The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-05-09
The Art Of Dyeing.

Dyeing was practiced successfully in
India, Egypt, Persia, China, and Syria
at the earliest periods of which any
mention is made in recorded history.
Cloths were dyed purple, scarlet, yellow,
and blue by some if not all of these ma
tions. Tyre and Sidon, long before the
time of Herodotss, were the centres of
great industries, and dyeing was. their
principal occupation, and added greatly
to their commercial wealth.
1t is claimed that a slave living in
Tyre accidentally discovered the Tyrian
purple so long and justly celebrated,
and which was first made known about
1000 years B. G. The dye was obtain
ed from a species of shell fish found on
the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Plutarch relates that at the taking Of
Susa by the Greeks, commanded by
Alexander the Great, they found in the
treasury of King Darius purple cloth of
great value, which retained its beauty,
although it had lain there one hundred
and ninety years. The secret of this
beautiful color was also known to the
Romans but it is now numbered among
the lost arts. In the time of the Roman
Empire the imperial family were alone
allowed the privilege of wearing purple.
During the reign of Theodore there
were but two manufactures of purple
fabrics known. One was at Tyre, and
the other at Constantinople. The form
er was destroyed by the Saracens, and
the later by the Turks.
Alexander, previous to the sailing OF
his feet for the conquest of India, had
the sails of his vessels dyed different
colors, and since his time the red flag at
the top of the mast has always denoted
the Admirals ship. It was during the
reign of this King that the Greeks made
great proficiency in dyeing black, blue,
yellow and green. 1t is certain that
the ancients were well acquainted with
the use of mordants; and copperas,
alum, carbonate of soda and sulphate
of copper were used for this purpose.
Besides woven fabrics the ancients also
colored the skins of animals that were
used for leather. Moses mentions such
as having been dyed red, purple, and
scarlet. Ia Rome married woman
was distinguished from maiden by be-
ing allowed to wear a yellow veil and
shoes, which the latter were not allowed
to put on when in public. The COM
batants in the arena at o later period
wore leathern bells of the blended colors
of green, blue, ash, gray, and orange.
1t is quite certain that most OF the
Eastern nations were indebted to India
for much information in regard to dye
ing as well as many other of the arts and
sciences. The process of giving cotton
cloth beautiful madder red was first
Iiconrnrnl hof
subsequently, known by the name OF
Andrianople red.
The moderns obtained much of theil
knowledge of colors from the Vonctians
who possessed secrets of this kind which
for long time remained unknown tC
the rest of Europe. 1t was at Florence
that the properties of Archil were first
discovered. This linchen affords a very
beautiful, but not durable, purple color
and with some combinations also pro.
duces blue. After the discovery of tn,
New World, Brazilwood, campeachy
fustic, and cochineal were extensively
used in Spain. France, and Italy. 1t il
from the latter article, on being mixed
with solution of salts of tin, that we
obtain most beautiful scarlet. Fustic
is an ingredient in all dyes where {
brownish or jet black is desired. Log
wood gives us q red color, and wheI
mixed with other ingredients a TIM
known as chocolate brown and Indigo
combined with buckthorn berry variou
shades of green.
More recently chemistry has develop
ed the introduction of new shades o
various degrees Of excellence, commonl.
called fancy colors. The application o
old and new materials has also beer
greatly facilitated by the better knowl
edge thus obtained and cheaper mode
of utilizing them to the best advantage
The manufacture of Turkey reds from
madder; the introduction of the com
pounds of chromium as colors, and late
as re-agents the discovery of Prussial
blue; the improvement in the use o
Archil; the extensive employment o
cachou and sumac, and the process b,
which aniline colors are made, are on
and all the result of scientific expert
ments, mostly made during the las
century.