Books › An encyclopedia of the violin, 1925 › scan 132
Scan 132
An encyclopedia of the violin, 1925
19 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 108. See the scan on archive.org.
1of terebinth is poured, and it is then placed on a coal fire where it should be allowed to boil for about a quarter of an hour, and the mixture stirred from time to time with a piece of spruce wood, care being taken to replace the cover after each stirring. When the amber varnish has entirely dissolved, the pot is withdrawn from the fire, and the mixture stirred with the stirrer until it is no longer at its highest degree of temperature. Then 2 3/5 ounces of the oil which has been prepared in the manner indicated are very carefully poured into the mixture, and the two are thoroughly amalgamated. Finally 5 1/8 ounces of essence of terebinth, colored by whichever gums may have been employed are added.
3In order to color the essence of terebinth, various gums, such as dragon's blood, gamboge gum and others are taken and crushed fine, and then allowed to dissolve in the essence, in the same way that they are dissolved in spirits of wine.
5VARNISHES FOR THE BOW
7We will bring our consideration regarding this subject to an end by indicating how the varnish used in the manufacture of bows, to lend luster to the stick, should be prepared.
9Gum lac ……………………………………… 5 1/8 ounces
10Dragon's blood …………………………… 1 3/10 ounces one of two readings
11Dragon's blood ………………………………. 1 3/10 ounces one of two readings
12Copal ………………………………………….. 1 3/10 ounces
13Spirits of wine …………………………… 21 1/3 ounces one of two readings
14Spirits of wine ………………………………… 21 1/3 ounces one of two readings
16We might here observe that this varnish is used for bow sticks of red wood, such as Brazil wood and Pernambuco wood, while in the case of bow sticks made of brown woods, such as iron wood and campeachy or logwood, the dragon's blood is omitted.
18Begin by pounding the copal into a fine powder, and when this has been done, mix with it 3 4/5 ounces of very dry chalk, also ground dust-fine. These two substances should then be placed in a very narrow white glass bottle together with 10 2/3 ounces of spirits of wine, and the mouth of the bottle should be properly corked, with a double paper stopper, well tied up. By means of a pin a hole should be made in the paper stopper to prevent a possible explosion of the glass. The bottle should then be placed on a warm stove and left there for several hours. Care must be taken to place a fourfold thickness of paper between the bottle and the top of the stove. A new paper stopper should be placed in the bottle mouth every morning before replacing the bottle on the stove, and after having removed the residue which has been precipitated to the bottom of the bottle, the operation should be continued every day until the spirits of wine have assumed the color of old Xeres (Spanish wine). When, after pouring out a drop into a glass of water, the water turns white as milk, it is a sign that the copal has dissolved. It should then once more be left to settle so that the residue is sure to be well separated from the liquid, and
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