Arch-Chem-Nms-art - 10/2/08 "Archaic Chemical Names and Modern Equivalents" by Baron Ibrahim ibn Abih al Thaalibi, OP, OL. NOTE: See also the files: lapidary-msg, A-Lapidary-art, metal-etching-msg, Rock-Crystal-art, urine-uses-msg, wood-finishes-msg, charcoal-msg, p-cleaning-msg, p-petroleum-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ To: EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com Subj: Archaic Chemicals Posted by: "Ron Charlotte" ronch2 at bellsouth.net al_thaalibi Date: Thu Jan 3, 2008 4:30 pm (PST) The following is an article I compiled a couple of years ago. The discussion on researching chemically treating lapidary materials made me remember it: Archaic Chemical Names and Modern Equivalents Baron Ibrahim ibn Abih al Thaalibi, OP, OL MKA Ron Charlotte The following list is not exhaustive by any means, but it's a pretty good representation of some of the chemical and compounds that might be found in historical artist and craftsman formulas and recipes. There are several instances when the same chemical or compound is called by multiple names; this is because chemistry has only become truly standardized in the last century or so. Alabaster-Calcium sulphate Anhydrite-Anhydrous calcium sulphate Aqua Metallorum-Mercury Aqua Vitae-Unrectified alcohol; sometimes refers to unflavored brandy. Baking soda-Sodium bicarbonate Baryta-Barium oxide Bleach-Sodium hypochlorite Bleaching powder-Calcium hypochlorite Blue vitriol-Copper sulphate Boracic acid-Boric acid Borax-Sodium tetraborate Brimstone-sulphur Calamine-Zinc carbonate Caliche -sodium nitrate Calomel-Mercuric chloride Caustic Potash-Potassium hydroxide Caustic soda-Sodium hydroxide Chile saltpeter-Sodium Nitrate/ Sodium Nitrite Chloride of iron-Ferric chloride Condy's crystals-Potassium permanganate Copperas-Ferrous sulphate Cream of tartar-Potassium hydrogen tartrate Dragon's Blood-Tincture of Antimony Dragon's Blood II-Sap of draconea draco Drikold-Solid carbon dioxide Epsom salts-Magnesium sulphate Flowers of sulphur-Sulphur in powder form Fuller's earth-Non plastic clay Glauber's salt-Sodium sulphate Gypsum-Calcium Sulphate Horn silver-Silver chloride Hypo, photographic-Sodium thiosulphate Ivory black-Carbon (from bones or other skeletal material) Kaolin/ China clay-Aluminium silicate King's Yellow-Arsenic trisulphide Lime sulphur-Calcium polysulphide Litharge-Lead trioxide Lithopone-Zinc sulphide and barium sulphate Liver of sulphur-Potassium polysulphide Lunar caustic-Silver nitrate Lye-Sodium hydroxide Magnesia-Basic magnesium carbonate Marsh gas-Methane Massicot-Lead monoxide Mohr's salt-Ferrous ammonium sulphate Muriatic acid-Hydrochloric acid Nitre-Potassium nitrate Oil of Iron-Red Sulphur Orpiment-Arsenic trisulphide Oxymuriatic acid-Chlorine gas Paris green-Copper arsenite Plaster of Paris-Calcium sulphate Plumbago-Graphite Potash-Potasssium carbonate Purple of Cassius-Colloidal gold Pyrites (iron)-Ferrous sulphide Realgar-Arsenic disulphide Red lead / Minium-Lead tetroxide Rochelle salt-Sodium potassium tartrate Sal ammoniac-Ammonium chloride Sal volatile-Ammonium carbonate Saltpeter /Sal Petrier-Potassium Nitrate Saltpeter, Norwegian-Calcium nitrate Selenite-Calcium sulphate Spirit of Nitre-Nitric acid Spirits of salt-Hydrochloric acid Sugar of lead-Lead Acetate Table salt-Sodium chloride Tartar Emetic-Potassium antimonyl tartrate Tripoli-Diatomaceous earth Verdegris-Copper Acetate /carbonate Vermilion-Red Mercuric Sulfide Vinegar-Acetic acid Vitriol-Sulphuric Acid concentrated Washing soda-Sodium carbonate Water Glass-Sodium silicate solution White arsenic-Arsenious oxide White Lead-Lead carbonate White vitriol-Zinc sulphate My many thanks to Master Magnus of Atlantia, and John Burgess of New Zealand, for allowing me to mine their respective correspondences for nuggets of information. Bibliography Agricola, Georgius; De Re Metallica, 1556; Trans. by Herbert C. Hoover & Lou H. Hoover; 1986, Dover Publications, New York (ISBN 0-486-60006-8) Alexis of Piemont (Ruscelli, Girolamo); The Secretes of the Reverende Maister Alexis of Piemount ANNO 1558, Reprinted in 1975 by Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, Ltd., Amsterdam (ISBN 90 221 0707 8) Biringuccio, Vannoccio; The Pirotechnia, 1548; Trans. by Cyril Stanley Smith & Martha Teach Gnudi; 1990, Dover Publications, New York (ISBN 0-486-26134-4) Cellini, Benvenuto; The Treatises of Benvenuto Cellini on Goldsmithing and Sculpture, 1568; Trans. by C. R. Ashbee; 1967, Dover Publications, New York (ISBN 0-486-21568-7) Diagram Group, The, Handtools of Arts and Crafts, 1981, St. Martin's Press, New York (ISBN: 0312358601). Hiscox, Gardner, ed. Henley's Formulas for Home and Workshop, 1979 (reprint of 1907 revised edition), Avenel Books, New York (ISBN 0-517-29307-2) Maryon, Herbert; Metalwork and Enamelling, 1971, Dover Publications, New York (ISBN 0-486-22702-2) McCreight, Tim; The Complete Metalsmith, 1991, Davis Publications, Inc, Worcester, MA (ISBN 0-87192-240-1) Practical Casting, 1994, Brynmorgen Press, Cape Elizabeth, ME (ISBN 0-9615984-5-X) Theophilus; On Divers Arts, c.1122, Trans. by John G. Hawthorne & Cyril S. Smith; 1979, Dover Publications, New York (ISBN 0-486-23784-2) Ron Charlotte -- Gainesville, FL ronch2 at bellsouth.net OR afn03234 at afn.org Re: Archaic Chemicals Posted by: "Chris and Barbara Collins" bcollins at fairpoint.net Bcollins_05471 Thu Jan 3, 2008 4:39 pm (PST) Find a copy of a "Dixie gunworks" cat'lg. In the back, there's all kinds of useful info (labeled as such) Sorry, their site doesn't have it on-line. -Ekk Edited by Mark S. Harris Arch-Chem-Nms-art Page 4 of 4