To Gild Oil Fainted Work

If the paint is quite dry and hard, merely paint on the design in gold size, and then apply the gold leaf, which must be done carefully. If the paint is not dry around the part to be gilt, it must be dusted over with whitening, and rubbed over with a cloth or brush till the finger will not adhere, before the gold size is applied, and then proceed as above. If the gilding is for out-door work, it must not be varnished, as the sun acting on the varnish gives it a jagged appearance; but if for inside work, it may be varnished over with spirit varnish, and heated slightly by holding a hot iron near it till the varnish has flowed smooth and even over the surface.

To Imitate Mahogany

Let the first coat of painting be white lead, the second orange, and the last burnt umber or sienna; imitating the veins according to your taste and practice.

To Imitate Wainscot

Let the first coat be white, the second half white and half yellow ochre, and the third yellow ochre only. Shadow with umber or sienna.

To Imitate Satin-Wood

Take white for your first coating, light blue for the second, and dark blue or dark green for the third.

A Fine Crimson Stain

Boil one pound of ground Brazil, in three quarts of water for an hour; strain it, and add half an ounce of cochineal; boil it again gently for half an hour, and it. will be fit for use. If you would have it more of the scarlet tint, boil half an ounce of saffron, in one quart of water, and pass over the work previous to the red stain. Observe, the work must be very clean, and of air-wood, or good sycamore without blemish; when varnished it will look very rich.

For A Purple Stain

One pound of chip logwood, boiled in three quarts of water, for an hour; then add four ounces of pearl-ash, and two ounces of indigo (pounded), and you will have a good purple.

For A Fine Black

In general, when black is required in musical instruments, it is produced by japanning, the work being well prepared with size and lampblack; take some black japan and give it two coats, after which varnish and polish it.

A Fine Blue Stain

Put one pound of oil of vitriol in a clean glass bottle, into which put four ounces of pounded indigo, (take care to set the bottle in a basin or glazed earthen pan, as it will ferment); after it is quite dissolved, provide an earthen or wooden vessel, so constructed that it will conveniently hold the article you wish to dye; fill it rather more than one-third with water, into which pour as much of the vitriol and indigo till you find the whole to be a fine blue dye; put in the article and let it remain till the dye has struck through.

A Fine Green Stain

Take three pints of the strongest vinegar, to which put four ounces of the best verdigris, ground fine; half an ounce of sap-green; and half an ounce of indigo.

For A Bright Yellow

There is no need to stain the wood, as a very small piece of aloes put in the varnish will make it a good color, and have the desired effect.

Curious Mode Of Silvering Ivory

Immerse a small slip of ivory in a weak solution of nitrate of silver, and let it remain till the solution has given it a deep yellow color; then take it out and immerse it in a tumbler of clear water, and expose it in the water to the rays of the sun. In about three hours the ivory acquires a black color; but the black surface, on being rubbed, soon becomes changed to a brilliant silver.