DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0303
ENAMEL. 289
basis; for blue, a mixture of zaffer and brass calcined ; for green, the calx of brass, with scales
of iron or crocus martis; for blacky zaffer with manganese, or with crocus martis ; or manganese
with tartar; for red, manganese or calx of copper and red tartar; for purple, manganese with
calx of brass; for yellow, tartar and manganese; and for violet, manganese with brass thrice
calcined. . .'
In mixing these substances, the following precautions are necessary:—1. That the pots in
which the enamel is formed be lined with white glass, such as will bear the fire.—2. That the
basis or matter of the enamel be very intimately combined with the colours.—3. When the
enamel is good, and the colours well incorporated, it is to be taken from the fire with a pair of
tongs. 4. The general way to colour the enamel is this :—powder, sift, and grind all the colours
very carefully and minutely ; then mix them with each other, and last of all, with the common
basis of the enamel. They are then set in pots in a furnace, and when well mixed and combined
together are thrown into water : when dry, they are again set in the furnace to be melted, and
proofs made from time to time to judge of the state of the fusion and colour: if the mixture
appear too deep, some of the enamel must be added ; and if too pale, more of the colours are
necessary.
A great part of works in enamel are done by the fire of a lamp, in which instead of oil melted
horse-grease is burnt. This lamp is made of copper or iron tinned, consisting of two pieces, in
one of which is an oval plate, in which the oil and wick are placed; the other part serves only
to receive the oil which boils over by the heat. The lamp is placed on a table, under which is a
pair of bellows, worked by the foot of the artist, to quicken the flame of the lamp, which is thus-
excited to a very intense degree of heat. The wind from the bellows is conveyed along a groove
in the upper part of the table to a glass pipe placed before the lamp; and to prevent the workmen
from being incommoded by the heat this pipe is covered, at the distance of six inches, by a small
tin plate fixed into the table by a handle. When the work requires only a moderate degree of
heat a glass pipe is used, into which the artist himself blows. It is almost beyond belief the
degree of fineness and delicacy to which the threads of enamel may be drawn out by means of
this lamp. Those used for imitating tufts of human hair are so fine as to be wound on a reel
like thread or silk. The imitations of jet, frequently used in embroidery, are also made in this
way, and with so much art that each small piece has a hole through it lengthwise, to receive the
fine thread to fix it on the cloth. These holes are made by blowing long pieces, and afterwards
cut short with a proper instrument.
The enamels brought from Venice and Holland are seldom used alone ; they are commonly
melted in an iron ladle with an equal quantity of glass, and when the substances are in perfect
fusion they are drawn out into threads of any size that may be required. The workmen take the
mixture while liquid with two pieces of a tobacco-pipe, and extend it as far as they can reach.
If the thread be required still longer another person holds one end and continues to draw it out,
while the first workman holds the enamel to the flame. These threads when cold, are cut into
such lengths as may be necessary, but commonly about ten or twelve inches, and being all round
like a wire may be flattened by drawing them through a pair of pincers while hot. There is also
another instrument of iron, resembling pincers, to draw out the enamel by the lamp, when it is
to be worked and disposed in figures. When the enameller is at work for this species of operation
he sits before the lamp, with his foot on the step or spring that moves the bellows, and holding
4 e in-
basis; for blue, a mixture of zaffer and brass calcined ; for green, the calx of brass, with scales
of iron or crocus martis; for blacky zaffer with manganese, or with crocus martis ; or manganese
with tartar; for red, manganese or calx of copper and red tartar; for purple, manganese with
calx of brass; for yellow, tartar and manganese; and for violet, manganese with brass thrice
calcined. . .'
In mixing these substances, the following precautions are necessary:—1. That the pots in
which the enamel is formed be lined with white glass, such as will bear the fire.—2. That the
basis or matter of the enamel be very intimately combined with the colours.—3. When the
enamel is good, and the colours well incorporated, it is to be taken from the fire with a pair of
tongs. 4. The general way to colour the enamel is this :—powder, sift, and grind all the colours
very carefully and minutely ; then mix them with each other, and last of all, with the common
basis of the enamel. They are then set in pots in a furnace, and when well mixed and combined
together are thrown into water : when dry, they are again set in the furnace to be melted, and
proofs made from time to time to judge of the state of the fusion and colour: if the mixture
appear too deep, some of the enamel must be added ; and if too pale, more of the colours are
necessary.
A great part of works in enamel are done by the fire of a lamp, in which instead of oil melted
horse-grease is burnt. This lamp is made of copper or iron tinned, consisting of two pieces, in
one of which is an oval plate, in which the oil and wick are placed; the other part serves only
to receive the oil which boils over by the heat. The lamp is placed on a table, under which is a
pair of bellows, worked by the foot of the artist, to quicken the flame of the lamp, which is thus-
excited to a very intense degree of heat. The wind from the bellows is conveyed along a groove
in the upper part of the table to a glass pipe placed before the lamp; and to prevent the workmen
from being incommoded by the heat this pipe is covered, at the distance of six inches, by a small
tin plate fixed into the table by a handle. When the work requires only a moderate degree of
heat a glass pipe is used, into which the artist himself blows. It is almost beyond belief the
degree of fineness and delicacy to which the threads of enamel may be drawn out by means of
this lamp. Those used for imitating tufts of human hair are so fine as to be wound on a reel
like thread or silk. The imitations of jet, frequently used in embroidery, are also made in this
way, and with so much art that each small piece has a hole through it lengthwise, to receive the
fine thread to fix it on the cloth. These holes are made by blowing long pieces, and afterwards
cut short with a proper instrument.
The enamels brought from Venice and Holland are seldom used alone ; they are commonly
melted in an iron ladle with an equal quantity of glass, and when the substances are in perfect
fusion they are drawn out into threads of any size that may be required. The workmen take the
mixture while liquid with two pieces of a tobacco-pipe, and extend it as far as they can reach.
If the thread be required still longer another person holds one end and continues to draw it out,
while the first workman holds the enamel to the flame. These threads when cold, are cut into
such lengths as may be necessary, but commonly about ten or twelve inches, and being all round
like a wire may be flattened by drawing them through a pair of pincers while hot. There is also
another instrument of iron, resembling pincers, to draw out the enamel by the lamp, when it is
to be worked and disposed in figures. When the enameller is at work for this species of operation
he sits before the lamp, with his foot on the step or spring that moves the bellows, and holding
4 e in-