laft, your patience rnuft be defied, and before we open our Scenes, think it reafonable to give you a furvey of thole paffages which mult be tranf acted in the Tiring-room or Shop, before the Actors and Operators appear on the Stage. That neceffary and ferviceable friend, Vemce-Turpentine, here alfo gives his attendance : who in the quantity of one pound, to three pints of water, takes up his lodging in a clean, earthen, Pipkin, almoft as large again as the Inhabitants. Thefe Guefts lb difpoled of, with their houle of clay the Pipkin, place over a gentle fire, and by de- grees warm them, till they being plealed with their habitation be- gin to fimper, and dance a little ; then do you promote their pa- E ftime 14- The Art oj Japanning, Varnijbing, See. ftime by flirting with a flick, (as in the laft Chapter you were di- rected.) But if they finding the place too hot for them, lhould endeavour to efcape by boiling over, which you l loon difeover by the rout and bultle, and riling of the water ; releafe them, not from the Veffels but fix the Pipkin in a cooler place ; yet fo, that they may always dance, and boil leifurely. If you find that a lit- tle of this Liquor being pour’d on the ground, if cold, is willing by your fingers to be reduced to powder, you may conclude that the operation has fucceeded well, and ought now to be concluded. Having flood long enough to loofe its acquired heat, and will fuf- fer you to handle it; part thefe fellow-fufferers, by taking the Venice-Turpentine into your wet hands , and therewith fqueez from it its friend the water, as clean as poflibly ; roll it into the figure of a ball, and after a day or two pound and beat it into fine powder, and in a fit place fet it to dry, but not too near the fire, which will melt it ; and laftly, imprifon it in a Gallipot. This Operation is juft like the former ; but the two Turpentines are at variance, and differ in their colours ; for this is as white as Paper, the other, in the laft Chapter, as yellow as Amber : You rnuft therefore of neceflity judge this molt excellent for the prefent ufe ; although tis more often to be walht with it, before it will endure and acquire a glittering Polilh. Having advanced thus far, let us now proceed to compofe the Varnilh, by joining one ounce of this powder d Turpentine to half a pint of Seed-Lacc-varnifh , in a bottle ewice as large as the things you put in, clofe ltopt. When it has Itood fome fmall time on an ealie fire, take it off, unftop, and lhake it : be fore to do fo, until the Turpentine be diflblved to the bignefs of a large Pea ; and after two days have both cool’d and fettled it, decant and feparate the cleareft, which is now in readinefs for your work. Your piece therefore lying before you drawn and finilhed, waiting for fecurity againft all damages, fortifie after this manner. Take a neat, clean, varnilh-Pencil, large or fmall, as your work is in its Area, furface and breadth ; for a large Table or Box requires a great Pencil, and fo the contrary. This Pencil being dipt into a Gallipot, wherein you have poured fome of the faid varnilh ; when you take it out, always ftroke it againft the lides of the pot, for fear it lhould be too full and overburthened with varnilh, which will incur this incon- venience, That twill lie thick and rough in fome places, whereas a fmooth and even fuperficies is its greateft beauty. This, with- out any diftinction, mult walh over your whole work, both draught and ground : And you mutt do it five or fix times, as you fee the gold and metals keep their colour, gently warming and throughly drying it between every walh ; and indeed it mult be but juft warm, for if more, ’twill ruine all your labour. Having obferved thefe rules, as alfo that it mult by all means be evenly and fmootli- ly done ; let it have reft fot three or four days before you attempt any The Art of fp aiming , Varn'tjhi hg, &C- if any thing further upon it, After this time is paft, provide fome Tripole, fcraped with a piece of glafs, and a fine rag, which dipt in a bafon of water, and fome powder of the fame Tripoie being lickt up by the faid cloth, therewith in a moderate way, neither too hard or too foft, rub and itrokc, until it becomes fmooth and glofly; but if it Ihould come fo near your gold or draught as to molelt and dilplace it, utterly delilt , and rub no more there, but let your chief aim be to render your ground or black, bright and fmooth, for there your wavings and unevenefs will be molt dif- cernable. Now to fetch of the Tripolee, take the foftelt Spunge foak'd in water, and with it walh it oft', and a clean cloth or rag to dry and free it from all the Tripolee that remains. But becaufe this will not free the crevifes and line lines from it, mingle a little oyl with a like quantity of Lamblack , and greafe your Table all over with the fame : now to fetch off this too, labour and rub with a line cloath , until your Lamblack and Oyl vanilh and dif- appear. To conclude this tedious bulinefs ; Take one fine clean rag more, and therewith rub and ftroak until a glofs is acquired, and that it gliflen and refled: your face like a Mirror or Looking- glafs. I luppofeby this time it is apparent, what trouble, pains, care, and accuracy, accompany our Undertakings ; and if to thefe you prefix the Skill, Fancy, and fine Hand of the Art ill ; I fay all thefe mult enhance, and fet an high price upon good Japan-work. Thefe inftrudions for compofing Varnilhes, the muff needful aud bell for all works of this kind, being thus fully laid down ; it will be no ways prejudicial to give fome Rules, which mult be molt (tr icily obferved in all forts of Varnifhing, and to inform you how you may employ thefe Varnilhes about other Woods; or to lay Blacks, and other colours, which are much in vogue with us and the Indians. We grant, it is not apart of Japan-work properly, but rather foreign to that defign, but its umverfal benefit will a- bundantly compenlate for that pretence, and the knowledge of it cannot certainly prove burthenlbme to any : But to thofe efpecially it is advantageous, who living in the Country remote from Artifts, cannot without great trouble move or alter any thing they have by them, unlefs aflifted by this our information. CHAP. IIL Cjctieral %ules to be diligently obferved in all manner of Varnifhing. I Am very follicitous that your Work Ihould fucceed, and there- fore take all imaginable care to guide you, fo that you cannot poflibly mifearry ; and in order thereunto fliall propofe Rules and E z gene- j'i jj; • ' * The Art of Japanning, Varnifhing , &c. general Cautions,, which I defire you would have always in mind, and call them to your affiftance in all your undertakings. i. Therefore let your wood which you intend to varnifh be clofe-grained, exempt and free from all knots and greafmefs, very fmooth, clean, and well rufh't. i. Lay all your Colours and Blacks exquifitely even and fmooth; and where ever mole-hills and knobs, alperities and roughnefs in colours or varnifh offer to appear, with your Rufh lweep them off, and tell them their room is more acceptable to you than their com- pany. If this ill ufage will not terrifie them, or make them avoid your work, give them no better entertainment than you did before, but maintain your former l'everity, and with your Rulli whip them off, as often as they moleft you. 3. Keep yoUr work always warm, by no means hot, which will certainly blifter or crack it ; and if that mifchance through inad- vertency fhould happen, tis next to irreparable, and nothing lefs than fcraping off all the varnifh can rettific the mifcarriage. 4.. Let your work be throughly dry, after every diftindt wafli ; for neglect in this point introduces the fault again, of which we warned you in the fecond rule. That your varnifh fhould not be rough and knobby. y. Let your work lie by and reft , as long as your convenience will admit, after tis varnifhed ; for the better will your endeavours prove, the longer it Hands after this operation. 6 . Be mindful to begin your varnifhing ftroak in the middle of the table or box that you have provided for that work, and not in Full length from one end to tne other ; fo that your brufli being planted in the middle of your board, ftrike it to one end ; then tak- ing it off, fix it to the place you began at, and draw or extend it to the other end ; fo muft you do till the whole plane or content be varnifhed over. We have reafons too for this caution, which i f neglected, has feveral faults and prejudices attending it; for if you fhould undertake at one ftroak to move your Pencil from end to end, it would fo happen that you would overlap the edges and mouldings of your box ; this overlapping is, when you fee the var- nifh lie in drops and fplafhes, not laid by your brufh, but caufed by your brulhes being at the beginning of the ftroak overcharg'd and too full of varnifh, and therefore we advife you to ftroke your pen- cil once or twice againft the fides of the Gallipot, to obltruct and hinder this fuperfluity ; fmall experience will difcover thefe mi- ftakes. 7. When you come to polifh, let your Tripolee be fcraped with glafs or a knife : for fine work your rags muft be fine, and your Tripolee too delicately fmall, and powder-like ; and fo for common work, coarfc linnen, and coarfer Tripolee will be very ferviceable : let your hand be moderately hard, but very even, in all your po- lifhing-ftroaks ; and remember to polifh and brighten one place, as much as for that time you intend to do, before you forfake it, and pafs over to another. For 8. Re- 1 The Art of Japanning, Varkifhing , &c. i y 8. Remember, never to polifh your work as finooth as you in- tend at one time, but let it reft two or three days if you can after the firft polifhing, and then give it the finilhing and concluding ftroak. Be circumfpcct likewife that you come not near the wood, to make your piece look thin , hungry, and threadbare : Ihould you therefore injure your workmanfhip after this manner, it will demand another varnilhing for fatisfaftion and reparation. 9. Take a large quantity of Tripolee at the firft polifhing, till it begins to become finooth ; afterwards, a very finall parcel will fufi- fice. Circuinfpectly examin your Tripolee and clout, leaftfome mifehievous, unwelcom gravel, grittinefs, or grating part, una- wares fteal in, and rafe or fcratch your work ; it will prove no ea- fie matter to hide the flaw and damage : and if ever it fliould fo happen, you muft retrieve your negligence by your labour, and with your cloath wrapt about your forefinger polifh the faulty place until you have brought it to a good underftanding and even- nefs with the reft of the piece, and the wounded part to be no more vilible. 10. When you refolve to clear up your work, and put it in its beft apparel, remove and wafli off your Tripolee with a Spunge and water : drink up that water with dry linnen, and with oyl mixt with Lamblack anoint the whole face of your work ; let no corner or moulding efcape, for this will totally free your piece from the lurking Tripolee. Now tis time that thefe fliould withdraw, and as they turned out the Tripolee, fo muft a clean linnen rag dif- place them, and put them to fliift for new quarters ; and then with anothor clean, very fine, loft, dry cloath , rub it all over ; fpare no place, or pains, but falnte it all with a nimble, quick ftroak, and as hard an hand, and the fruits of your induftly will be a daz- ling luftre, and an incomparable glofs. Laftly, for white-work, be kind and gentle to it, let your hand be light and even, and your skill in polifhing it neat and curious ; and obferve, that when tis to be cleared up, you muft not pollute and dawb it with Lamblack, but oblige it with oyl and fine flower inftead thereof. To conclude, let this Chapter be well ftudied, and remember, that without it you cannot regularly or fafely perform the task ; This is the Common-place-book, to which I fhall continually re- fer you ; and if you will prove negligent and remifs in this parti- cular, I fhall prophefie, that nothing