Varnish maker's recipe book.

London, 1861 Feb 5-1863 May 9.

1 v. (83, [29] p.) : ill. ; 19 cm.

English

Notebook kept by one of the 10 or so varnish factories existing in Belle Isle, Islington, London in the mid-19th century. An insight into the realities of making varnishes for carriages, black japan varnish, gold size, enamel, &c., with meticulous detailing of the procedures carried out each day, pen and ink illustrations of the boilers and other equipment, recipes, and notes of customers and suppliers (including Winsor & Newton and Blundell Spence & Co. for their colors). Caption title at head of p. 1 reads "Minutes of each days manufacture commencing 5 February 1861". Leaves ruled. Not all pages are numbered, and not all numbered pages bear text. Most of the illustrations of equipment and machinery are annotated with the dimensions. The notes of suppliers include prices paid for each individual item.

October 22, 2007

Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund

Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund