8b TS P7 1880 ii'ifi";!)' iiM 'iiijL iiililii c 3 w FRANKLIN INSTITUTE LIBRARY PHILADELPHIA Class A.lS!..'^. Book.RS.S^ Accession. 2.7-.^ ilii.M- i iv> intended for circulation. Aktici.k VI.— The Secretary shall have authority to lonn to Members and to holders of second class slock, any work heloiiging to the .'-Kcoxn CL.\ss, subject to the followintr regulations: Section 7.— No individual shall l)e permitted to have more than two books out at one time, without a written permission, signed by at least TWO members of the Library Committe ; nor shall a book l)e kept out more than two wkkks : but if no one has applied for it, the former bor- rower may renew the loan. Should any person have applied for it, the latter shall have the preference. Section 2. — A kink ok tkx ckxts vym wkek shall be exacted for the detention of a liook beyond the limited time ; and if a book be not re turned within three months it shall be deemed lost, and the borrower shall, in addition to his iines, forfeit its value. Section 5.— Should any book be returned injured, the borrower shall pay for the injury, or replace the book, as the Library Committee may direct : and ii" oiu- or more books, belonging to a set or sets, be lost, the borrower .rary Committee, shall l)e reported to the Committee, who may inflict any fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars. Article VIII. — No member or holder of .second class stock, whose annual c^hali be made juiblic. ■ "-~^^P^^^^-^ ^'^ J 3^, SUBSCRIBE FOR The Furniture Trade Journal, The r^^prrseiifci/ive of Anirnrtni Fiiruiiure Interests. PUBLISHED TWICE A xMOXTH. One Dollar per Year. 2S7 Broadway, New York. 70 Dearborn St., Chicago. PRACTICAL HINTS FURNITURE MEN. , .HEJvATIHG TO All kinds of Finishin^^ with full rit white shellac. Mix well, apply with brush, rub in with excelsior or tow, and clean off with rags. Filler for Rosewood. — 6 lbs. bolted English whiting, 2 lbs. calcined plaster, 1 lb. rose pink, 2 ounces Venetian red, ^ lb. Vandyke brown, %. lb. brandon red, 1 gallon boiled linseed oil, ^ gallon spirits turpentine, 1 quart black japan. Mix well, apply with brush, rub in with excelsior or tow, and clean off with rags. Sizing. — Size of different kinds is sometimes applied to the surface of wood to prevent absorption of the varnish. The kind of material used for the size is not important, the object being only to prevent absorption by a very thin coat of some substance not soluble in the varnish. For dark-colored woods, thin size, FOR FURNITURE MEN. made by reducing ordinary glue witli water, is generally used ; but for lighter-colored surfaces, a white size is used, which is prepared by boiling white kid or other leather, or parchment cuttings, in water for a few hours, or until it forms a thin jelly-like substance, which is reduced with water to a thin consistency, and used in a tepid state. Sometimes solutions of isinglass or tragacanth are employed in like manner. Unlike the best fillers, sizes of any kind do not improve the finish, and are sometimes a positive detriment to it. They are used solely as an economy to reduce the quantity of the varnish needed, and their use is not recommended for the best work. APPLICATION OF VARNISHES. Preliminary to applying the varnish the pores of the wood should be filled, according to instructions given in the preceding receipts. Sufficient time should be allowed for the filler to become perfectly hard, and if any lumps or inequalities remain, the surface should be made perfectly smooth by the use of glass paper. All dust, specks, etc., should be carefully removed by the brush made for that purpose, and the work is then ready for the varnish. Varnishes of all kinds should be uniformly applied, in very thin coats, sparingly upon the edges and angles, where the varnish is liable to accumulate. In first placing the brush on the surface, it should be applied, not close to the edge, which would be liable to give too thick a coat at that part, but at a little distance from the edge, and the strokes of the brush should be directed towards the ends alter- nately, with steady rapid strokes, and only very moderate pressure. If the surface is small, the whole may be passed over in one oper- ation, and then the brush may be returned to the edge at which work was begun, and it may be passed over the surface a second or a third time, to distribute the varnish uniformly, and work out the air bubbles. Sometimes, in small surfaces, the second series of strokes is made at right angles to the first, in order to distribute the varnish more es|,ually, and the third is laid on in the same direction as the first; but unless this is done expeditiously and equally, it leaves cross-lines, which injure the appearance of the work. 6 PRACTICAL HINTS Large surfaces are more difficult, as the varnish thickens too rapidly to allow of the entire surface being covered at one opera- tion. They must therefore either be worked gradually from the one edge to tlie other, as in lading a tint of water-coior, or the varnish must be applied upon separate portions successively ; but it is rather difficult to join the portions without leaving irregular marks. It may, however, be successfully accomplished by thinning off the edge with light strokes of the brush made in the same direction as those on the finished portion ; but some care is required to avoid disturbing the former coat while it is still soft and easily acted upon by the fresh varnish. In the same manner, in laying on a second or any subsequent coat of varnish, care must be taken not to continue the application of the brush suffici- ently long to disturb the previous coat, which is speedily softened by the fresh varnish; and if the application of the brush were continued too long, the preceding coat would be disturbed, giving to the work an irregular or chilled appearance. A sufficient inter- val of time should be allowed between each coat for the perfect evaporation of the solvent, whether alcohol, turpentine or oil. The time required for this depends partly upon the kind of varnish employed, and partly on the state of the atmosphere. Under ordinary circumstancss, spirit varnishes generally require from two to three hours between every coat; turpentine varnishes mostly require six or eight hours; and oil varnishes still longer — sometimes as much as twenty-four hours. But whatever time may be required, the second layer should never be added until the first is permanently hard; as when one layer is defended from the air by a second, its drying is almost stopped, and it remains soft and adhesive. in applying spirit \arnish, some little tact and expedition are necessary, in order to spread the varnish uniformly over the sur- face before it becomes too much thickened by evaporation, or it will exhibit a very irregular surface when finished. If the surface does not exceed a few inches square, no material difficulty is exper- ienced, as the whole may be brushed over two or three times before the varnish becomes too thick ; but surfaces containing two or three square feet present much greater difficultv, as it is neces- FOR P^URNITURE MEN. sary that the varnish should be sufficiently worked with the brush to exclude all minute air-bubbles, which would spoil the appear- ance of the work, and can seldom be entirely removed until just before the varnish is becomingjto thick to flo-v or spread uniformly after the brush has passed over it. Turpentine and oil varnishes are applied in the same general manner as spirit varnishes : but as they dry more slowly, more time may be occupied in laying on the varnish, and therefore large surfaces may be more easily and uniformly covei-ed ; but the same precautions with respect to the dryness and waririth of the atmosphere are likewise desirable when it is wished to produce a brilliant surface. Every precaution should also be taken to prevent any dust, or loose hairs from the brush, becoming accidentally attached to the varnish. Should this occur they will require to be carefuHv picked out with the point of a pen-knife and the surface of the varnish leveled with fine glass-paper, prior to the application of the next coat. In using spirit varnishes, it is at all times of the first importance that particular attention should be given to doing the varnishing in a dry atmosphere ; as all solutions of resins in alcohol are pre- cipitated by the addition of water, not only as visible moisture, but even as vapor, which is at all times deposited by the atmosphere at a reduced temperature, in the form of invisible dew, and in this state it precipitates the resin in the thin coat of varnish, and gives the surface a milky, clouded or opaque appearance, when the var- nish is said to be chilled. But this effect is frequently produced even on a warm and apparently fine summer day, when the atmos- phere happens to be more than usually charged with moisture. This is a frequent stumbling block in varnishing, and is only to be obviated by carrying on the process in a room sufficiently warmed to keep the moisture suspended in the air until the solvent has completely evaporated. Not only should the room be sufficientlv heated, but all currents of cold air must be avoided, as cold drafts if suffered to pass over the recently varnished surface, are quite sufficient to dull the var- nish wherever they extend. When the varnish has been chilled, 8 PRACTICAL HINTS the brilliancy and clearness may frequently be restored by giving the chilled surface another thin coat of varnish, taking care to avoid the causes of the former failure, and immediately holding the varnished surface at a moderate distance froin a fire, so as to warm it sufficiently to partially re-dissolve the chilled coat; but care is necessary to avoid heating the varnish so much as to raise blisters, in which case no remedy would remain but to scrape off the entire coat. The temperature generally preferred for the varnish room is about 72 deg. F., but a few degrees more or less are not important Brushes for Varnishing. — For spirit varnishes, camels-hair pencils and brushes are used, the sizes of which vary from one- quarter to three-quarters of an inch diameter, according to the size of the work. When the surfaces are very large, flat camel-hair brushes are used ; but from their comparative thinness they scarcely contain a sufficient quantity of varnish to preserve the brush uniformly charged in passing over a large surface. Turpentine and oil varnishes require less delicacy ; and flat brushes, made of fine soft bristles, are generally used, or sometimes ordinary paint- ing brushes are employed, but they are rather harsh, and, owing to the adhesion of the varnish, the hairs are apt to be loosened, and come out. Brushes should always be kept perfectly soft and clean, and therefore should never be laid aside when through work, with- out cleaning. For this purpose turpentine is best; the brushes can either be washed out quite clean in it, dried on a cloth, and laid aside, or the bristles can be partially immersed in turpentine and allowed to remain in it until wanted for use. Warm \vater and soap will also serve to clean the brushes. IC, however the brushes are laid aside without being thoroughly cleaned, they will certainly be ruined by the hardening of the varnish. Varnish Pan. — This can be procured at the color-shops. It is constructed of tin, with a false bottom ; the interval between the two bottoms is filled with sand, which being heated over the fire keeps the varnish fluid, and it flows more readily from the brush. There is a tin handle to it, and the false bottom slopes from one end to the other, which gives sufficient depth when the varnish is FOR FURNITURE MEN. 9 low. It should also have a wire fixed across the top to wipe the brush against. An ordinary preserve-jar is frfquently used for containing the varnish, and is sufficiently suitable; but it also should have a wire or string stretched across the top, for reducing the quantity of varnish taken up by the brush. The quantity of varnish poured into the jar should be sufficient to nearly cover the hairs of the brush in order to keep it soft. Too small a quantity of varnish is liable to thicken rapidly by evaporation, which should at all times be prevented as far as possible, by keeping the vessel closely covered when not in actual use. RUBBING. This part of the finishing process is that which gives to the varnish when laid upon the wood a degree of smooth- ness not otherwise attainable; for by the use of the brush alone, minute furrows and ridges are left upon the plastic surface of the varnish ; and although good varnish possesses in itself a high gloss, the gloss is not nearly so agreeable to the eye as the bril- liant polish, of which rubbing is the preliminary. The reduction of these ridges and furrows is accomplished by means of finely- powdered pumice-stone moistened with raw linseed oil, applied with a piece of hair-cloth or other coarse and fibrous material. For rubbing large flat surfaces the hair-cloth is sometimes folded over a block of convenient size, but this is not practicable for articles of small size or irregular shape. In rubbing considerable force must be used, but the stroke should be steady and as long as possible, and great care should be taken to rub the surface uni- formly, as in case it is rubbed unevenly the varnish is liable to be worn away quite to the wood in some places, and the perfect smoothness that is the beauty of a good finish will thus be impos- sible. The edges especially are liable to be rubbed bare, and should be carefully treated. The crevices and hollows of carv- ings are rubbed by means of hard pointed sticks of various con- venient sizes. The rubbing should be continued until the entire surface appears perfectly smooth and free from marks of any kind. The surplus pumice-stone and oil should all be carefully removed from the surface by means of rags, and the work may 10 PRACTICAL HINTS then be cleaned up with a little sweet oil well rubbed in, and retouched with a cloth slightly dampened in alcohol, which serves to remove any remaining oil from the surface. If article has \eneered panels, thej are now ready for the final processes of '■polishing" or "flowing." FLOWING AND POLISHING. Flowing. — Flowing is the process of giving the work, after it has been properly prepared, a coat of varnish made expressly for that purpose, called flowing varnish. Veneered panels are usually finished this way. Some finishers, when the body --work is to be dead-finish with flowed panels, coat the panels with the same varnish — shellac or other — used for the body, and rub them with pumice-stone and oil ; in fact, up to the point of flowing make no difference whatever in the treatment of the body-work and the panels. Such treatment is not recommended; whatever varnish is used for the bodj'-work, the panels should be coated with two or three coats of the best rubbing varnish ; oil should not be used for rubbing, as, if the surface is at all greasy, the subsequent coat of flowing varnish cannot be evenly laid, therefore water should be used with the pumice-stone for rubbing, in place of oil. After the rubbing is completed, wash oft" with a sponge and dry with a chamois skin. Let it stand for a day, and after freeing the work of all pumice-stone and dust, take it to the flowing-room, which should be clean, dry, and free from dust and all drafts of air, apply the varnish with a flat brush of suitable width made of badger or fitch hair; lay the varnish on smoothly and evenly, leaving no marks of the brush. The quicker tiie varnish is put on, and the less it is worked, the better it will look. Let it stand in the room until it is hard enough to handle. Upholstered work should not be flowed until it comes from the hands of the upholsterer and is ready for the ware-rooms. Varnish Poli.shing. — Tliis process is used when it is desired to give to the work a bright lustre, different from the natural gloss, and resulting from a perfectly smooth surface produced by rubbing. The previously applied coats of rubbing varnish having been rubbed down with pumice-stone and water, one or more coats of FOR FURNITURE MEN. 11 polishing varnish is appHed, rubbed down as before, and brought toabright mirror-like surface with rotten-stone and water. Clean up with a little sweet oil, and afterward with a cloth dampened in alcohol. VARIETIES OF FINISH. The processes of finishing having been described, it now remains to explain varieties of finishing in use; these are largely derived from the peculiar qualities of the different varnishes used, for full explanation of which see article Varnishes. Polishing- varnishes, which are very hard and durable, are so called because their surface can be brought to a high luster by rubbing with the proper materials. Flowingor finishing- varnishes contain more oil than polishing-varnishes, dry more slowly, and are softer, but their peculiar qualities are brilliancy and durability, fitting them for work requiring a brilliant gloss, such as veneered panels. Rubbing-varnishes are those that dry sufficiently hard to admit of being rubbed to a smooth surface. Turpentine varnishes, being the cheapest variety are employed for cheap work, such as com- mon chairs, bedsteads, (Sic. In general terms it may be said that the particular filler, stain or other preliminary application used exercises on important influence over the appearance of the finish, and that a great variety of combinations are possible. For dif- ferent woods different fillers are used, the basis in most cases being the same, the difference being principally in the coloring material, and this is capable of great variation, to suit individual tastes. The same is true of stains, and under the head of Stains and Fillers will be found all needed information concerning the applications proper for diflierent woods, with methods for using them. The varnish or other covering material used subsequently, will here be treated of separately. Dead-Finish. — This term is applied to the finish produced by the reduction of any of the rubbing varnishes with powdered pumice-stone and raw linseed oil, (see Rubbing) the surface thus produced being left in the semi-lustrous state, by omitting the polishing process. It is now more used than any other for body work, shellac varnish being generally employed because of its 12 PRACTICAL HINTS adaptation to the requirements of fine cabinet-work, and its prop- erties of quick and hard drying. Copal, anime and amber varnishes are also used, but are slower drying. Veneered panels are usually " flowed " or " polished " when the body work is dead- finished. The number of coats required depends somewhat upon the quality of the filler, but usually three coats, and sometimes less are amply sufficient. Varxish Fixish. — Forclieap work — One coat of filler or stain, followed by one coat of cheap turpentine varnish, without rubbing. In this class of work, the brilliancy of the gloss and covering qualities of the varnish are principally considered. The cheaper turpentine varnishes have a brilliant gloss, and dry very hard, but the gloss is not permanent, and after drying, the gum is very brittle and easily cracked and broken. The gum used is princi- pally common resin. Wax Fixisii. — Mix together with heat, white wax and spirits of turpentine to the consistency of thick paste; when cold, apply it to the work with a rag; rub on heavily so as to fill the pores of the wood ; remove all wax from the surface with a wooden scraper made in the shape of a carpenter's chisel; smooth off with a bunch of soft rags by rubbing hard and quick for a'few minutes; finish with a little French polish applied with a cotton pad. (See Frexcii Polish.) For table tops and all large flat surfaces, allow the wax to remain on and finish with a warm iron by pass- ing it lightly and quickly over the work until the wax is made smooth and the surface is sufficiently polished. This is not considered a desirable finish, as it is not durable and water spots it very easily. I.MiTATiox Wax Fixish. — Use the light colored filler, named under head of Fillers. Apply three coats of white shellac; rub down with pumice-stone and oil; clean up with brown japan and spirits of turpentine mixed. Varnish-polish the panels. Ebony Finish. — This finish is usually applied to cherry, or other light-colored woods having little grain. The ebony appear- ance is produced by the use of a stain, various receipts for which FOR FURNITURE MEN, 13 will be found under the head of Stains. White shellac is the varnish usually employed, but soine prefer the best rubbing-var- nishes. Whatever varnish is selected, it should be as near as possible transparent, as otherwise the color of the work will appear to be greenish or brown. Not more than three coats should be applied, as successive coats of the most transparent var- nish, will cause an opaque or clouded appearance. Experience and care are required to successfully rub an ebonized article, as the varnish must be rubbed almost to the wood, and if rubbed toa deep a portion of the stain is removed, leaving a spot. Especial care should hs used in rubbing the angles. Ebony Finlsh. — Instead of staining the wood and applying successive coats of transparent rubbing-varnish, a black varnish (or more properly speaking, a lacker) is often laid upon the surface of the wood. This process possesses the advantage of being very speedy, not occupying inore time than ordinary spirit-varnishing, but on the other hand, the rapid hardening of the gum prevents the varnish from entering into and becoming fixed in the pores, so that it lies in a thin, hard, but very brittle coating upon the sur- face, and is very readily broken and scaled off, leaving spots of the original color of the wood, that cannot be properly repaired. Shellac varnish is generally used for this finish and is prepared by adding to it, drop-black or perfectly pure lamp-black, containing no grease or other foreign substance, sufficient to make it perfectly' black. Apply one or more coats of this to the work, and finish by adding the necessary number of coats of brown shellac, and rubbing in the usual way. This finish is employed when it is desired to engrave or carve a design through ebonized work, -thus making the natural color of the wood appear in contrast to the black. French - Polishing. — This is a method of varnishing by rubbing the varnish upon t'le surface of the wood instead of applying it with brushes. When varnish is applied simply with a brush, a comparatively uneven surface results, rendering necessary the subsequent processes of rubbing and polishing, but by the method of French-polishing, a smooth and continuous surface, hard and not easily scratched, is secured. 14 PRACTICAL HINTS All the polishes are applied very much in the same way and a general description will therefore be suft'icient. To obtain a good polish with lac varnish on wood, the quantity applied must be very small, and must be rubbed continuously until dry. If the work be porous or coarse grained, it will be necessary to give it a coat of thin, clear size previous to commencing with the polish; when drv, the surface must be smoothed with fine glassor sand- paper. The size fills up the pores and saves the polish, and also saves considerable time in the operation. Make a wad of cotton-batting, covered with several folds of very fine, soft linen cloth ; put the wad or cushion to the mouth of the bottle containing the preparation (or polish) and shake it suf- ficiently to damp the cloth; then proceed to lightly rub the work with circular motion ; as the rubber become drier, the pressure may be increased, but care should be taken not to press too heavily when the rubber contains much polish, as streakiness will result. The circular motion should be continued until the rubber becomes quite dry when niore polish may be taken upon it and the rubbing renewed. It should be borne in mind that the rubber should never be raised directly from the work, but should be raised with a sweeping motion ; also that it should never for a moment remain quitt upon the surface ; and that its motion should be as even as possible; neglect of these precautions will produce a rough surface wherever the rubber remains quiet or is improperly removed. The circular rubbing must be continued until the surface appears per- fectly smooth and the pores are no longer visible. Be very par- ticular to keep the cloth covering of the wad clean and soft; it is desirable to use a clean portion each time it is dipped in the polish. It is quite likely that in about twelve hours after the above opera- tion the surface of the work will be lustreless, and the grain plainly visible; in that case proceed over the work again until the grain is thoroughly filled. French-polishing is a process requiring particular care and skill, and considerable experience is necessary to produce good results. The Ingredient-S. — Shellac, dissolved in alcohol is the basis of all French-polishes, and some finishers use thin shellac varnish witliout other admixture, slightly moistening the rubber with FOR FURNITURE MEN. 16 linseed oil to prevent stickiness and make it work smoothly. There is a great variety of admixtures and diversity in the pro- portion of ingredients, but the dilTerences are not material. We subjoin a number of receipts. The Gexuine French-Pollsh. — To one point of spirits of wine add a quarter of an ounce of gum-copal, a quarter of an ounce of gum-Arabic, and one ounce of shellac. Let the gums be well bruised, and sifted through a piece of muslin. Put the spirits and the gums together in a vessel that can be closely corked ; place them near a warm stove, and fre- quently shake them. In two or three days they will be dissolved. Strain the mixture through a piece of muslin, and keep it tight corked for use. French-Polish. — Take one ounce each of mastic, sandarac, seedlac, shellac, gumlac, and gum-Arabic; reduce them to powder; and add a quarter of an ounce of virgin wax ; put the whole into a bottle, with one quart of rectified spirits of wine; let it stand twelve hours, and it will be fit for use. French-Polish. — Put into a glass bottle one ounce of gumlac, two drachms of mastic in drops, four drachms of sandarac, three ounces of shellac, and half an ounce of gum dragon ; reduce the whole to powder ; add it to a piece of camphor the size of a nut, and pour on it eight ounces of rectified spirits of wine. Stop the bottle close, but take care, when the gums are dissolving, that it is not more than half full. Place near a warm stove until dissolved. Other French-Polish Receipts. — 1 pint naptha, d}4 ounces orange shellac, ^ ounce elima. Darkei; with red saunders wood To one pint of spirits of wine, add half an ounce of gum shellac, half an ounce of seed lac, and a quarter of ounce of gum sandarac; submit the whole to a gentle heat, frequently shaking it, till the various gums are dissolved, when it is fit for use. Shellac 6 ounces, naptha 1 quart, sandarac 1 ounce, benzoin ^ ounce. Three ounces shellac, }4 ounce of gum mastic pulverized, and 10 PRACTICAL HINTS one pint of methylated spirits of wine added. Let it stand till dissolved. Twelve ounces shellac, 2 ounces gum elima, 3 ounces gum copal, 1 gallon of spirits of wine; dissolve. The following must be well mixed and dissolved: — Pale shellac 2X pounds, 3 ounces mastic, 3 ounces sandarac, 1 gallon spirits of wine. After the above is dissolved, add 1 pint copal varnish, 1 ^ ounces shellac, J4 ounce gum juniper, J^ ounce benzoin, }4 pint of methylated alcohol. An Improved Polish. — To a pint of spirits of wine add, in fine powder, one ounce seedlac, two drachms of gum guaiacum, two drachms of dragon's-blood, and two drachms of gum mastic ; expose them, in a vessel stopped close, to a moderate heat for three hours, until you find the gums dissolved; strain the whole into a bottle for use, with a quarter of a gill of the best linseed oil, to be shaken up well with it. This polish is more particularly intended for dark-coloured woods — for it is apt to give a tinge to light ones, as satin-wood, or air-wood, &c., — owing to the admixture of the dragon's-blood, which gives it a red appearance. Water-prook Polish. — Take a pint of spirits of wine, two ounces of gum benzoin, a quarter of an ounce of gum sandarac, and a quarter of an ounce of gum anime; these must be put into a stopped bottle, and placed either in a sand-bath or in hot water till dissolved ; then strain the mixture, and, after adding about a quarter of a gill of the best clear poppy oil, shake it well up, and put it by for use. Prepared Spirits. — This preparation is useful for finishing aftei any of the foregoing receipts, as it adds to the lustre and durability, as well as removes every defect, of the other polishes; and it gives the surface a most brilliant appearance. Half a pint of the very best rectified spirits of wine, two drachms of shellac, and two drachms of gum benzoin. Put these ingredients into a bottle, and keep it in a warm place till the gum is all dissolved, shaking it frequently; when cold, add two tea- FOR FURNITURE MEN. 17 spoonfuls of the best clear white poppy oil; shake them well together, and it is fit for use. Tiiis preparation is used in the same maimer as the foregoing polishes; but, in order to remove all dull places, you may increase the pressure in rubbing. Polish for Turners' Work. — Dissolve 1 ounce of sand- arach in _^ pint of spirits of wine; shave 1 ounce of beeswax, and dissolve it in a sufficient quantity of spirits of turpentine to make it into a paste, add the former mixture to it by degrees; then, with a woolen cloth, apply it to the work while it is in motion in the lathe, and polish it with a soft linen rag; it will appear as if highly varnished. STAINING. Staining is the process of imparting to the surface of w ood a color different from its natural one. It consists of two varieties, surface-staining and body-staining. In the former, as the name implies, the staining is effected by various compounds in the nature of pigments, laid upon the surface like paint, and forming a thin opaque coating, which does not, to any considerable degree affect the fibre of the wood. In the latter, the changes are chem- ical, the stain being usually applied as a thin wash, which, entering the pores of the wood, colors it to some depth be!ow the surface. Staining requires no preliminary preparation, the stain being applied directly to the wood. As most stains raise the grain ot^ the wood to a considerable extent, it is necessary before applying the varnish, to sand-paper the wood enough to render the grain quite smooth ; this sometimes renders a second coat necessary, after which the sand-paper must be again applied. Black Stain. — Boil y^ lb. of chip logwood in 2 quarts of water, add one oz. of pearl-ash, and apply it hot to the work with a brush ; then take y^ lb. of logwood, boil it as before in 2 quarts of water, and add ^ oz. of verdigris and >^ oz. of copperas; strain it oft", put in Yz lb. of rusty steel filings, and with this go over the work a second time. A Good Black Stain. — 1. Gall-nuts coarsely broken, 3 18 PRACTICAL HINTS ounces, rain-water, 1 quart; boil until reduced one-half. 2. White vinegar, pint, iron filings, 2 ounces, antimony (powdered) 2 ounces, vitriol, 1 ounce, logwood a small handfull. Infuse in bottle eight days, tying the cork down. To stain a piece of wood, give the wood a coating of No. 1, which acts as a mordant; when nearly dr\' put on No. 2; let it dry quite, and then brush it over again with No. 2. Black Staix. — Boil the extract of logwood in water and to it add slowly a little of the yellow prussiate of potash. Brush on hot. Black Staix. — Boil 1 lb. logwood in 4 quarts of water; add a double handful of walnut-peel or shells, boil it up again, take out the chips, add a pint of the best vinegar and it will be fit for use; apply hot. This will be improved by applying over the first stain, a solution of one ounce of green copperas in a quart of water. Brown Staix. — Boil 1 lb. of the brown pigment called Terre de Cassel with 4 quarts of water, until it is reduced one-third. Mix 2 ounces (Troy) of white potash with sufficient water to dis- solve it, and mix with the Terre de Cassel. This stain must be applied with a brush, two or even three times, according to the depth of the shade required. Walnut Staix. — Mix together by stirring, 1 quart spirits of turpentine, 1 pint asphaltum varnish, 1 pint of japan, 1 lb. dry burnt umber, 1 lb. dry Venetian red; applv with a brush. This stain is transparent, and allows the grain of the wood to show through. Walxlt Staix.— Boil 1^ ounces washing-soda, and }^ ounce bichromate of potash, in 1 quart of water ; add 2_J^ ounces Van- dyke brown. This stain may be used either hot or cold. Walxut Staix. — With a brush apply a thin solution of permanganate of potassa in water, until the desired color is pro- duced, allowing each coat to dry before another is applied. Oak Staix. — Add to a quart of water, 2 ounces each of potash and pearl-ash. Tiiis is a very good stain, but it should be used FOR FURNITURE MEN. 19 carefully as it blisters the hands and softens brushes. The stain may be made lighter by adding more water. Oak Stains. — To darken the color of oak any of the following may be used : Liquid ammonia laid on evenly with a rag or brush will deepen the color immediately, and it will not fade, this being an artificial production of result produced naturally by age. Bichromate of potash, dissolved in cold water, and applied with a brush will produce a similar result. A decoction of green walnut-shells will bring new oak to any shade or nearly black. Rosewood Stain. — Mix in a bottle ^ lb. of extract of log- wood, one oz. salts of tartar and one pint of water; in another bottle, put one pound of old iron in small pieces and one pint of vinegar, which after standing twenty-four hours will be ready for use ; make a hard, stiff brush with a piece of rattan sharpened at one end in a wedge shape, pounding it so as to separate the fibre. Mix in one pint of varnish, ^ lb. of finely powdered rose pink. The materials are now ready, and the first thing in the process is to stain the wood with the logwood stain ; give two coats of this, allowing the first to become nearly dry before applying the second; then dip the rattan brush in the vinegar and with it form the grain, after which give the work a coat of the varnish and rose-pink. There can be no definite directions given for graining, except to study the natural wood and imitate it as near as possible. With the above materials skillfully applied, any common wood can be made to resemble rose.vood so nearly that it will take a good judge to distinguish the difference. Rosewood Stain. — Boil one pound of logwood in one gallon of water, add a double handful of walnut-shells, boil the whole again, strain the liquor and add to it one pint of the best vinegar. It is then ready for use. Apply it boiling hot, and when the wood is dry, form red veins in imitation of the grain of rosewood with a brush dipped in the following solution: Nitric acid, 1 pint; metallic tin, 1 ounce; sal ammoniac, 1 ounce. Mix and set aside to dissolve, occasionally shaking. 20 PRACTICAL HINTS Cherry Stain. — Mix together, by stirring, one quart of spirits of turpentine, one pint of varnish, and one pound of dry burnt sienna; apply with 'a brush and after it has been on about five minutes wipe it oft" with rags. This stain takes about 12 hours to dry. Red]Stain, for common work. — Archil will produce a very good stain of itself, when used cold, but if after one or two coats have been applied and suffered to get almost dry, it is brushed over with a hot solution of pearl-ash in water, it will improve the color. Mahogany Stain. — To darken mahogany, apply a weak solu- tion of bichromate of potash in water. Apply successive coats allowing each to dr}', until the rtquired shade is secured. Surface .St.mn.s. — The following are for the most part used to apply to woods of inferior quality, to make them resemble choicer woods. The colors are all to be mixed with very thin glue size, laid on warm with a soft woolen material, and the wood wiped dry after application. All the colors used in staining should be well pulverized, and before use the liquid should be strained. Iimtation Oak Stain. — Equal parts burnt umber and brown ochre. Imitation Mahogany Stain. — One part Venetian red and two parts yellow lead. Imitation Rose-Mood Staiii. — Venetian red, darkened with lamp- black to required shade. Imitation\Walnut Stain. — Burnt umber and yellow ochre, mixed in proportions to give desired shade. Fine Cri.mson Stain. — Boil one pound oi good Brazil dust in three quarts of water for an hour; strain it,, and add half an ounce of cochineal ; boil it again gently tor half an hour, and it will be fit for use. If you will have it more of a scarlet tint, boil half an ounce of "•atlVon in a quart of water for an hour, and pass over the work previous to the red stain. Plki'Le .Stain, — To a pound of good chip logwood, put three FOR FURNITURE MEN. 21 quarts of water; boil it well for an hour; then add four ounces oj pearlash, and two ounces of indigo pounded. Fine Blue Stain. — Into a pound of oil of vitriol (sulphuric acid) in a clean glass phial, put four ounces of indigo, and proceed as above directed in dyeing purple. Fine Green Stain. —To two pints of the strongest vinegar, add four ounces of the best verdigris pounded fine, half an ounce of sap green, and half an ounce of indigo. Distilled vinegar, or verjuice, improves the color. Yellow Stain. — Dissolve ]^ lb. turmeric in one pint alcohol ; let it stand until the turmeric settles to the bottom. Yellow Stain. — A small piece of aloes added to the varnish will have all the effect of a bright yellow stain. To Brighten Stain.s. — Any of the stains named (except the surface stains) will be rendered much more brilliant by an appli- cation of the following: 1 ounce nitric acid, % teaspoonful muria- tic acid, )^ ounce grain tin, two ounces rain water. Mix in a bottle, at least two davs before using, and keep the bottle well corked. DYEING WOOD. Dyeing wood is mostly applied for the purpose of veneers, while staining is more generally had recourse to give the desired color to the article after it has been manufactured. In the one case, the color should penetrate throughout, while in the 'after the surface is all that is essential. In dyeing pear-tree, holly, and beech, take the best black; but for most colors, holly is preferable. It is also best to have wood as voung and as newly cut as possible. After the veneers are cut, they should be allowed to lie in a trough of water for four or five days before they are put into the copper; as the water, acting as a purgative to the wood, brings out an abundance of slimy matter, which must be removed, or the wood will never be a good color. After this pvirificatory process, they should be dried in the open air for at least twelve hours. They are then ready for the copper. By these simple means, the color will strike much quicker, and be 22 PRACTICAL HINTS of a brighter hue. It would also add to the improvement of the colors, if, after the veneers have boiled a few hours, the}' are taken out, dried in the air, and again immersed in the coloring copper. Always dry veneers in the open air, for fire invariably injures the colors. Fine Black Dye. — Put six pounds of chip logwood into the copper, with as many veneers as it will conveniently hold, without pressing too tight; fill it with water, and let it boil sloivly for about three hours; then add half a pound of powdered verdigris, half a pound of copperas, and four ounces of bruised nut-galls; fill the copper up with vinegar as the water e\aporates; let it boil gently two hours each day till the wood is dyed through. F'lNE Bl.vck Dye. — Procure some liquor from a tanner's pit, or make a strong decoction of oak-bark, and to every gallon of the liquor add a quarter of a pound of green copperas, and mix them well together; put the liquor into the copper, and make it quite hot, but not boil ; immerse the veneers in it, and let them remain for an hour; take them out, and expose them to the air till it has penetrated its substance; then add some logwood to the solution, p'.acethe veneers again in it, and let it simmer for two or three hours; let the whole cool gradually, dry the veneers in the shade, and they will be a very fine black. Fine Blue Dye. — Into a clean glass bottle put one pound of oil of vitriol, and four ounces of the best indigo pounded in a mortar, (take care to set the bottle in a basin or earthen glazed pan, as it will ferment;) then put the veneers into a copper or stone trough ; fill it rather more than one-third with water, and add as much of the vitriol and indigo (stirring it about) as will make a fine blue, which may be known by trying it with a piece of white paper or wood. Let the veneers remain till the dye has struck through. The color w ill be much improved, if the solution of indigo in vitriol be kept a few weeks before using it. The color will strike better, if the veneers are boiled in plain water till completely soaked through, and then allowed for a few hours to dry partially, previous to being immersed in the dye. FOR FURNITURE MEN. Fine Blue Dye. — Throw pieces of quicklime into soft water; stir it well; when settled, strain. or pour oif the clear part; then to every gallon add ten or twelve ounces of the best turnsole; put the whole into the copper with the veneers, which should be of white holly, and prepared as usual by boiling in water; let them simmer gently till the color has sufficiently penetrated, but be careful not to let them boil in it, as it would injure the color. A Fine Yellow Dye. — Reduce four pounds of the root of barberry, by sawing, to dust, which put in a copper or brass trough ; add fovu* ounces of turmeric and four gallons of water, then put in as many white holly veneers as the. liquor will cover; boil them together for three hours, often turning them ; when cool, add two ounces of aquafortis and the dye will strike through much soonei". A Bright Yellow Dye. — To every gallon of water, necessary to cover the veneers, add one pound of P'rench berries; boil the veneers till the color has penetrated through; add to the infu- sion of the French berries, the liquid for brightening colors given on page 24, and let the veneers remain for two or three hours, and the color will be very bright. Bright Green Dye. — Proceed as in either of the previous receipts to produce a yellow ; but instead of adding aquafortis or the brightening liquid, add as much vitriolated indigo (see page 22) as will produce the desired color. Green Dye. — Dissolve four ounces of the best verdigris, and of sap-green and indigo half an ounce each, in three pints of the best vinegar; put in the veneers, and gently l^oil till the color has penetrated sufficiently. The hue of the green may be varied by altering the proportion of the ingredients; and it is advised, unless wanted for a particular purpose, to leave out the sap-green, as it is a vegetable color very apt to change, or turn brown, when exposed to the air. Bright Red Dye. — To two pounds of genuine Brazil dust, add four gallons of water; put in as many veneers as the liquor will cover; boil them for three hours; then add twooimces of alum. 24 PRACTICAL HINTS and two ounces of aquafortis, and keep it lukewarm luitil it has struck through. Red Dve. — To every pound of logwood chips, add two gallons of water; put in the veneers, and boil as in the last; then add a sufficient quantity of the brightening liquid (see page 24) til! you see the color to your mind; keep the whole as warm as the finger can be borne in it, till the color has sufficiently penetrated. The logwood chips should be picked from all foreign substances, with which it generally abounds, as bark, dirt, etc. ; and it is always best when fresh cut, which may be known by its appearing of a bright red color; for if stale, it will look brown, and not yield so much coloring matter. Purple Dye. — To two pounds of chip logwood and half a pound of Brazil dust, add four gallons of water, and after putting in the veneers, boil them for at least three hours ; then add six ounces of pearlash and two ounces of alum ; let them boil for two or three hours every day, till the color has struck through. The Brazil dust only contributes to make the purple of a more red cast; you may, therefore, omit it, if you require a deep bluish purple. Purple Dye. — Boil two pounds of logwood, either in chips or powder, in four gallons of water, with the veneers; after boiling till the color is well struck in, add by degrees vitriolated indigo, (see page 22,)till the pvu-ple is of the shade required, which may be known by trying it with a piece of paper; let it then boil for one hour, and keep the liquid in a milk-warm state till the color has penetrated the veneer. This method, when properly managed, will produce a brilliant purple, not so likely to fade as the fore- going. Liquid for Brightening and Setting Colors — To every pint of strong aquafortis, add one ounce of grain tin, and a piece of sal-ammoniac of the size of a walnut; set it by to dissolve, shake the bottle round with the cork out, from time to time; in the course of two or three days it will be lit for use. This will be found an admirable liquid to add to any color, as it not only FOR FURNITURE MEN. 25 brightens it, but renders it less likely to fade from exposure to the air. Orange Dye. — Let the veneers be dyed, by either of tlie methods given in page 23, of a fine deep yellow, and while they are still wet and saturated with the dye, transfer them to the bright red dye as in page 23, till the color penetrates equally throughout. Silver Gray Dye. — Expose to the weather in a cast-iron pot of six or eight gallons, old iron nails, hoops, etc., till covered with rust; add one gallon of vinegar, and two of water, boil all weil for an hour; have the veneers ready, which must be air-wood,(not too dry,) put them in the copper used to dye black, and pour the iron liquor over them; add one pound of chip logwood, and two ounces of bruised nut-galls; then boil up another pot of the iron liquor to supply the copper with, keeping the veneers covered, and boiling two hours a day, till of the required color. Gray Dye. — Expose any quantity of old iron, or what is better, the borings of gun-barrels, etc., in any convenient vessel, and from time to to time sprinkle them with spirits of salt, (muriatic acid,) diluted in four times its quantity of water, till they are very thickly covered with rust; then to every six pounds add a gallon of water, in which has been dissolved two ounces of salt of tartar; lay the veneers in the copper, and cover them with this liquid : let it boil for two or three hours till well soaked, then to every gallon of liquor add a quarter of a pound of green copperas, and keep the whole at a moderate temperature till the dye has suffici- ently penetrated. GILDING, SILVERING AND BRONZING. Gilding, Silvering and Bronzing are processes of apply- ing to previously prepared surfaces a thin layer of gold or silver leaf, or in bronzing, of a fine powder, prepared from various metals and intended to imitate the peculiar appearance of genuine bronze. The processes of gilding and silvering being identical, the descrip- tion of one will suffice to explain the other. Gilding. — Gold leaf, applied to articles of furniture as a means of decoration, is used in two ways ; it is applied over an 26 PRACTICAL HINTS ordinary varnish or other finish, in which case but Hllle special preparation is necessary; or, as when ined for picture frames, cor- nices, etc., it is applied to a specially prepared foundation, the basis of which is whiting, mixed with various other ingredients sug- gested by experience or fancy. In either case, the gold leaf is caused to adhere to the work, by size specially prepared for the purpose, receipts for which are given below ; the size being first applied to the work, and when it has become of the right consis- tency, the gold is laid upon it. Oil - Gilding and Burnish- Gilding are different methods used to obtain certain desired effects, the former principally for articles exposed to the weather, and for heightening the effect of incised carving or engraving, SO O O O' and the latter for picture-frames and articles having a specially- prepared foundation, whose entire surface is to be gilded. It is intended that the gold shall adhere to the work only in the places to which the size has been applied, but the smallest portion of oil or even a slight dampness may cause the gold to partially adhere to the adjoining surface, resulting in slightly-ragged edges ; to prerent this, before applying the size to the desired design, the entire surface is covered with a thin film of some substance per- fectly free from moisture, and easily removable by water, after completion of the process. Directions regarding this preliminary process are given under the caption: To Prevent Gold Adhering. The Requisites. — First, a sufficient quantity of leaf-gold, which is of two sorts — the deep gold, as it is called, and the pale gold. The former is the best; the latter very useful, and may occasionally be introduced for variety or effect. Second, a gilder's cushion : an oblong piece of wood, covered with rough calf-skin, stuffed with flannel several times doubled, with a border of parchment, about four inches deep, at one end, to prevent the air blowing the leaves about when placed on the cushion. Thirdly, a gilding-knife, with a straight and vi^iy smooth edge, to cut the gold. Fourthly, several camel-hair pencils in sizes, and tips, made of a few long camel's hairs put between two cards, in the same man- FOR FURNITURE MEN. 27 ner as hairs are put into tin cases for brushes, thus making a flat brush with a very few hairs. Lastly, a burnisher, which is a crooked piece of agate set in a long wooden handle. Sizes. — These are of two kinds : oil sizes are those which when applied, present an adhesive surface, requiring the immedi- ate laying of the gold-leaf upon it; of this class is the oil-size commonly used in decorating furniture : water sizes are those that are allowed to become dry and hard when applied, and are rendered adhesive when the gold is to be laid, by brushing over with water ; for burnish-gilding these are always employed, as oil-size does not dry sufficiently hard to permit of burnishing. Oil-Size for Oil-Gilding.~ Grind calcined red-ochre with the best and oldest drying-oil. When desired for use, add suffi- cient oil of turpentine to make it work freely. Parchment-Size — For preparing Frames, etc. — To half a pound of parchment shavings, or cuttings of white leather, add three quarts of water, and boil it in a proper vessel till reduced to nearly half the quantity ; then take it off the fire, and strain it through a sieve. Be careful, in the boiling, to keep it well stirred, and do not let burn. Gold-Size for Burnish-Gilding. — Grind fine sal-ammoniac well with a muller and stone; scrape into it a little beef-suet, and grind all well togetlier; after which, mi.K in with a pallet-knife a small proportion of parchment-size with a double proportion of water. When about to use, add parclinient-size until it will just flow from the brush. Gold-Size for Burnish-Gilding. — Grind a lump of tobacco- pipeclay into a very stiff paste with thin size; add a small quantity of ruddle and fine black lead, ground very fine, and temper the whole with a small piece of tallow. When ready to use, reduce with parchment-size until it will just flow from, the brush. Gold-Size for Burnish-Gilding. — Grind separately in water, 1 lb. Armenian bole, 2 ounces red lead, a sufficient quantity of black lead; mix, and re-grind with a small quantity of olive oil. Reduce with parchment-size to the proper consistency. 28 PRACTICAL HINTS To Prevent Gold Adhering. — Either one of the following methods will prevent gold-leaf or bronze from adhering to the surface beyond the outlines of the sizing laid on to receive it: 1. Whiting used dry, and applied by means of a pounce bag. 2. Whiting mixed in water, and applied with a soft brush. When the water has evaporated, dust ofl' the superfluous whiting with an ordinary paint duster. By this method a very thin coat- ing of whiting remains, which is free from any grittiness. One advantage gained by the use of whiting thus applied is, it furnishes a whitish ground over which clear varnish or oil size may be distinctly seen as the striping progresses. After the leaf or bronze has been applied, the work, must be carefully washed, so as to insure the removal of the whiting. 3. White of egg reduced with water, and applied with a piece of sponge. 4. A thin wash of starch water, either brushed on with a flat camel-hair brush, or applied with a soft sponge. 5. Take ball liquorice and water, a weak solution, and apply with a hoft brush. This may be kept in a bottle ready for use at any time. 6. Cut a new potato in two, and rub over the part to be sized with thj raw face exposed, allowing the juice to remain until dry. It will be observed that any substance which interposes a film over the varnish, itself being free from tackiness and readily remoxed by water, will answer the purpose. Oil Gilding. — Applying the Gold — If the wood to be gilded is fini-^hed with varnish or otherwise, no additional foundation is necessary upon which to lay the gold-leaf; if the wood is not finished, after it has been smoothed and dusted, give it one or two coats of parchment size, after it is perfectly dry and hard again smoothing the surface with fine sand-paper. That the gold may not adhere to any part ot the work except where the size is hard, powder the surface lightly with whiting from a pounce-bag, which is a small bag made of material sulUciently loose to permit the powdered whiting to sift through as fine dust; if preferred, any of the preceding rec<.'ipts for that purpose can be used instead. Remove the surplus whiting with the dusting-brush. FOR FURNITURE MEN. 29 and the work is then ready for the size. Apply this with a sable or fit brush of the proper size, carefully observing not to make the outer lines of the design clear and sharp, that the work may not appear ragged. Let the size remain until it feels tackj-, when the gold may be applied. This is the most difficult part of the operation, and experience is necessary before gold-leaf can be laid smoothly, without a wrinkle or a break. Turn a leaf of gold out of the book upon the cushion ; breathe gently upon the center of the leaf and it will lay flat on the cushion ; cut it to proper size by bringing the knife perpendicularly over it, and sawing it gently until divided. Take your tip (a brush used for the purpose) and after drawing it lightly over your hair to remove any particles or dust that may be upon it, breathe upon it gently which w-ill dam- pen it sufficienth' to cause the leaf of gold to adhere to it; lay the tip upon the leaf of gold and carefully transfer it to the work ; blow upon it gently and it will straighten out and adhere. It may be rendered quite smooth by slightly dabbing it with a bit of cotton. In about an hour wash oft' the superfluous gold trom the edges, with a sponge and water. If the article is to be exposed to the weather or much wear, the gilding may be varnished with copal varnish. Burnish-Gilding. — As previously stated, this process requires a specially prepared foundation upon which to lay the gold, and as the preparation of this foundation is a distinct trade, the furnitin-e dealer or cabinet-maker seldom finds it necessaiy to undertake it, the articles coming to his hand ready-prepared for gilding; but as in repairing picture-frames, cornices, mirror frames, etc., it fre- quently becomes necessary to renew the foundation, a compre- hensive description of the whole process is given. Preparing the Wood-\vork. — After smoothing and dusting the work, coat the frames in evevy part with boiling-hot parch- ment size, described on page 27; then mix a sufficient quantity of whiting with size to the consistency of thick cream, and with it by means of a brush, coat every part of the frame several times, permitting each coat to become perfectly dry before pro- ceeding with the next. The wood will thus be covered with a 30 PRACTICAL HINTS layer of hard whiting nearly or quite a sixteenth of an inch in thickness. The size must not be too thick and when mixed with the whiting should not be so hot as the preliminary coat of size. PoLisiiixG. — When the prepared frames are quite dry, clean and polish them. To do this, wet a small piece at a time, and, with a smooth, fine piece of cloth, dipped in water, rub the part till all the bumps and inequalities are removed; and for those parts where the fingers will not enter, as the mouldings, &c., wind the wet cloth round a piece of wood, and bv this means make the surface all smooth and even alike. Where there is carved work, &c., it will sometimes be necessary to bring the mouldings to their original sharpness by means of chisels, gouges. Sec, as the preparation will be apt to fill up all the finer parts of the work, which must be thus restored. It is sometimes the practice, after polishing, to go over the work once with fine vellow or Roman ochre; but this is rarely necessary. Appyixg the Size. — Select the proper gold size from the receipts previously given ; add parchment size until it will just flow from the brush; make it quite hot and apply it to the work with a very soft brush, taking care not to make the first coat too thick ; let it dry and give two or three successive coats, after the last brushing it with a stiff brush to remove any inequalities. The work is then ready for the gold. Laying the Gold. — The manipulation of the gold-leaf has been described under the heading Oil-Gildixg. In the process now being described, the size used (being water-size, which as previously explained is permitted to become hard and dry after being applied) must be moistened to cause the gold-leaf to adhere to it. For this purpose, with a long-haired camel's-hair pencil, dipped in water, go over as much of the work as you intend the piece of gold to cover; then lay the gold upon it in the manner previously explained. Be sure that the part to which the gold is ajiplied is sufficiently wet ; indeed it must be floating or the gold will be apt to crack. Proceed in this manner a little at a time, and do not attempt to cover too much at once, until by experience you are able to handle the gold with freedom. In proceeding with the FOR FURNITURE MEN. 31 work, if any flows or cracks appear, immediately apply a por tion of gold sufficient to cover them. Sometimes when the gold does not appear to adhere sufficiently tight, it will be neces- sary to draw a pencil quite filled with water close to the edge of the gold, that the water may run underneath it and soften the size. Burnishing. — When the work is covered with gold, set it by to dry: there is a particular state or degree of dryness, known only b}' experience in which the moulding is in a fit state for burnishing; it will probably be ready to burnish in about eight or ten hours, but it will depend on the warmth of the room or state of the air. When it is ready, those parts intended to be burnished must be dusted with a soft brush; then wiping the burnisher with a piece of soft wash-lether (quite dry) begin to burnish about an inch or two in length at a time, taking care not to bear too hard, but with a gentle and quick motion, applying the tool until all parts of the surface are equally bright. Matting or Dead Gold. — Certain portions only of the work are burnished, according to the fancy, and the facility with which the burnishing-tool can be applied; the remaining parts are now to be deprived of their metallic luster, to make a more efl:ective contrast with the burnishing. The parts thus treated are said to be matted or dead-gold. The process is as follows : Grind some vermilion or yellow ochre very fine, and mix a very small portion either with the parchment size or with the white of an egg, and with a very soft brush lay it evenly on the parts to be dulled; if well done, it will add greatly to the beauty of the work. Previous to matting, the woi'k must be well cleared of super- fluous gold, by means of a soft brush. Finishing. — In elaborate works it is frequently impossible to lay gold-leaf into all the intricacies of an elaborate design, and the parts thus left bare must be finished by touching-up with a small brush charged with sheil-gold, or gold-powder, mixed with gum-Arabic to the proper consistency'. The following receipt describes the preparation of shell-gold : Shell-Gold. — Take any quantity of leaf-gold and grind it S'2 PRACTiCAL HINTS with a small portion of honey, to a fine powder ; add a little gum- Arabic and sugar-candv, with a little water, and mix it well toget'ier ; let it dry. Silver Size. — Grinci pipe-clay fine with a little black-lead and good soap, and add parchment-size as directed for gold- size. Composition for Frame Ornaments. — The ornaments for gilded mirror-frames, etc., are usually moulded from some plastic substance that is somewhat tougher and more durable than the ordinary gilding foundation of whiting and size. ''The proper moulds being prepared they are thoroughly rubbed upon the inside with sweet oil, and the composition firmly pressed in; after remoTing the mould the cast may be dried by a gentle heat, or while still plastic it can be applied in its proper place and bent into any position. Following are receipts for composition : Dissolve one pound of glue in one gallon of water. In another kettle boil together 2 lbs. of resin, 1 gill of Venice turpentine, and 1 pint of linseed oil ; mix altogether in one kettle, and boil and stir till the water has evaporated. Turn the whole into a tub of finely rolled whiting, and work it till it is of the consistency of dough. Boil 7 lbs. of best glue in 7 halt'-pints of water. Melt 3 lbs. of w hite resin in 3 pints of raw linseed oil. When the above has been well boiled put them into a large vessel and simmer them for halt'-an-hour, stirring the mixture and taking care that it does not boil over. The whole must then be turned into a box of whiting rolled and sifted, and mixed till it is of the consistency of dough. To Manipulate Gold Leaf. — Get a piece of paper, thin enough to show shadow- of gold-leaf through, slightly wax it, lay it f)n gold-leaf, the latter will then adhere, and can be easily worked, and will come off" clean. The paper should be slightly larger than the gold-leaf, and the fingers passed over the pap.r to make the ^old-leaf adhere. Bronzing. — This is a process for imitating on metal, plaster, wood or other material, the peculiar appearance produced by FOR FURNITURE MEN. chemical action upon the surface of bronze metal. It is accom- plished by spreading over the surface of the material to be orna- mented a very thin coating of bronze-powder, which is caused to adhere either bj applying it directly upon a coating of any of the sizes mentioned in the foregoing pages, or by mixing with a vehicle, such as gum- Arabic or transparent varnish. The latter is most desirable, as in the other case, being subject to the direct action of the atmosphere, the bronze-powder soon tarnishes. In ornamenting furniture, bronzing is generally employed to repre- sent gilding, a variety of bronze called gold-bronze being used, which aflbrds an excellent imitation but is not very lasting. It is usually applied after the completion of the other finishing pro- cesses, the ground-work being prepared in the manner described under Oil-Gilding, and the size likewise applied as there des- cribed. A small wad of cotton-batting is then dipped in the bronze and passed gently over the sized portions, causing the bronze to adhere. In the other method — that of applying the bronze by means of a vehicle- -the preliminaries of whiting the ground and sizing are not necessary, a small quantity of bronze being simply mixed with the vehicle employed to such a degree of fluidity that it will flow easily, and in that condition applied with a fine brush. Many preparations are used as vehicles, such as transparent varnish thinned with turpentine, gum-Arabic dis- solved in warer, and gold-size reduced with parchment-size. There are a variety of colors in bronze-powders, and to produce the best effect the size or vehicle should be of a color similar to that of the bronze used ; in gold-size the coloring pigment is ochre, and in its place, for green-bronze, red-bronze, or blue-bronze, may be em- ployed respectively verditer, vermillion or Prussian blue, a very small quantity being sufficient. In bronzing on painted work the ground should be as nearly as possible the color of the bronze to be applied. GRAINING AND COLOR WORK. Graining. — This is a variety of painting by which the grain, color or texture of different woods is imitated. Considerable experience is necessary to produce satisfactory results, the mixing 3 34 PRACTICAL HINTS of the colors to the right shade, and the manipulation of the simple tools in a manner to faithfully imitate the grain and markings of the wood, requiring a high degree of skill. Of course these remarks do not apply to that variety of graining in which only a variegated surface is aimed at, and no pretentions made to a close imitation ol any wood: that simple process requires neither skill nor judgment. The peculiar effect of graining is produced bv the use of several shades of paint, the lightest being first applied; the design being drawn bv wiping off a certain portion of the second and third or darker coats, while still in a moist condition, the intermediate and light shades below arc partially uncovered, the contrast of the different shades resembling the effect of the more prominent mark- in""s of the grain of wood. This resemblance is heightened by processes called "stippling" and "blending" which, as indicated bv their titles, blend the shades and soften the lines. The tools required are a stippling-brush, which is a brush with hairs about six or eight inches long ; a kalsominer's brush will answer the purpose; a blending-brush, which is made from camel's or badger's-hair and is verj' soft ; two or three steel combs of differ- ent sizes; a rubber like a pencil-rubber, about the size of the thumb and rounded off at the ends, to convenient size. The Proces-s of Graining. — If there are any knots or sappy places in the article, they should be covered with one or two coats of glue-size or parchment-size to prevent them showing through. The work is then ready for the paint, three different shades being necessary. These are called the ground color; the stippling color; and the graining or oil color, and they are laid in the order named. An infinite number of combinations of colors are possible, obtained by the use of various coloring pigments in the difterent coats, and no two grainers agree as to the precise proportion ot the ingredients to be used in imitating difterent woods; we give a number of receipts for graining grounds, and also for mixing var- ious colors; the learner can vary the proportions to suit his taste as experience dictates, and to suit the work in hand. The ground color is used to represent the lightest part of the grain of the wood, the stippling color the intermediate shades, and the graining FOR FURNITURE MEX. 35 color the darkest parts; a close study of natural woods will there- fore be necessary to determine the color and depth of each. The proper ground being selected (see Graining Grounds) apply one or more coats — as many as are necessary to thoroughly cover the surface. As soon as the ground color is hard the stippling coat may be applied. This is prepared by mix- ing the dry pigments without oil, with either very thin gum- water, stale beer, or vinegar containing a small portion of dissolved fish-glue. The pigments to be used, as stated above are usualh- about the same as those used for the ground color, but of different proportions to produce a deeper shade. Apply the stippling color, and before it dries, beat it softly with the side of the stippler, the long elastic hairs of which, disturbing the surface of the laid coat , cause the lighter coat beneath to become indistinctly visible, and produce the effect of the pores of wood. Next apply the grain- ing color; as soon as it is laid, take the rubber and with it wipe outth"? larger veins to be shown, after each stroke wiping the paint from the rubber with a cloth held in the other hand for that pur- pose. Some grainers use a small sponge for veining, and others a small piece of cloth over the thumb, but the rubber is probably tlie most convenient. When the veins have been put in, to imitate as closely as possible the markings of natural w-ood, the \arious steel combs are brought into use, and the edges of the veins, and sometime other portions of the work, combed with them, to soften the abrupt transition from the dark to the lighter shades. The blender is also now brought into use, and wherever the work may require it, the colors are still more softened and blended by its soft hairs. When too much color has been removed in veining, or when a certain figure, such as a knot, is required, the work is touched up with a fine brush, and again softened with the blender. When dry a coat of transparent varnish should be applied, having considerable oil to render it durable, as grained work is frequently washed. Ready-made graining colors are recommended as best and cheapest Graining Grounds. — Subjoined are a few recipes for mixing ground colors. 36 PRACTICAL HINTS Light Wainscot Oak. — White lead and yellow ochre, mixed to the required tint. Some grainers prefer a perfectly white ground for very light oak for inside work, but it is always difficult for any but a perfect master of the art to proceed satisfactorily on a white ground, and the work, when completed, is apt to have a chalky effect, even though a dark varnish be applied. A Darker Wainscot Oak. — Mix white lead, middle chrome, and yellow ochre. Dark Oak. — White lead, Venetian red, and yellow ochre. Very Dark Oak. — White lead, raw sienna, burnt umber, and Venetian red; or burnt and raw sienna, white lead, and burnt umber. These colors, [mixed in diflerent proportions, will produce a multiplicity of tints suitable to receive the graining color, their strength being of course determined by the greater or lesser pre- ponderance of white lead. Mahogany Grounds. — There are various notions extant amongst grainers as to the best grounds for mahogany graining, some pre- ferring a ground of a deep yellow cast, while others choose one approaching a bright red. The reds and yellows used are Vene- tian red, red lead, vermillion, raw sienna, burnt sienna, orange chrome, middle chrome, etc. These colors can be mixed to the tint required, an addition of white lead being made in each case, as the positive reds and yellows are too powerful unless diluted in turn by white. Venetian red, orange chrome, and white lead are the colors most generally used, and these three will, according to their predominance or subordination, make such a variety of tints that the most fastidious grainer need have no misgiving that the result will not come up to his expectation, if he exercise due dis- cretion in mixing the colors. Ro'entine and mix with it as wi'l bring it to a proper consistence. Artist'.s Virgin Copal. — From a select parcel of scraped Afri- can gum copal, before it is broken, pick out the very fine transparent pieces, which appear round and pale, like drops of crystal; break these very small; dry them in the sun, or by a very gentle fire. Afterwards, when cool, brinse or pound them into a coarse powder; then procure some broken bottles or flint-glass, and boil the same in soft water and soia; then bruise it into a coarse powder, like the gum; boil it a second time, and strain the water from it, washing it with threj or four waters, that it may be per- fectly clean and free from grease or any impuritv; dry it before the fire, or upon a plate set in an oven. When thoroughl}' dry, mix two pounds of the powdered glass with three pounds of the powdered copal; after mixing them well, put them into the gum- pot, and fuse the gum; keep stirring all the time; the glass will pre\'ent the gu;n from adhering together, so that a very moderate fire will cause the gum to fuse. When it appears sufficiently run, have ready three quarts of clarified oil, very hot, to pour in. Afterwards, let it boil until it strings freely between the fingers. Begin and mix it rather hotter than if it were body varnish, for, as there is but a small quantity, it will be sooner cold; pour in five quarts of old turpentine, strain it immediately, and pour it into an open jar, or large glass bottle; expose it to the air and light, but keep it both from the sun and moisture until it is of a sufficient age for use. This is the finest copal varnish for fine paintings. C.