can fo infallibly attend you as Error and Difappointment. I If CHAP. 1 The Art of Japanning, Varni/hing , &c. 18 CHAP. IV. Of yarnifJmg W gods without Qolour . To varnifb Olive-wood.. \T \ /Hat remains then, but that from Precept we proceed to V V Practice, that from mean and ordinary endeavours we fucceflively rife to the excellence and perfection of this Art. To begin with Olive-wood, which for Tables, Stands, Cabinets, &c, has been highly in requeft amonglt us ; that which is cleanly workt oft, void of flaws, cracks, and afperities, is a fit iubject for our skill to be exercifed in. Having milled it all over diligently, fet it by a weak fire, or fome place where it may receive heat ; and in this warm condition, wafii it over tenor twelve times with Seed-Lacc-varnilh , that remained after you had poured off" the top for a better ufe, with a pencil proportioned to the bignefs of your Table or Stand, or the like ; let it throughly dry between every walh ; and if any roughnefs come in fight, rulh ’em otf as fait as you meet with them. After all this, welcom it with your Rufli until tis fmooth, and when very dry, anoint it fix feveral times with the top or finelt part of the aforelaid Seed-Lacc-varnilh. After three days Handing call for Tripolee feraped with a knife ; and with a cloth, dipt firft in water, then in powdered Tripolee, polilh and rub it till it acquire a fmoothnefs and glofs : but be cir- cumfpeCt and line of rubbing too much, which will fret and wear olf the varnilh, that cannot eafily be repair’d: If when you have labour’d for fome time, you ufe the rag often wetted, without Tri- polee, you will obtain the better glofs. Then wipe of your Tripo- lee with a fpunge full of water, the water with a dry rag; greafe it with Lamblack and Oyl all over ; wipe off that with a cloth, and clear it up with another , as I have molt fully lliewed in the laft Chapter, to which I refer you. If after all this pains your work look dull, and your varnilh mifty, which polilhing before tis dry, and damp weather will effect ; give it a flight polilh, clear it up, and that will reftore its priftine beauty : If you have been too nig- gardly of your varnilh, and there is not enough to bear and endure a polilh, ufe again your finelt Seed-Lacc, and afford it four or five walhes more ; after two days quietnels polilh and clear it up. Should any one defire to keep the true natural, and genuine colour of the wood, I council him to employ the white-varnilh formerly mentioned, as every where anfwerable to his purpofe ; for this be- ing of a reddilli tawny colour, and fo often waflied with it, mult neceflarily heighten and increafe the natural one of the Olive. To vayuijb Walnut-wood. To avoid a tedious and troublefom repetition or tautology, I lhall refer you to the laft Chapter, and defire you to obferve the fame The Art of Japanning, Parnijhing, &c. j y fame method exactly for varnilliing Walnut, that I ..gave you for Olive. And farther take notice, that thole Rules will hold good alfo for all forts of wood, that are of a clofe, fmooth grain, fuel? are Yew, Box, the Lime-tree, and Pear-tree, &c. Thus much may fufficefor varnilliing woods without colour; we pals over from hence to treat of the adorning woods with colour, and of each in its order. CHAP. V. Of v ami fifing Woods with Colour. Of Black V ami foing or Japan. B Lack varnifhing is done in imitation of Japan-work ; and be- caufe the making this very good is a great ornament to the whole undertaking, I lhall give you the belt account I can poffi- bly for the making it. Having provided wood, clofe-grained, and well wrought off, rulli it fmooth, and keep it warm by a fire, or in fome hot place ; but be always cautious, that whilft you varnifh, you fuffer not the piece to take the eye of the fire, that is, come fo near it as to burn, fcorch, or blifter your work, which is an un- pardonable fault, and remedied no other way when committed but by feraping off the varnifh, as I hinted in the Chapter of Rules and Directions. Thofe that make it their trade, generally work in a Stove, which is beyond all difpute the beft and fiifeft way ; and I would ad vide thofe, who intend to make it their imployment, to ufe no other ; becaufe it gives an even and moderate heat to all parts of the room : but thofe who for pleafure, fancy, and diver- lion only, praClife ; for them I fay, a great fire in a clofe, warm chamber, may perform it as well. In the next place, pour fome of the thickeft Seed-Lacc-varnilli into a Gallipot, adding to it as much Lamblack as will at the firft wafh blacken and difcolour the work • the Colour-fhops furnifh you with it for ad, pd, or 6d the barrel, whofe price is equal to itsbignefs: With this varnifh and black mixt together varnifh over your thing three times, permitting it to dry throughly between every turn. After this, take more of the Lac-varnifh,and mix with it Lampblack to the lame degree of thicknefs with the former. This is the only black for this bulinefs, .! prefer it before Ivory, (tho fome differ with me on this point ; ) this is a fine, foft, and a very deep black, and agrees beft with the varnifh ; how you fhall make it, I will in the next Section direct you. With this black compofition wafh it over three times, be- tween each of them rufhing it fmooth, and fuffering it cleaverly to dry. Then with a quarter of a pint of the thickeft Seed-Lacc, mix of Venice Turpentine the bignefs of a walnut, and fhake them to- gether until it is diffolved, and obferve this proportion in lefs or greater quantities. Now put in Lamp-black enough to colour it, F z and 2-0 The Art of Japanning, Vatmjbing, &c. and no more, and with this wafh it fix times , letting it Hand n hours between the three firft and the three lalt walkings. Having thus cloathed the piece with ordinary varniih as with a common under ‘garment, we now intend to put on its gay eft apparrel , and cover it all over with the top and fineft of the Seed-Lac-varnilh, which mult alfo be juft coloured and tinged with the Lamp-black : twelve times mult it be varnilhed with this, ftanding as many hours between the fix firft and the fix laft walkings, with this ne- ver to be forgotten caution, That they ftand till they are dried be- tween every diftindt yarnilhing. After all this give it reft for five or fix days before you attempt to polilli it ; that time being ex- pired, take water and Tripolee, and polilh it according to the dire- ctions I have afligned and taught you in the Chapter for Olive- wood : but however take along with you this further remark , That you allow three times d ill i net from each other for polilhing ; for the firft, labour at it till tis almoft fmooth, and let it ftand ftill two days; the next time, polilh till it is very near enough and fuffi- cient : lay it afide then for five or fix days ; after which, laftly, polilh off, and clear it up as you were before inftrudted. Follow- ing this courfe, I have, I will allure you, made as good, as glolfy, and beautiful a Black, as ever was wrought by an EngliHi hand, and to all appearance it was no way inferior to the Indian. I promifed to detect: and lay open the whole Art, and do refolve by no means to fall fliort of my engagement. I intend therefore to pleafure you with another way to make good Black, and having variety you may take your choice, and try either, as your fancy or Genius is inclined. I muft confefs, I have made excellent good black this way too, and fiich as in all refpcCts would match and parallel the foregoing. Lay your blacks as before, and take of the belt Seed-Lac-varnilh, and the White-varnilh, (I mean the firft White that I taught you to make in this Book) an equal quantity, and vouchfafe to give it a tmtlure only of your Lamp or Ivory- black ; walh your work with it fix or eight times, let it ftand the fpace of a day or two, and dry between every turn ; then repeat it four or five times more, keeping it but juft warm, and having reli- ed a day or fo, anoint it as often with the fine Seed-Lac-varnilh on- ly. To conclude, in a weeks time, after all this has been done, it will be dry enough to polilh, and not before, which you may then do, and clear it up. You will obferve, that your glolfy perfor- mances after lome little time may happen to wax dull, mifty, and heavy ; which a flight polilli will remedy, with clearing it up af- terward. Now the caufes of this difappointment are two ; either firft, your varniih is not realonably well dried, or it has not a fuffi- cient body of varniih ; both thefe occafion it to milt, and, as it were, to purl. Tis no hard task to diftinguilh them : if the for- mer is in fault, it will appear dull, but of a full body, and fmooth ; if the latter, the work will look hungry, and fo bare, that you may almoft, if not quite, fee the very grain of the w r ood through your varnilh. The Art of Japanning, Varnifhing , &c. u varnifli. This laft fault is mended by five or fix wafhes more of your fine Seed-Lacc ; the other is affifted by frequent polifhings, with difcretion. One Memorandum I had almoft palled over m filence, which I prefume I have not any where mentioned ; You mult look upon it as a necellary remark, and by no means to be omitted , and this it is; To be indultrioully careful, in laying on your colours and varnifli, never to llrike your pencil twice over the fame place, for it will make your varnifli or colours lie rough and ugly : but let every ftroak anoint a place not Wafht before, car- rying a fteady, quick, and even hand ; beginning at the middle of tiie table, and fo conveying your brufli to either end, until the whole furface has been patted over. Perhaps I have here fpoken the fame thing over and over again ; in juftification whereof, I al- ledge what Seneca did to thofe, who objected that he was guilty of tautologie, and repetition ; “ I only (fays he) inculcate often the “ fame precepts to thofe who commit and react the fame vices: This is my cafe ; if you charge me with that fault, my plea is his ; I often admonifh you, and infert many cautions which refer to the fame error, and apply ’em to thofe who are fubjedt to frequent m if carriages. To wake Lamp-black. Being furnifhed with a Lamp that has three or four Spouts, for as many lights and cotton-week, which you may have at the Tal- low-chandlers, twitted up fo big that it will but juft go into the nofe of your Spouts ; for the greater light they make, the larger quantity of black is afforded. Procure a quart of oyl, by the Oyl- fhops rated at 6d. and fo much will make black enough to ufe about a large Cabinet. Get a thing to receive your black in, fuch in fliape and fubftance as you may often fee is planted over a candle to keep the flame and fmoak from the roof or ceiling of a room. Having placed your weecks in their proper apartment, and put in the oyl, fire or light ’em, and fix your receiver over them fo clofe, that the flame may almoft touch them. After it has continued fo the fpace of half an hour, take off your receiver, and with a feather ftrike and fweep off all the black on it. Snuff your weecks, and put it on again, but forget not to fupply your Lamp with oyl, as often as occafion fhall require ; and when you imagine more black is ftuck to the receiver, do as before diredded : and thus continue and perfevere, until you have obtained black enough, or that all your oyl is burnt up and exhaufted. This is that which is properly called Lamp-black, and is of excellent ufe for black varnifli. White Varnifhing or Japan. You cannot be over-nice and curious in making white Japan ; run thing mutt be ufed that will either foil or pollute it, in laying on the colour, or in varnifhing. Your firft neceffary therefore is Ifin- glafs-fize, (to make which the next Sedlion fhall inftrucd you ; ) G fcrape z\ The An of Japanning, Varniflnvg, &e, fcrape into it as much whiting, as will make it of a reaftmable thicknefs and confidence ; or lb long, till by a ftroak with your pencil dipt into it, it will whiten the body which your brulh has palled over ; your own diftretion is the belt guide. Suffer it not to be in extreams, either too thick or too thin; but with your brulh, made of the fofteft Hogs-hair, mix and incorporate very well the whiting with your fize. This being prepared, whiten your work once over with it, and having, ltood till tis throughly dry, do it all over again ; and when dry, repeat it a third 1 time : after which let it Hand twelve hours, but be fure to cover and de- fend it from dull before tis varnifh t. Take then fane ruffes ; rnfh it as fmooth and as dole to the wood as you can conveniently. This done, procure fome white flake, with which the Colour-lbops can farnilh you ; mix it too with your laze only, that it may lie with a foil, fair body on your piece. With this, three feveral times whiten your work, giving it fufficient time to dry between each of them; then rulh; it extraordinarily fmooth, but be not now fo bold as you were before ; adventure not to come near the wood, but by all means keep your dilhunce. Thefe two forts of white being ufed, we charge you with a third, and that is, white Starch, boiled in fair water, until it come to be fomewhat thick, and with it almoft blood-warm walh over the whole, twice ; never forgetting that it Ihould dry between every turn. After ap hours reft, take the fineft of your white-varnilh, and with a pencil (fir ft washed in fpirit to clean it from dull) anoint or varnifh your work fix or feven times, and after a day or two do the like again. Thefe two fits of varnilhing, if done with a fine careful hand, will give it a better glofs than if it were polifh’t ; if not fo accurately perform- ed, tis requisite to poliih it ; and in order thereunto, you mull be- llow five or fix wafhes of varnilhing more than to the former : fo that if tis done lb well, that it Hands not in need of a poliih, two t urn s of varnilhing will fuffice ; but if it mull be polilb't, three arc absolutely required, befides a weeks reft before you begin poliih - ; n o. Care and neatnefs flsould attend this operation from one end to°the other ; for in polilhing, your Linnen and Tripolee mult be both of the fineft; your hand light and gentle, your cloth neither too wet, or too dry ; and when you clear it up, and give it the fi- nifhing, concluding ftroak, fine flower and oyl mu ft be admitted to the performance, but Lamp-black utterly laid afide and excluded. To make lfwgUfs-Siz,t. Take an ounce oflfinglafs, divided or broke into final! pieces; let it Hand in a clean Pipkin, accompanied with a pint and a half of fair water, for twelve hours together. Place the veflel in a gen- tle fire, fuffer it to boil mighty leifurely, and continue finding and fimpering, till it is wholly confirmed and difiblved in the water. After the water it felf is wafted and boiled away to a pint or lefs, remove it, and let it Hand in a convenient place to cool. Tljis when The Art of japannuig, Varnijhing, v &C, i i cold will turn to a Jelly, which we call Ifmglafs-hze. You are advifed to make no more than what willferve your prefent occa- fions, for two or three days will totally deprive it of its ftrength and virtue. Tis of great ufe, not only in the foregoing white-var- nilh, but feveral other things, hereafter to be mentioned. To make Blerv-Japan. This task calls for feveral ingredients, and thofe too diverfly prepared, before they can be admitted to the compolition. In the front white-lead appears, which mult he ground with Gum-water very finely on a Marble-ftone. The next in rank is fome of the belt and fineft Smalt, (to be met with in the Colour-lb ops,) which you muft mix with Ifinglafs-lize ; adding, of your white-lead fo grinded , a quantity proportionable to the Blew you intermix with ’em, or as you would have it he in ftrength of body. All thefo well ftirred and temper’d together, being arrived to the confiftence and thicknefs of common Paint, wafh over your work with it, and, when perfectly dry, do the like three or four times, until you obferve your Blew lies with a good fair body ; if it fhould fo fid], out, that the Blew fhould be too pale and weak, put more Smalt, and no white-lead into your iize. Having rufli’t it very fmooth, itrike it over again with this ftronger Blew : loon after, yet not till it is very dry, with a clean pencil give it, at two feve- ral times, as many wafhings with the cleareft Ifinglals-fize alone ; and lay it alide for two days carefully covered, to preferve it from duff: The fame diligence forget not in making White-Japan, which does as abfolutely require a covering, until either of them is fecured by a proper mantle of their own, varnifh, which is fuf- ficient to guard ’em againft all injuries of dull or dirt. But to pro- ceed : When you have warmed it by the fire, imploy again your cleaneft pencil, dipt in a finall portion of white-varnifh , anointing your work leven or eight times ; debit then for one day or two, after which wafh it again as often as before. Lay it afide for the fame fpace of time, which being expired, repeat your wafhes the third and laft time, as often as formerly. So many operations certainly deferve fome leifure minuts, and a week at leaf! muft be pafs'd over, before you dare prefume to polifh it. When that is done, with Lamblack and oyl clear it up, and lend it a gliffening, fmooth, and plealant countenance. Obferve, that your Blews be- ing more deep and dark, thin or pale, depends wholly upon the different quantities of white-lead, that are mixt with the Smalt af- ter the firft waflies : for as a finall proportion of Lead introduces the firft, fo a greater plenty occafions the latter. Let this ferve for a general caution in laying either Blows, White, or any other colours with Ifinglafs-lize ; Let it not be too ftrong, but rather on the contrary very weak, but juft fuffici- ent to bind your colours, or make them flick on your work : for if it be otherwife, it will be apt to crack and flie off But laft of all, G % when C The Art oj Japanning, Varnifhing , &c. when you lay or wafh with clear Ifinglafs, to keep you var- ui Hi from foaking into, or tarnilliing