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I thought this was an interesting instruction that includes the use of wine and rum in your leaf laying. I'd like to get my hands on an original copy of the book, most of the ones available are all reprints and I suspect the information has changes- anybody know if that is so?
To Fix Gold Letters, Etc., Upon Glass.
I
The glass must be entirely clean and polished, and the medium is prepared in the following manner: One ounce fish glue or isinglass is dissolved in water so that the latter covers the glue. When this is dissolved a quart of rectified spirit of wine is added, and enough water is poured in to make up one-quarter the whole. The substance must be kept well corked. (I wonder if they are reffering to the wine bottle here )
II
Take 0.5 quart of the best rum and 0.25 ounce fish glue, which is dissolved in the former at a moderate degree of heat. Then add 0.5 quart distilled water, and filter through a piece of old linen. The glass is laid upon a perfectly level table and is covered with this substance to the thickness of 1/8 inch, using a clean brush. Seize the gold leaf with a pointed object and place it smoothly upon the prepared mass, and it will be attracted by the glass at once. After 5 minutes hold the glass slightly slanting so that the superfluous mass can run off, and leave the plate in this position for 24 hours, when it will be perfectly dry. Now trace the letters or the design on a piece of paper, and perforate the lines with a thick needle, making the holes 1/16 inch apart. Then place the perforated paper upon the surface of the glass, and stamp the tracery on with powdered chalk. The paper pattern is then carefully removed, and the accurate design will remain upon the gold. The outlines are now filled out with an oily gold mass, mixed with a little chrome orange and diluted with boiled oil or turpentine. When all is dry the superfluous gold is washed off with water by means of a common rag. The back of the glass is then painted with a suitable color.
I believe there is no shame in failure. Rather, the shame lies in the loss of all the things that might have been, but for the fear of failure.
Hi Kelly,
I have several different copies of the Henley books but I could only find one.
"Henley's Twentieth Century Formulas Recipes Processes" for home and workshop, edited by Gardner D. Hiscox 1919 edition. On page 18, I found your exact quote.
rectified: distilled or redistilled
spirit of wine: ethyl alcohol ( ethanol, grain alcohol )
If your going to try to understand the old formulas, you need to get a book for translations.
I use: "Concise Chemical and Technical Dictionary" edited by H. Bennett 1962.
)
Thanks for setting that straight.
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads