Woodman Posted January 27, 2019 Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 A couple of projects are on the table. One wants LOTS of attention and the other just a few spots. So I finally am going to separate and label an old box of pigments gifted to me a few years ago. The stuff that looks like ground up spruce - I think it is something else. Fragrant, and I burnt a little and it did not smell like wood. Familiar? The dark flower buds grind into a black/grey/brown but I do not have them at powder yet - Can anyone identify the bud? This yellow - one of several - has a name written on the bag but I cannot read it. Ideas? I'm looking to get closer to a brown. Haven't gotten there yet. Too red or too sludge-like so far. Many many more packets to go in the big box. Thank you very much for your guidance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felefar Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 13 hours ago, Woodman said: Top says "Santelholz" - sandel wood. It's a fragrance. The other one looks like "Aureum", meaning "golden". I doubt there is gold in it, that would be far redder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilg Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 Looks like Curcum (turmeric) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 if it is turmeric don't use it as a pigment, it fades quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilg Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 2 hours ago, MikeC said: if it is turmeric don't use it as a pigment, it fades quickly. Could that be improved by making a lake pigment from it? edit: found this easy 18th century recipe for Lacque of Turmeric, used for painting http://www.gutenberg-e.org/cgi-bin/dkv/gutenberg/slideshow_low.cgi?pn=38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Molnar Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 Aureum usually means gamboge. Be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodman Posted January 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Michael_Molnar said: Aureum usually means gamboge Yeeeoooowww! I'll be careful not to ingest it! I figured since lots of these packages look over 100 years old - easily - and the labels indicate "chemists shops", that some are probably items which wouldn't pass OSHA muster these days. Respirator is ON most of the time when opening up the more dusty, crinkled packages. 5 hours ago, Felefar said: Top says "Santelholz" - sandel wood. It's a fragrance. Thank you! What would sandalwood wood shavings be used for? I had an idea, between wakefulness and slumber, on the flower buds. Separate the light from the dark, and use the lighter parts. It is a perfect shade. Speaking of turmeric, taking the jesting of a few jokers literally in my formative years, I once used pumpkin spice as a tint in a patching compound. Learned my lesson, and went on to make effective ebony, spruce, and maple fillers for occasional use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlecollector Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 I assume the flower buds are possibly saffron from the envelope marked crocus. Though its usually just the stigma thats used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodman Posted January 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 The buds were loosely wrapped in these two pieces of paper, one of which looks like a detailed sketch with very small writings upon it. A fair quantity. The stigma is the light part? I believe a mortar and pestle is in order. I'll try to press the sketch flat and post it after a bit. These yellow chips are resin for making varnish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Burgess Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 If the notion is to use them for coloring varnish, I'd toss 'em. Even if you can determine for sure what each one is, some fade very badly, and you won't know which until you test them for light-fastness or color degradation in the medium you will be using. Some of the "artist" pigments and dyes you can buy off-the-shelf today are rated for light-fastness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodman Posted January 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 Using them, that was the idea. Toss them ... just when I was beginning to get a feel for them. The current projects 1] pegs bridge touchup and 2] a little more than gluing a separated top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felefar Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 The detailed sketch is a tailor’s pattern for a vest - certainly not related to lutherie. The blocky chunks may be resin, or glue, or something else. They look most like old glue to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Cossmann Cooke Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 2 hours ago, David Burgess said: If the notion is to use them for coloring varnish, I'd toss 'em. Even if you can determine for sure what each one is, some fade very badly, and you won't know which until you test them for light-fastness or color degradation in the medium you will be using. Some of the "artist" pigments and dyes you can buy off-the-shelf today are rated for light-fastness. Some of those probably are as old as David. The difference is, he shows no sign of fading. Happily so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodman Posted January 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 7 minutes ago, Felefar said: The detailed sketch is a tailor’s pattern for a vest Wow, great eye. I thought the f-holes on my reproduction were looking suspiciously like a watch pocket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilg Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 25 minutes ago, Woodman said: Wow, great eye. I thought the f-holes on my reproduction were looking suspiciously like a watch pocket! I thought it was some fancy new bow frog design Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodman Posted February 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2019 With small jars freshly cleaned of their labels, I'm finally delving back into the box of pigments. This little box, like a deck of cards, has long intrigued me. As if it were a pocket-kit of tints which might solve all a luthier's problems. (The holzbeizen may be the grail I seek). As I label my jars, any help will be greatly appreciated. Finally unwrapped and decanted, this is what we have: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felefar Posted February 3, 2019 Report Share Posted February 3, 2019 The little box is for photographic plates. These are glass plates with photographic emulsion on, but if there are plates in there they will either be developed negatives or damaged from age. Common sizes were 6.5*9cm and 9*12cm, it does not look like larger ones (e.g. 13*18cm or 18*24cm) to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodman Posted February 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2019 Thank you, Felefar! The four pigments are in the small photographic plates box. The first two envelopes I cannot read but versions of the 3rd and 4th come up in web searches. The blocky chunks posted last Monday, on the 28th ... shellac maybe? Inside this olfer Kent cigarette package I think I found tolu balsam ans what looks like more saffron, but I cannot read the label. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felefar Posted February 3, 2019 Report Share Posted February 3, 2019 Yes it IS saffron - the label is in Cyrillic letters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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