your colours, then let it be of a ltrong and full body. To make Gum-water Hardly any can be ignorant of the making of this ; tis very common, and eafie, and the compofition confifts of two bodies on- ly. In three quarters of a pint of fair water diflolve one ounce of the whiteft Gum-Arabick, carefully and cleanly picked : If you keep flirting and fhaking it, the fooner twill be diffolved ; which done, ftrain it through a fine Holland-rag into a bottle, and if you want it, ufe it. To make Red-Japan. This beautiful colour is made feveral ways, and we want not drugs and mixtures to vary the different Reds, and humour all fan- cies whatfoever. I fhall confine their variety to three heads: i . The common ufual Red ; a. the deep, dark ; and laftly, the light, pale Red. Of thefe in their order. In contriving the firft, Vermilion defervedly claims the chief place : Tis mixt with common fize by fome, by others with the thickefl of Seed-Lacc. The laft I judge molf fit and ufeful, for this reafon ; becaufe it will not then break off in polifhing, as that mixt with fize frequently does : neither is it more chargeable , feeing it helps better to bear the body of varnifh that fhall be fpread over it ; Your mixture fhould keep a medium between thick and thin ; tis difficult, and almoft impoffible to affign exact Rules for mingling your Colours, in general we tell you between both extremes ; fmall practice and experience will mailer this feeming difficulty. Your work being ready and warm, produce your Vermilion well mixt with the varnifh, and falute it four times with it; then allow it time to dry, and if your Reds be full, and in a good body to your liking, rulh it very fmooth : fo done, walli it eight times with the ordinary Seed-Lac-varnifh, and grant it a repofe for twelve hours ; then rufh it again, though flightly, to make it look fmooth. And laftly, for a fine outward covering bellow eight or ten wafhes of your beft Seed-Lacc-varnilh upon it : and having laid it by for five or fix days bring it forth to polifli, and clear it up with Oyl and Lamblack. The next in fucceffion to be difeours’d on is the dark, deep Red. When you have laid on your common Red as before directed, take Dragons-blood, reduce it to a very fmall dull or powder, and as your judgment and fancy are inclined, mix it, a little at a time, with your varnifh ; and indeed you will find, that a very fmall portion will extreamly heighten your colour, as alfo that every wafh will render it deeper ; but when you find it has acquired a colour almoft as deep as you deiign, forbear, for you muft remem- ber you have more varnilh of Seed-Lacc to lay on, which will add and fupply what is wanting. Confider therefore how many wafhes are The Art of Japanning, Varnifbing, &c. i y are {till to be laid, and according to that ufe your Sanguis Dfaconis, or Dragons-blood. This performance differs no way from the for- mer, but mull be managed by thofe rules given for polilhing and clearing the other Red, the Sanguis only excepted. But in the third place, to oblige any perfon that is an admirer of a pale Red, we affign thefe inftrudtions. Take white-lead fine- ly ground with your Muller on the Marble-ftone, you mult grind it dry ; mix it with your vermilion till it becomes paler than you would have it, for the varnilh will heighten it : ftir therefore ver- milion, white-lead, and varnilh together very briskly ; which done, give your work four waflies, and then follow clofely the prefcrip- tions laid down for the firlt Red varnilh. You mult in the forego- ing mixture confult with your felf, how many times you are to varnilh after the Red is laid ; for if many, confider how they will increafe and heighten the colour, which for that reafon mull be paler, and have a more large portion of white-lead allotted it. Bv thefe means we have opened a fpatious field, we have difcovered the very nature of the thing ; our Art has been freely difplayed,and tve have been neither penurious or niggardly in our communicati- ons : What admirable Products may we expect, when a lively and unlimited fancie is exercifed in an Art that is equally boundlefs and unconfined. To Uy or make Cbefnut-colour-J afan. This colour is now very much ufed, and of great efteem, efpeci- ally for Coaches ; I have alfo made other things, as Tables, Stands, and Looking-glals-frames. I mult of necelfity declare, that it lets off Gold and Metals well : and becaule variety in every thing that is new is acceptable, but chiefly to the ingenious Gentry, for whom thefe pages are intended, I could not in filence pafs this colour over. The things that make up this colour are Indian Red, or elfe Brown red Oaker, which will ferve as well : of either, tvhat quan- tity you imagin tvill ferve your turn, and with a Muller or Mar- ble-ftone grind it, mixed with ordinary fize, as fine as butter. From thence tranllate it to a pottinger ; then take a little white-lead, and laborioully grind it after the former manner, and with the fame fize : In the third place, have Lamblack ready by you ; mix this and the white-lead with the Indian Red or Oaker in the pottinger, ftirring and incorporating them together. If the colour produced by thefe three be too bright, darken it with Lamblack ; if too dark and fad, aflift it with white -lead ; this do, until you have matter- ed the colour you wilh for. One thing here commands your me- mory and obfervation ; The fame colour exactly which you make when tis thus mixt and wet, will alfo arife when tis varnifhed, al- though when tis laid and dry, twill look otherwife. Now when the colours are thus managed in the pottinger, fet it over a gentle fire, put to it fo much common fize as will give it a fit temper to work, (neither too thick, or too thin.) Being thus qualified for H bull- zd The Art of Japanning, Varnifinng, &C< bufinefs, call for a fine proportionable Hogs-hair brufll, with it walh over fmoothly your piece ; let it dry, and repeat until vour colour lie full and fair. Again,, give it a drying time, and mill it fmooth, but by no means clofe to the wood, unlefs you intend to begin your work anew, and varnilli it a fecond time. After a days reft, adorn it with three or four walhes of the fine Seed-Lacc-var- nifh ; when that is alfo dried on, varnilli it up to a body, fit to re- ceive a polilli, with your white varnilli. To conclude, its due and neceifary time being fpent, polilli and clear it up with Lamblack and Oyl. To make an Olive-colour. This performance is every way anfwerable to the former ; only inftead of thofe put Englilh Pinck : grind it with common lize, and when it has attained the confiftence of butter, convey it to a pot- tinger, and there Lamblack and White-lead mixt with it produce the Olive-colour ; if too light, Lamblack will prevent it, if too dark the other. But farther, if you think it looks too green, take raw Umber, grinded very fine with fixe ; add of that enough to take away that greenefs : And nothing then remains but a due heed and obfervance of the foregoing rules for Chefnut. But before we leave this Section, remember. That all colours laid in lize will not en- dure l'o violent a polilli as thofe in varnilli, but are more fubjedt to be rubb’d off! By thefe methods you may make any colour you can fancie ; with this admonition. That all colours, which are light and apt to tarnilh, and loole their gloffy beauty with Seed-Lacc, mult be humour’d and varnifhed with White-varnilh, the Seed-Lacc being prejudicial. CHAP. VI. To worh^ Metals or Qolours with Cjunuwater. W Henfoever you defign to work Japan in Gum-water, you are advifed to mix all your Metals and Colours, and every thing you make ufe of, with this Gum-water. But becaule there is no general Rule without exception ; therefore we under- hand all colours, except thofe which before we called Tranfparent ones, for they require a different and dill met way of operation, as the beginning of this Treatife has directed. When you defign a mixture, forget not to ftir the ingredients very well, together with the water, in a Mufcle-lhell, which I con- ceive is more proper for this undertaking, and for that reafon de- fired you to furnifh your felf with a great number of them. Be cautious, I befeech you, that you make not the mixture ol your metals or colours with the gum-water cither too thick or thiil, but endeavour to keep the golden mean between both, that it may run The Art of Japantiing , Varnijhing , &c< ty fine and fmoothly from your pencil. Befide, be not prodigal, la- vilh, and profufe of your metals, but make a quantity requifite for your prefent bufinefs only, and provide not for time to come ; for from a mixture of this nature, made in too large a proportion, fe- veral inconveniences arife. As firft, in fome fhort time, the metals Handing ulelefs, wax dry, fo that they mult be wetted fora fecond emploiment with the kid gum-water,which by repetition corrupts both the metal and the colour, by receiving too much of gum in them: and although this might be likwife prevented, bv adding fair water inltead of that mixt with gum ; yet in fpite of all care and diligence, and beyond expectation too, another trouble and fault accompanies it, and that is, the dull will gather to them and render ’em unfit and unferviceable. Again, for your colours efpe- cially, your Shells mull be often drifted and changed, otherwife the gum and colours will be both knobby and drie, in that unfeemly pofture flicking to your fhells. I believe it will be your own ne- gligence, and the fault will lie at your door, if after every minute caution and remark, whereby you may not fail of fuccefs if they are obferved, you flrould through inadvertency mifcarry. But to pro- ceed : Your metals or colours thus prepared, well mixed, and rea- dy for the bufinefs, ftir them with the pencil about the fhell, and draw it often on the fide of the fliell, that it may not be overloaded with the metal, when you defign to draw fmall ftroaks ; on the o- ther fide, not too drie, becaufe you mu ft be careful in making all your ftroaks full and fair, by no means thin and craggy ; carry your hand even and fteddy, andfinilh your line before you draw off your hand, otherwHe you may incur making the ftroak uneven, and bigger in one place than another. But when you attempt great broad things, as Leaves, or large work, then charge your pencil, very full, with this provifo only that it does not drop. Here is one obfervation to be made for Gum-water, which in Gold-fize is ufelefs and unnecefiary, and indeed very advantagious for learners, and the unskilful efpecially, and by them in a particular manner to be remarkt and obferved. But firft, tis uleful for all; for that place you intend to make your draught in mult be rubbed with a Tripolee-cloth : the reafon is this ; your black, when cleared up, will be fo glofi’y, and as it were greafie, that your metal or colour will not lie on it, unlefs it be primed with the Tripolee in that manner. So when you find any fuch greafinefs on your work, rub it with your Tripolee-cloth, and permit it to dry ; after which you will perceive the draught of your pencil to be fmooth and neat, and to your liking and fatisfadlion. Now that which 1 before fpake of in behalf of beginners is this ; It may very reafonably be fuppoled, that a practitioner in his firft attempts may not frame his piece even and regular, or his lines at a due diftance : now upon thefe or any other accounts, if he is dif- pleafed at his own handy-work, he may with this ufeful Tripolee- cloth wipeout all, or any part which he thinks unworthy to Hand, H x and 2-8 The Art cj Japanning , Varnifhing , &c. and on the fame fpot erect a new draught ; by thefe means he may mend, add, blot out, and alter, until the whole fabrick be of one entire make, good and anfwerable to each part of the undertaking. I cannot better in words exprefs my felf, or with my Pen deliver more full or plain rules for mixing your colours and metals; nei- ther can I with my tongue more fteadily guide your hand and pen. cil. I am apt to flatter my lelffo far, as to believe what I have communicated may abundantly fuffice, and 111 all therefore add no- thing more with relation to laying metals or colours, and the man- ner or method of working them in Gum-water. That part of our Profefiion which we call Setting off, or, which is the lame thing in other words. Seeding of Flowers, Veining of Leaves, Draw- ing of Faces, and making Garments, delires not our prefent con- fideration, but lhall be handled in the following pages. CHAP. VII. To >nalarni(lt Trints with White V atm fit. P Rocure a Board very fit and exact to the Print you refolve to varnifh, and thus manage it. Get common Size, which you may have at the Colour-grocers; warming it by the fire, feraping whiting into it ; make it of an indifferent thicknefs, and with the fofteft hogs-hair-brufh, proportionable to your board, wafh it once over, permitting it to dry : then white it again, and fo repeat, till it lies with a fair body, and quite covers the grain of the wood, which may be of Deal, Oak, or any other. This done, take off your whiting with rufhes very clofe, and fmooth, but not fo far as to difeover the grain : then with flower and water make a pafte thick as ftarch, and with your hand or brufh work or dawb over the backlide of your Print , with an even fteddy hand lay your Print on the board, and Hick it on as clofe as you can with all ima- ginable diligence. Suffer it not to cockle, wrinkle, or rife up in lit- tle bladders; if it fhould, prefs it down with your hand, but be fu re your hands be extraordinarily clean and free from all duff, filth, and pollution when you come to pafte on the Print, that it may not in the leaf! be foiled, before tis varnifhed. Smooth down the whole paper with your hand, pals it over and over, that every part thereof may flick clofe and adhere to the whiting. I cannot here burden you with too many cautions and caveats ; for if any the leaft part of your Print rife or bubble, the whole beauty and pride of the Picture is deftroyed when you come to varnifh. Be- ing thus clofely and carefully fixt to the board, fet it by for 14. hours, or longer ; then take the cleaneft of your Ifinglafs-iize, and with a foft pencil walh over your Print ; but be certain it be dry before you pafs it over again, which you muft do with a quick hand, and not twice in a place ; give it leifure to dry, and afford it one wafh more, with two days reft : Afterwards with the fineft and cleareft of your white-varnifh grant it fix wafhes by a gentle heat, not too nigh the fire, to avoid bliftering. When ay hours are ■ The Art of Japanning , Varnifbing, &c. j f are pall, give it eight waihes with the laid clear varnifh : lay it a- fide for two days, and then vouchfafe to anoint it fix or feven times more, giving it leave to reft two or three days. Having ad- vanced thus far, with linnen and Tripolee, both .very fine, polilh it, but with gentle and eafie ftroaks. Laftly, clear it up with oyl and flower. This I muft needs commend for a pleafing and ingenuous contri- vance ; a new fort of Speculum or Lookinglafs, which without de- ceit gives a double reprefentation. Here the Prince and Subject may (and not irreverently) meet face to face ; here I may approach my King without the introduction of a Courtier : nay, tis fo fur- prizing, that though I expert no fhadow but that of my friend graven on the paper, it will in fpite of me, in an inftant too, draw my own Picture , fo to the life, that you might without perjury fwear tis the Original. Amorous piece ! That (without the afii- ftance of a Cunning man) obliges me with a Purvey of my Self and Miftrefs together ; and by this clofe conjunction, by thefe feeming carelfes of her in Effigie , I counterfeit, nay almolt antedate our more fubftantial enjoyments ! Kind Picture too ! which will per- mit me to gaze and admire without interim 111 on, and can Pur- vey me as I do her, without anger or a blulh ! I know very well no Apelles dare pretend to delineate or make an artificial beauty, that fhall equal her natural : Know, that the perfections of her Bo. dy as far furpafs the skill of the Pencil, as thole of her Mind tran- fcend the exprelfions and abilities of the Pen. But yet, in one cir- cumftance, and one only, the Picture does excel my Miftrefs ; the ihadow is more lalting than the fubftance ; She will frown, wrin- kles and old Age muft overtake her ; but here file lives always Young, for ever blooming ; Clouds and Tempefts are banifh’t from this Hemifphere, andflie bleftes me with a gracious and perpetual Smile. C H A P. I X. How to lay Speckles or Strewings on the out , or injide of i Boxes , 'Drawers, Mouldings, &c. H Aving in readinefs a quantity of Speckles, which you think may anfwer your prefent occafion, mix them with fo much of your ordinary Lac-varnifh, as will, being put both into a Gallipot, render them fit to work with a fuitable Pencil , but by no means fo thick as you would Colours. For this ufe only you muft re- ferve a Brufh, with which you muft ftir ’em very well, and your work being gently warmed by the fire, wafh it over with it, and when dry, again. This repeat, until your Speckles lie as thick and even, as you could with or defire them ; afterwards beautifie them I % with 3 1 - The Art of japanning, Vamfhing, &C. with three or four wadies of your Varnifli mixt with Turpentine, and you have concluded all, unlefs you intend to polilh ; for then, having done every thing as above directed, tis required that you give it eight or ten walhings of your belt Lac-varnilh, which be- ing all fuccedively dried on, you are at liberty to polilh it. All forts and variety of coloured Speckles may be thus ordered, except Silver, the laying on of which choice metal deferves the bell; and fined: of your Seed-Lacc, indead of the ordinary ; and the bed white-varnifh too, mud be emploied to bring it to a polilh ; but if you conclude upon not polilhing it, be more lparing of your var- lfilh, for fewer wallies will fuffice. CHAP. X. To lay Speckles on the drawing part of fapan,mr!{, as %)cks> garments, flowers,