\BiNET Varnish. — Fuse seven pounds of very fine African gumcopal; when well dissolved, pour in half a gallon of pale clari- fied oil ; and when clear mix with it three gallons of turpentine ; after- wards strain it, and put it aside for use. This, if properly boiled, will dry in ten minutes; but if too strongly boiled, will not mix at all with the turpentine; and soincttin'^-^, when boiled with the turpentine will mix, and yet refuse to amalgamate with any other varnish less boiled than itself; therefore, it requires a nicety which 54 PRACTICAL HINTS is only to be learned iVom practice. This varnish is very apt to chill all other oil varnishes to which it may be added, and is prin- cipally employed as a quick drying varnish for the occasional use of japanners, cabinet, and coach-painters. Cabinet varnish is, however, more generally made with anime than copal. Best Body Copal V.vrnish for Polishing. — Fuse eight pounds of fine African gum copal, add two gallons of clarified oil ; boil it very slowly for four or five hours, until quite stringy, and mix it off with three and a half gallons of turpentine. The above varnishes being made of the finest copal without driers are the palest and best of the copal varnishes, possessing great fluidity and pliability, but they are rather slow in drying and retain for months so much softness that they will not polish well, until they give out a moisture and become hard; after which they are very durable. When paleness is not of primary import- ance a second quality of gum is used, and when the varnish is required to dry quickly, sugar of lead or white copperas are intro- duced as driers, either singly or conibin d, in the proportion of from half a pound to one pound to each of the quantities above quoted, but driers are always injurious to the color, brilliancy, and durability of varnishes. When a varnish is required that will dry quick and hard without driers, gum anime is substituted for th: copal, but it is less durable and becomes darker by age. Fre- quently, anime varnish is mixed with copal varnish by the maker while both are hot, in different proportions according to the quality required; one pot of the anime to two of copal being used for a moderately quick drying body varnish of good quality; ami two pots of anime to one of copal for a quicker drying body varnish of common quality. Carriage Varnish is made much the same as common body varnish, e.vcept that to ei^ht pounds of gum ot second quality about two and a half gallons of oil and five and a half gallons of turpentine are used with driers. This varnish is boiled until very stringy, and is used for the wheels and under framework of coaches and other objects not requiring to be polished; it is inter- mediate in quality between body varnish and the following. FOR FURNITURE MEN. 55 Wainscoat Varnish con;,istsof eight pounds of second quality e;um anime, three gallons of clarified oil, one-quarter pound of litharge, one-quarter pound of dried sugar of lead, one-quarter pound of copperas, well boiled until it strings very strong, mixed with five and a half gallons of turpentine.' This varnish dries quickly, and is principally used for house-painting and japanning. When a darker varnish is required, as for mahogany, a small por- tion of gold size may be mixed with it. Pale Amber Varnish. — Fuse six pounds of fine-picked very pale transparent amber in the gum-pot, and pour in two gallons of hot clarified oil. Boil it until it strings very strong. Mix with four gallons of turpentine. This will be as fine as body copal, will work very free, and flow well upon any work it is applied to; it dries slowly, but becomes very hard, and is the most durable of all varnishes. It is very excellent to mix in copal varnishes, to give to them a hard and durable quality. Amber varnish is, however, but little used, on account of its expense. In making all the above varnishes, it should be observed that the more minutely the gum is fused, the greater the quantity and the stronger the produce. T«ie more regular and longer the boil- ing of the oil and gum together is continued, the more fluid or free the varnish will extend on whatever it is applied. When the mixture of oil and gum is too suddenly brought to string by too strong a heat, the varnish requires more than its just proportion of turpentine to thin it, whereby its oily and gummy quality is reduced, which renders it less durable; neither will it flow so well in laying on. The greater proportion of oil there is used in varnishes, the less they are liable to crack, because the tougher and softer they are. Increase the proportion of gum in varnishes, the thicker the stratum required, and the firmer they will set, and the quicker they will dry. All bodv varnishes, or those intended to be polished, should have one and a half pounds of gum (o each gallon of varnish when it is strained otf and cold. All carriage or v\ainscot varnishes or those not intended to be polished, should have full one pound of gum to each gallon. But the quantity of gum required to bring it to its proper consistence, depends very much upon the 56 PRACTICAL HINTS degree of boiling it has undergone; therefore, %vhen tlie giiin and oil have not been strongly boiled, the varnish requires less turpen- tine to thin it, and when boiled stronger than usual, a larger pro- portion of turpentine is required; if the mixing of the varnish with the turpentine is commenced too soon, and the pot is not sufficiently cool, there may be considerable loss by evaporation. Copal varnishes should be made at least three months before they are required for use, and the longer they are kept the better they become; but when it is necessary to use the varnishes before they are of sufficient age, they should be left thicker than usual. Preparation of Spirit and Turpentine Varnishes.— - In the preparation of spirit and turpentine varnishes, scarcely any apparatus is required; as, generally speaking, the process is almost limited to mixing the resins and solvent together, and agitating the whole until the resin is thoroughly dissolved. Heat is not generally necessary, and although frequently resorted to in order to facilitate the dissolution of the resins, in most instances only a moderate degree of warmth is required; consequently the pre- paration of spirit and turpentine varnishes is far more manageable than that of oil varnishes, and entails much less risk of accident. The resins should be thoroughly free from moisture, and are generally broken into small pieces, in order that they may be dissolved more quickly, and all impurities are carefully picked out; after which the finest and clearest pieces are generally selected and set aside for making small quantities of varnish of a superior quality. Sometimes, with the view of expediting the dissolution of the resins, they are finely powdered before they are added to the solvent; but, in this case, it is necessary that the agitation should be maintained from the time the resin is added until it is thoroughly dissolved, otherwise it is liable to agglutinate into one mass, that is afterwards ver^- difficult of solution. In making turpentine varnishes without heat, in quantities of ten or twelve gallons, the resin and turpentine are generally intro- duced into a large can with a wide mouth, and agitated by stirring with a stout stick; a number of wooden pegs or nails are mostly driven into the stick, near the lower end, to increase its effect. Spirit varnishes are generally made in smaller quantities; and, FOR FURNITURE MI1;N. 57 to prevent the evaporation of the spirit, the nioulh of the vessel is mostly closed and the vessel itself is agitated. In making quantities of four to eight gallons, the resin and solvent are some- times introduced into a small cask capable ot containing about double the quantity, and mounted]t^ gal. turpentine. This paint is repeated when sufficiently dry, and finally evenly overspread with white sand. Galvanizing is employed also to prevent rusting. A galvanizing paint consists cliifly of zinc powder and oil varnish. Rusting is further prevented by rubbing the red-hot iron with wax, tallow, FOR FURNITURE MEN. 85 pitch, or coal-tar. Rubbing with heavy petroleiiin is also well adapted for keeping ironwork clean. Preparing Soft Solder. — The tbllowing directions for solder- ing without fire or lamp may suit the querist: Bismuth, ^ oz., quicksilver, j^ oz., block tin filing, 1 oz., spirits of salts, 1 oz. Mix the whole together. Another soft solder for tin, &c. Take lead 1 part, tin 1 part, bismuth 2 parts; this melts in boiling water. To Clean Silver Filigree. — Make a thin paste with cold water and cream of tartar, spread over ornaments thickly, fold in flannel, leave a week, then wash oft" with water, and they wili be as good as new. Bronzing on Metal. — The article must be chemically cleaned up brushing with a mixture of fine pumice in dilute sulphuric acid, rinsed in pure water and dried. The bronze liquor must be applied quickly and evenly with a camel's hair brush, having first heated the article, just so as it can be held without burning the fingers. Polishing Metals. — A useful compound for polishing and cleaning metals is composed of 1 oz. carbonate of ammonia dis- solved in 4 oz. water; with this is mixed 10 oz. Paris white. A moistened sponge is dipped in the powder, and rubbed lightly over the surface of the metal, after which the powder is dusted oft", leaving a fine brilliant luster. Imitation Marble. — Mix 1 lb. finely powdered lime into a thick paste with water, and add ^ lb. of colophony or, what is better, Venice turpentine. Allow the mixture to stand for some time, and then work up with it suitable quantities of fine white chalk and various colored earths, adding a few drops of olive oil if necessary. A soft mass is thus obtained, which can be moulded, like plaster of Paris, to any desired form, or it can be rolled out on a warm metal plate, or passed under wooden rollers, into thin sheets, which can be glued to the surface to be decorated, like ordinary veneers, and left to harden. It hardens and takes a good surface. Anv cavities that appear must be filled up with some of the composition mixed with oil of turpentine. The composition 86 PRACTICAL HINTS will keep fit for use for some time, if covered with a damp cloth while moist. To Polish Marble — It sometimes happens that the cabinet- maker has a table-top of marble to remount, which is scratched, and requires re-polishing. The following is the process used hy the mason, and will, therefore, be acceptable in a work like the present. With a piece of sandstone with a very fine grit, rub the slab backward and forward, using very fine sand and water, till the marble appears equally rough, and not in scratches; next use a finer stone and finer sand, till its surface appears equally gone over; then, with fine emery-powder and a piece of felt or old hat wrapped round a weight, rub till all the marks left by the former process are vorked out, and it appears with a comparative gloss on its surface. Afterward, finish the polish with putty-powder and fine, clean rags. As soon as the face appears of a good gloss, do not put any more powder on the rags, but rub it well, and in a short time it will appear as if fresh from the mason's hands. To Polish Marble. — Make a thick paste with rotten stone stone and olive oil, and vigorously rub the marble with it on a cloth. To Polish Black Marble. — Wash it with warm soap and water, and when dry rub it well with furniture paste or French pol- ish, and then rub it with an old silk handkerchief. After one or two trials it wi!l become quite bright. To Clean Marble — Mix the strongest soap-lees with quick- lime, to the consistency of milk; let it lie on the stone, etc., for twenty-four hours; then clean it oft", and wash with soap and water, and it will appear as new. The polish will require to be renewed by the process given above. To Clean Marble. — Mix with ^ pint of soap lees, ^ a gill of turpentine, sufficient pipe clay and bullock's gall to make the whole into a rather thick paste. Apply it to the marble with a soft brush, and after a day or two, when quite dry, rub it oft" with a soft rag. Apply this a second or third time till the marble is quite clean. FOR FURNITURE MEN. 8Y To Remove Stains on Marble. — Apply spirits of salt and carefullj wash oft". To Clean Pictures. — Wash with a sponge or a soft leather and water, and dry bj rubbing with a silk liandkerchief. When the picture is very dirty, take it out of its frame, procure a clean towel, and making it quite wet, lay it on the face of the picture, sprinkling it from time to time with clear soft water; let it remain wet for two or three days ; take the cloth oft' and renew it with a fresh one; after wiping the picture with a clean wet sponge, repea' the process till all the dirt is soaked out; then wash it well with a soft sponge, and let it quite dry ; rub it with some clear nut or lin- seed oil. Spirits of wine and turpentine may be used to dissolve the hard old varnish, but they will attack the paint as well as the varnish if tae further action of the spirits is not stopped at the proper time by using water freely. Cleaning Varnished Pictures. — There are conditions where the above simple proces.s will not accomplish what is required; where a thick coating of varnish has been applied to the picture, and it has been hung in a smoky room, and dust and dirt has been allowed to gather and remain ; then it is that no high lights will be visible, the sky will be dirty, no distance visible, and perhaps the figures in the foreground very indistinct. Under these conditions the varnish must be either removed or the smoke and dirt must be brought out of the varnish. If it is thought desirable to try the latter, the following receipt will be found val- uable for the purpose : 2 oz. wood naptha ; 1 oz. spirits of salts ; ^ pint of linseed oil. Mix the above well together, and before using shake the bottle. It can be used as follows: Get some soft linen rag, and make up a soft pad, which place on the mouth of the battle and shake up some of the mixture into the pad, when commence rubbing the picture with a circular motion, and when nearly dry again give the pad another dressing of mixture, and continue this mode of procedure for some time, when the picture will gradually come out in all its detail. PRACTICAL HINTS Cleaning Engravings. — Put the engraving on a smooth board, cover it thinly witli cominon salt fineh- powdered. Squeeze lemon juice upon the salt so as to dissolve a considerable portion of it; elevate one end ot the board so that it may form an angle of about 45 or 50 degrees. Pour on the engraving boiling water from a tea kettle until the salt and lemon juice be all washed oft" The engraving then will be perfectly clean and free from stains. It must be dried on the board or some smooth surface gradually^ If dried by the fire or the sun it will be tinged with a yellow color. Cleaning Engravings. — Presuming these to be mounted, proceed in the following manner: Cut a stale loaf in half, with a perfectly clean knife; pare the crust away from the edges. Now place the engravings on a perfectly flat table, and rubbing the sur- face with the fresh-cut bread, in circular sweeps, lightly but firmly performed, will remove all superficial markings. Now soak the prints for a short time in a dilute solution of hydrochlo- ric acid, say 1 part acid to 100 of \\ater, and then remove them into a vessel containing a sufficient quantity of clear chloride lime water to cover them. Leave them there until bleached to the desired point. Now remove, rinse well by allowing to stand an hour in a pan in which a constant stream of water is allowed to flow, and finally dry off" by spreading on clean cloths. Perhaps the sheets ma}' require ironing between two sheets of clean paper. To Smooth a D.\.maged Picture. — Paintings sometimes get convex and concave patches on their surface, owing to pressure on one side or the other, and these inequalities cause a great deal of trouble to bring out. The most successful way is to well wet I oth sides of the picture on the spot, and keep it under pressure till dry. With small pictures the quickest way would be to take them oft' the stretcher and lay them in a press, w ith a ligiit pressure between soft sheets of paper. Embossed (Jildinc; i-or Illuminating — Gilding of figures and letters on paper and for the embellishment of manuscripts, ,*s performed with shell gold tempered with gum water; or the FOR FURNITURE MRS. 89 characters may be drawn with a milky solution of guTn amma- nacuni made in water, and gold leaf applied upon them when almost dry; they may again be sufficiently moistened for receiv- ing the gold by breathing on them. Letters raised from the sur- face, if paper or parchment in the manner of embossed work, such as are seen on ancient manuscripts, may be formed either by friction on a proper body with a solid piece of gold, or by leaf gold. The former method is practised by tempering pulverizers' crys- tal with strong gum water, and with tliis paste forming the let- ters ; when they are dry they are rubbed with a piece of solid gold as in polishing, and the letters will appear as if gilt with burnished gold. The letters are formed with an embossed figure, either of the separate letters or of whole words cut in steel, and each letter of these stamps when they are used, is oiled evenly with a feather. Then fill these concave letters with the above paste, and strike the stamps in a perpendicular direction on the paper or vellum laid on sheets of soft paper. When the embossed letters are formed with leaf gold, the fol- lowing or a similar composition must be used: Thicken beaten whites of eggs with as much vermillion as is necessary to give- them the consistence of paste; use the stamps as before, and when the letters are dry moisten them by a small pencil w^ith strong gum water, and when this is almost dry cover the letters with leaf gold, pressing it close to every part ot them with cotton wool ; when dry, burnish. Gold for Illuminating. — Procure a book of leaf gold, take ovit the leaves gently and grind them in a mortar with a piece of honey about the size of a hazel-nut, until it is thoroughly inter- mixed with the gold, then add a little water and re- work it; put the w hole into a phial and shake it well. Let it remain an hour or two, and the gold will deposit at the bottom of the phial. Pour off the liquor, and add weak prepared gum in its stead; sufficient to make it flow freely from the pen or camel's-hair pen- cil. When required for use, shake it occasionally. To Stain Horn in Imitation of Tortoise Shell. — Mix an 90 PRACTICAL HINTS equal quantity of quicklime and reil lead with strong soap lees, lay it on the horn with a small brush, in imitation of the mottle of tortoise-shell; when dry, repeat it two or three times. To Stain Ivory or Boxe Red. — Boil shavings of scarlet cloth in water, and add by degrees pearlash till the color is extracted; a little roach alum, now added, will clear the color; then strain it through a linen cloth. vSteep your ivory or bone in aquafortis (nitrous acid) diluted with twice its quantity of water, then take it out, and put it into your scarlet dve till the color is to your mind. Be careful not to let your aquafortis be too strong; neither let your ivory remain too long in it. Trv it first with a slip of ivory, and if you observe the acid has just caused a trifling roughness on its surface, take it out immediately, and put it into the red liquid, which must be warm, but not too hot. A little practice, with these cautions, will enable you to succeed according to your wishes; cover the places you wish to remain unstained with white wax, and the stain will not penetrate in those places- but leave the ivorv of its natural colour. To Stain Ivory or Bone Black. — Add to any quantitv of nitrate of silv<=r (lunar caustic) three times its bulk of water, and steep your ivory or bone in it; take it out again in about an hour, and expose it to the sunshine to dry, and it will be a perfect black. To Stain Ivory or Bone Green. — Steep your work in a solution of verdigris and sal-ammoniac in weak aqufortis, in the proportion of two parts of the former to one of the latter, being careful to use the precautions mentioned for staining red, as above. To Stain Ivory, etc.. Blue.— Stain your materials green according to the previous process, and then dip them in a strong solution of pearlash and water. To Stain Ivory, etc., Yellow. — Put your ivory in a strong solution of alum in water, and keep the whole some time nearly boiling; then take them out and immerse them in a hot mixture of turmeric and water, either with or without the addition of FOR FURNITURE MEN, 91 French berries; let them simmer for about hah" an hour, and your ivory \\\U be of a beautiful yellow. Ivory or bone should dry very gradually, or it will split or crack. To Soften Ivory. — Slice a quarter of a pound of mandrake, and put it into half a pint of the best vinegar, into which put your ivory ; let the whole stand in a warm place for forty-eight hours, when you will be able to bend the ivory to your mind. To Bleach Ivory. — Take a double handful of lime, and slake it by sprinkling it with water; then add three pints of water, and stir the whole together; let it settle ten minutes, and pour the water into a pan. Take the ivory, and steep it in the lime-water for twenty-four hours, after which boil it in a strong alum-water one hour, and dry it in the air. Artificial Ivory. — Two parts of caoutchouc are dissolved in 36 parts of chloroform, and the solution is saturated with pure gaseous ammonia. The chlorot'orm is then distilled off at a tem- perature of 85 deg. C. (185 deg. F.). The residue is mixed with calcium phosphate or zinc carbonate, pressed into moulds and dried. When calcium phosphate is used, the product possesses to a considerable degree the nature and composition of ivory. Cement for Joining Leather. — A cement which has been found useful for this purpose may be prepared by mixing ten parts of bisulphate of carbon, one of oil of turpentine, and so much gutta-percha as is necessary to produce a thick fluidity. The leather must be first freed from all grease, which can be done by simply laying it in a cloth and pressing this with a hot iron. The parts to be joined, after being brought into contact with the cement, require to be kept pressed together until they are quite dry. Cement for Leather and Wood. — Equal parts of pitch and gutta-percha melted together. This compound is insoluble in water. Cement for Joining China, etc. — Beat the whites of eggs well to a froth, let them settle, add soft grated or sliced cheese 92 PRACTICAL HINTS and quicklime; beat them well together, and appl_y a little to the broken edges. This cement will endure both the fire and water. Cement for China, etc.— Pound half an ounce of resin and four ounces of gum-mastic; put them into a pipkin on the fire to melt; stir them well. To this add about half an ounce of finely- powdered glass, and half an ounce of quicklime; stir the whole well together. When nearly cold, form it into sticks, on a stont-, in the same manner as sticks of sealing-wa.^c are formed. When it is desired to cement any article, heat the broken edges suffici- ently to melt the cement, which rub thinly on both edges; bring them accurately together; press them close, and let them cool. If this be carefully done, the work will sooner break in anv other part than where the cement has been applied. Ce.ment for Gl.sss. — Steep one ounce of isinglass in half a pint of spirits of wine for twenty-four hours; then let it dissolve over a slow fire, (always keeping it covered, or the spirit will evaporate); now well bruise six cloves of garlic in a mortar, put them in a linen cloth, and squeeze the juice into the isinglass; mix all well together, and keep it for use. It is excellent to join glass ornaments, ete. Cement.s for Aquariums.— Take 1 gill of plaster of Paris, 1 gill of litharge, 1 gill of fine white sand, >^ gill of finely- powdered resin. Mix well, and bottle and cork it until wanted for use, then mix it with boiled oil and dryers until as thick as putty. Mix the cement only in small quantities as it dries quickly. Mix boiled linseed oil, litharge, red and white lead together, using white lead in the largest proportion, spread on fiannel, and place on the joints. A solution of glue, 8 oz. to 1 oz. of Venice turpentine; boil together, agitating all the time, until the mixture becomes as complete as possible, the joints to be cemented to be kept together for forty-eight hours if required. Take Yz a gill of gold size, two gills of red lead, 1>^ gill of litharge, and sufficient silver-sand to make it into a thick paste for use. This mixture .sets in about two days. FOR FURNITURE MEN. 93 To Restore the Elasticity of Cane-Chair Bottoms. — Turn up the chair bottoms, and with a hot water and sponge wash the cane-work well, so that it ma}- be well soaked; should it be dirty, you must add soap. Let it dry in the air, and you will find it as tight and firm as when new, provided the cane is not broken. Moths in Carpets. — Moths will work in carpets in rooms that are kept warm in winter as well as in summer. A sure method of removing the pests is to pour strong alum- water on the floor to the distance of half a yard around the edges before la^ying the carpets. Then once or twice during the season sprinkle dry salt over the carpet before sweeping. Insects do not like salt, and sufiicient adheres to the carpet to prevent them alighting upon it. To Destroy Moths in Carpets. — Take a wet sheet or other cloth, lay it upon the carpet, and tlien rub a hot flat iron over it, so as to convert the water into steam, which permeates the carpet beneath, and destroy the life of the grub. To Clean Carpets. — The carpet being first well beaten and freed from dust, tack it down to the floor; then mix half a pint ol bullock's-gall with two gallons of soft water; scrub it well with soap and the gall-mixture; let it remain till quite dry, and it will be perfectly cleansed, and look like new, as the colors will be restored to their original brightness. The brush used must not be too hard, but rather long in tlie hair, or it will rub up the nap and damage the article. To Make Parchment Transparent. — Soak a thin skin oi parchment in a strong ley of wood ashes, often w-ringing it out till it becomes transparent; then strain it on a frame, ^nd let dry. This will be much improved if, after it is dry, you give it a coat, on both sides, of clear mastic varnish, diluted witli spirits of turpentine. Tinting on Parchment. — On a good skin you may get an even tint, as follows : After " inking in " the plan, cover (with a large color brush) rather more than the whole of it with a strong 94: PRACTICAL HINTS wash of alum dissolved in water, taking care that every portion is saturated by the solution, and when dry brush away the dry alum, and the parchment will then take color almost as easily as paper, and the ink will not be disturbed. India Ixk Running. — If it is for drawing plans you may pre- vent it running by adding a little sugar to the India ink. Erasing Indian Ink. — The most etlectivc mode of erasing Indian ink lines is by rubbing the part to be erased with sand- paper of the finest quality, which will not only eflectually remove the ink, but will leave a clear, smooth surface, which will take the ink better than at first, and may be colored upon. To Make Carbon Paper — Carbon paper, for copying or duplicating, can be made in the following manner: Take sweet oil, mixed to the consistence of cream, with either of the following paints (to produce the color desired): Prussian blue, lampblack, Venetian red, or chrome green ; they should be ground fine on the stone. Use rather thin but firm paper, put on with a sponge, and wipe oft" as dry as possible; then lay them between uncolored paper, and press by laying a weight or some other heavy flat sub- stance upon them until the surplus oil is absorbed, when it is ready for use. Removing Oil Stain.s from Tiles. — You can remove oil stains from tiles completely by mixing fuller's earth into a thick paste with water, and spreading it over the tiles, letting it remain twenty-four hours, and then wiping it olf. It" the mark, then, has not quite gone, put on another paste. To Polish Floors. — Put some spermaceti into a saucepan on the fire, ai^ mix it with enough turpentine to make it quite fluid; then with a piece of flannel put it very thinly on the floor. It must then be rubbed with a dry flannel and brushed in the same way that oak stairs are polished. This part of the process, rubbing and brushing, takes a long time to do thoroughly. To Polish Floors. — Dissolve half a pound of potash in three pints of water, in a saucepan on the fire; when the water boils FOR FURNITURE MEN. 95 throw in 1 lb. of beeswax, cut up in small pieces; stir well until the wax is quite melted. When the polish is cold, if it be too tiiick, add more water, then witli a brush paint tlie boards evenly with it; and when it has dried rub them with a iiannel tied at the end of a broom. Black Wax. — Add one ounce of beeswax to half an ounce of Burgundy pitch ; melt them together, and add one ounce and a half of ivorj-black, groimd very tine, and dried. Green Wax. — Melt one ounce of beeswax, and add half an ounce of verditer; let the pipkin be 'arge enough, as the wax will immediately boil up. Stir it well, and add the eighth part of an ounce of resin, when it will be sufficiently hard and fit for use. To Polish Tortoise-shell or Horn. — Having scraped your work perfectly smooth and level, rub it with very fine sand-paper or Dutch rushes; repeat the rubbing with a bit of felt dipped in a very finely powdered charcoal with water, and lastly, with rotten- stone or putty-powder; and finish with a piece of soft wash- leather, damped with a little sweet oil. To Clean Looking Glasses. — Sponge down the glass with gum and water, equal parts, then dust down with whitening, and finish with a soft old silk liandkercliief To Remove Ink Stains. — Ink stains may be removed from a mahogany table by putting a few drops of spirits of niter into a teaspoonful of water, and touching the part stained with a feather dipped into the mixture; immediately the ink stain disappears, the place must be rubbed witli a rag wet witii cold water, or there will be a white mark, which will not easily be removed. Ink stains on silver or plated articles may be removed immediately and eftectually without doing any injury to the things, by making a little cliloride of lime into a paste with water and rubbing the stains until they disappear, and afterwards washing the article with soap and water. Ink stains may be removed from colored table covers by dissolving a teaspoonful of oxalic acid in a teacup- ful of hot water and rubbing the stained part well ^vith the solu- tion. Ink stains niay be taken out of anything white b}' simply 96 PRACTICAL HINTS putting a little powdered salts of lemon on the stain, damping it, allowing it to remain about five minutes, and then washing it out with soap and water, when the stain will disappear. Ink maj' be removed from boards by applying some strong muriatic acid or spirits of salt with a piece of rag and afterwards well washing the place with water. To Remove Stains from Wood. — To half a pint of soft water put an ounce of oxalic acid and half an ounce of butter of antimony; shake it well, and when dissolved it will be very useful in extracting. stains, as well as ink from wood, if not of too long standing. To Clean Velvet. — Velvet requires very careful manipula- tion, as it loses its fine appearance if wrung or pressed when it is wet. To remove dust: — Strew very fine dry sand upon the velvet, and brush in the direction of tlie lines until all the sand is removed. The brush must be clean. To remove dirt: — Dissolve ox-gall in nearly boiling clean water, and add some spirits of wine. Dip a soft brush into this solution and brush the dirt out of the velvet. It may require repeated brushing. After this, hang it evenly up to dry. For finishing, apply a weak solution of gum by means of a sponge to the reverse side of the velvet. To Remove Paint or Stain fro.m Wood. — Dissolve potash in water, making a strong solution, with this wash the surface of the work, allowing it to soak a few minutes. If the paint cannot then be scraped off, give the wood another application, and repeat until the paint is removed. Afterward, wash the surface with clean water sufficiently to ensure tiie removal of all the potash. To Re.move Varni-sh from Wood. — A strong application of ordinary spirits of camphor will remove almost any kind of polish or varnish. Give the spirit time to evaporate before repolishing, or it will injure the new polish. The solution of potash, mentioned above, will also remove varnish. Tests for Gilding. — If a gilt surface be touched with a drop of chloride of gold or nitrate of silver solution, the former will FOR FURNITURE M?:N. 97 produce a brown, the latter a grey spot if the coating be an alloy, but will have no effect vipon pure gold. For gilt paper, moisten with a drop of chloride of sulphur, which will iTnmediately pro- duce a dark brown margin if the covering is not pure gold. Metallic spangles shaken in close flasks with chloride of sulphur, suffer no change if gold, otherwise they gradually darken ; but if under slight pressure, as in hermetically sealed tubes, gold spangles disappear in a short time by conversion into chloride of gold. Anti-Attrition. — This mixture is made of one part of plum- bago or blacklead ground very fine, and four parts of hog's lard or grease, mixed well together. It prevents the effects of friction much better than oil or other grease, and is very useful the turner, and will be found to make the lathe work much easier, as well as to be a great saving in oil, which with constant use grows stiff", and sensibly impedes the motion ; while this preparation, once applied, will last a long time without requiring renewal. To Remove Grease from Cloth. — Drop on the spot some oil of tartar, or salt of wormwood, which has been left in a damp place till it turns into a fluid ; then immediately wash the place with lukewarm sott water, and then with cold water, and the spot will disappear. This will be found very useful, as it frequently happens that the cloth of the card tables, and the inside flaps of secretaries, are spotted and greasy. By preceding as above, every spot of grease will be completely taken out. Putty. — Painters use various kinds of putty, using varnish iapan, oil, keg lead, dry lead, red lead, whiting, zinc white, umber, vellow ocher, &c., in the composition of the various kinds. In mixing up putty the painter should always be governed by the time he may have in which to complete his. work. If the vork he is doing must be completed in an unreasonably short time, the putty should be mixed with very little or no oil, although a putt^' mixed ^\ith japan alone will dry quicker, so as to bear sand- papering in the shortest possible time, but it is a mealv, poor kind 7 98 PRACTICAL HINTS of putty, and is apt to shrink, allowing dampness to penetrate it when rubbed with pumice-stone and water. The best and toughest kind of putty is made of keg and dry white lead, with only a small portion of japan. In making this kind of putty, use about 4 pounde of keg lead to about a gill of japan, mixing them thoroughly together; then add dry white lead in small quantities, pounding it lightly at first, and when you have added sufficient dry lead to form a mass like dough, use the mallet or hammer very freely. If dry zinc white is used instead of dry lead, the putty will be much better. This putty should be allowed three or four days to dry. Another kind of this necessary com- pound is made by using keg lead and red lead. The latter is of itself a powerful dryer, consequently it does not require so much japan to dry the putty. It works very easy and adheres to the wood very tenaciously, and is not apt to swell or shrink. THE END. INDEX PAr,R. Alcohol 46 Amber, gum 43 Anime, gum .... 42 Anti- Attrition 97 Belts, to Prevent Slipping 83 Bleached Shellac 61 Boiler Incrustation 82 Bronzincr ;^2 on Metal B.') Bruises in Furniture to Take Out 76 Burnish-Gilding 29 Brushes for Varnishing 8 Cane-chair Bottoms, to Restore Elasticity 9o Carbon-paper, to Make 94 Carpets, to Clean 98 to Destroy Moths in 9:J Cements, for Aquariums 92 for China 91, 92 for Glass 92 ibr Joining Leather 91 for Leather and Wood 91 for Stopping Flaws 77 for Turners 78 Circular Saws, to Remedy Splits in 80 Color Harmony in Grained Work 40 Colors for Outlines of Ornaments 39 Colors to Mix 87 Buff :;8 Carnation 89 Chestnut, dark 88 102 INDEX. Colors to Mix, Chinese White 40 Chocolate 89 Cream 38 Drab 38 Fawn 38 French Grev 38 Gold, Imitation of 39 Green, Grass 39 Green, Olive 39 Lead 38 Peach Blossom 38 Pearl o8 Pm-ple 38 Salmon 38 Silver 38 Stone 39 Straw 38 \''arnish Green 41 Violet 38 White Lead 41 Yellow 39 Composition for Frame Ornaments 32 Copal, gum 43 Cracks in Drawing-boards 79 Damar, gum 44 Dead-finish 11 Distemper .... 40 D\e. Black, fine 22 Blue, fine 22,23 Gray 23 Green 23 Liquid for Brightening and Setting 24 Orange 25 Purple 24 Red 23,24 ■^'ellow, fine 23 Dyeing Wood 21 INDEX. 103 Ebonv Finish 12. 13 Files, soft 84 Filigree, Silver to Clean 85 Fillers 2 Cherry 4 Light- wood 4 Oak 4 Rosewood 4 Sizing 4 Walnut 3, 4 Finishing 1 Processes of 1 Varieties of 11 Dead-finish 11 Ebony Finish 12, 13 French Polishing 13, 14, 15, IG Varnish Finish 12 Wax Finish 12 Wax Finish, imitation 12 Flowing 10 Floors, to Polish 94 French Polish 14, 15, 10, 60 French Polishing 13 Furniture Cream 70, 71 Furniture Paste 70 Gilding 25 Gilding, Burnish 29 Applying the Size 30 Burnishing 31 Finishing 31 I>aying the Gold 30 Matting or Dead Gold 31 Polishing 30 Preparing the Woodwork 29 Gilders' Cushion , 26 Oil 28 Sizes for 27 104 INDEX. Gilding. Burnish, Oil size for 27 Parchment size for 27 Gold, size for Burnish 27 The Requisites 26 To Prevent Gold Adhering 28 Gilding Embossed for Illuminating 88 Silvering and Bronzing 25 Tests for 96 GJue 73 Portable 75 Mixing . 73 To Prepare 72 To Prevent Cracking 74 To Resist Moisture 74, 75 (jluc-pot 73 Gold, applying 28 Burnishing 31 Dead-gold 31 For Illuminating 89 Imitation of 39 Shell-gold 31 To Manipulate 32 To Prevent Adhering 28 Graining 33 Color, liannony in Grained Work 40 Colors. (See Colors) (Jrounds 35, 37 Birds'-eje Maple 36 Mixing Colors 37 Mahogany 36 Oak 36 Rosewood 36 The Process 34 (ireaBC, to Remove from Cloth 97 f juMiR and their qifalities 42 Amber 42 Anime 42 INDEX. 105 Gums, Bleached Shellac 61 Copol 34 Damar 44 Lac 44 Mastic 44 R esin 45 Sandarac 44 Horn, to Polish 95 to Stain in Imitation of Tortoise Shell 89 India Ink, to Erase 94 to Prevent Running 94 Ink, Stains to Remove 95 Ironwork, Painting and Preserving 84 Ivory, Artificial 91 To Bleach 91 To Soften 91 or. Bone, to Stain Black 90 Blue 90 Red 90 Yellow 90 Lac, gum 44 Lackers, colored 63 for Brass 63 hardwood 60 Linseed Oil 45 Looking Glasses, to Clean 95 Marble, Imitation 85 To Clean 80 To Polish 86 To Remove Stains on 87 Mastic, gum 44 Metals, Polishing 85 Moths in Carpets, to Destroy . . . ' 93 Naphtha 47 Oil Gilding 28 Oil Varnishes 43 I'archment, Tinting on 93 106 INDEX. Parchment, to Make Transparent 93 Paste for Laying Cloth or Leather 76 Pictures, to Clean 87, 88 to Smooth Damaged 88 Polish tor Turner's Work French 15, 10, 60 Improved 16 Prepared Spirits 16 Revivers 70 Water-proof 16 Polishing, French 13 Varnish 10 Putty 97 Rasps 83 Resin 45 R ubbing 9 Sandarac, gum 44 Saws, Band, Brazing 81 Circular, to Remedy Splits in 80 Sharpening 81 ijhades 40 Shellac, bleached 61 Shell-gold 31 Silvering, (see Gilding) Silver-size 32 Size, Gold, for Burnish Gilding 27 Oil, for Gilding 27 Parchment, for Gilding 27 Silver 32 Solder, Soft, Preparing 85 Spirit Varnishes 4i3 Stain, Black 17, 18 Blue, fine 21 Brown 18 Cherry 20 Crimson, fine 20 Mahogany 20 INDEX. 107 Stain, Oak 18, 19, 20 Purple 21 Red 20 Rosewood 19, 20 Walnut 18, 20 Yellow 21 Staining 17 Stains, surface 20 To Brighten 21 To Remove from Wood 96 Steampipes non-Conducting, Covering for 83 Steel Scrapers to Cut 80' Tempera ^ 4 Tiles, to Remove Oil Stains from 94 Tints 39' Tones 89 Tools, Oiling 81 To Harden 80 To Mark 82 To Temper 79 Varnish for 83 Tortoise Shell, Imitation of 89 To Polish 95 Tracing-paper 78 Tracings, to Mount 78 Turpentine, Oil of 46 Varnish, Amalgam 84 Amber, pale 55 Black 07 Brown Hard Spirit 60 Cabinet 53 Carriage 54 Copal 52, 53, 54 Crystal 60 for Cane and Basket Work 68 " Iron 68- " Paper 66 108 INDEX. Varnish for Tools 82 Lacker, Hardwood 60 Mastic 64 Sealing-wax 67 Turpentine 65 Wainscot 55 Water 66 White Spirit 59, 60 Varnishes 42 Application of 5 Gums and their qualities 42 Oil 43 Oil, preparation of 47 Spirit and Turpentine 43 " " preparation of 56 Solvents, 45 Alcohol 46 Linseed Oil 45 Naphtha 47 Turpentine 46 Varnish, Finish 12 Pan 8 to Remove from Wood 96 Velvet, to Clean 96 Veneers, to raise old 76 Waterproof Polish 16 Wax, Black 95 Finish 12 Imitation 12 Green 95 Whitelead, mixing 41 Wood-pullcvs, to Harden 83 JCstabllslKMl by E. & C. AV. HorCHTON to 19'JG, French and American Burl Veneers, Mahogany Boards, Planks, and Veneers. Rosewood and Satinvrooil Boan's, Planks and Veneers. C. C. HOUGHTON & SONS, f^ticcessors to R. X- V. \V. ITouoriToN and the iatc Fran'ots Copct/TT, No. S Howard Street, - New York. Our patrons will plense notice that this business was established by the father of C. C. Houg-hton, in 1826, in New York, and is the oldest and as reliable as any house in the Veneer business. HEADQUARTERS FOR VENEERS 1 No Branch Warerooms ! Althout»-li French and American Burl Veneers are our Specialty, ^\'e have recently enlarg-ed our business, which now includes MAHOGANY, ROSEWOOD, AXD .\LL Cabinet ^A^oods In Boai^s, Planks and Veneer^. Remember the NiLJubcTy 8 Howard Street, N. Y. No Connection with any other House in the Business. NO DUST AND NO TLANIX^G. Tlie only perfL-cl cut lumber in tin; world, Spanish CeOilir^ Whittwvooili i-tc.,. lor - CIGAR BOXES. - - Walnut, Mahogany, Cherry, Whitewood, Etc. in 34 t" M '"c'' thick, all equal lo sawid and planed lumb«r. Ih addition to Dur S4)etialty of. Cut and Press Dried Ltmiber, A'fttH stock of Hardwood Lumber, and Veneers, Mahogany, Walnut, Ash; Oak, French Walnut Veneers, £to.. Eto. !><;iiJ for Cataloijui: and Prioc IJst. Geo. W. Read & Co., 18G to 30rt Tewls Street, N. Y, flty. WM. GIFFERT ' WHOLESA.t-E MAN'UFACTUKEROr Parlor Furniture, Students' ClKiirs andi^atent Rockers. Adjustable Lounges, Mattresses, Etc. No. 2-17 South C.\.\al Street, ciiic.\(;o. MOLTER BROS. MANL'FAi'irKKltS OK CHAMBER SUITS, Bureau Lookino-Glass Frames .-Si'lJC 1 Al.TV. N0S.339&341 Clybourn Avenue, CHICAGO, ILL. Tiikc Clvliourn Avtmic Cur.s ;il Madison luid Claik Streets. Date Due r. m~ ^3-17 C L \ \ r V;r\M. rstublislK-d 1838. 31. O. STKPHEX, HALL & STEPHEN, (Suoceascre to D. K. H.vu- & 9o«t.) MANUFACTURERS B !EI3DiDili T^ ^'D— ' ^TTRL^SES, ss Bedsteads 185 Sixth Ave. N. Y. vif~.Seua for Price I4sW GEHY CENTER LIBRARY 3 3125 00140 9016 m