photography history articles
This is a just a short article with random notes about how they "used to do", as culled From the beginning of 1900 sources. As will become clear from some of the ingredients used, they did not take many precautions Security at the time. Therefore, these services are provided as a snapshot of history only, and we do not recommend using anything but modern cleaners that have proven safe.
Each has its proven methods for cleaning jewelry using various commercial products, baking soda and assorted home remedies. Back before the days of ultrasonic cleaners and safe cleaners based Chemical, our ancestors had unique approaches to keep their gold and sterling silver sparkling clean.
From the pages of The Boy Mechanic published in 1913:
Jewelry Cleaning
To clean silver items, gold, bronze and brass use a saturated solution of cyanide
potassium. To clean small articles, dip each in the solution and rinse
immediately in hot water, dry and then polish with a cloth. Large items are
cleaned by rubbing the surface with a small tuft of cotton soaked solution. As
Potassium cyanide is a deadly poison, care must be taken not to touch a wound
stain on the flesh.
Similarly the pages of The Boy Mechanic:
To Clean Silver:
A good way to clean silver of any kind is place items in an aluminum
ship and add a few pieces of zinc. Hot water is added and boiled until the money clean.
It is preferable to use fresh water. The tarnish is removed by electrolytic action of zinc
Aluminum and money, and it will take a flash light. This method
cleaning will not harm oxidized silver or black, or which is partially oxidized.
Our This last point is simply something that we always thought was amazing and it is sure to be a hit with collectors of antique watches and = "_blank"> target historic photograph bugs in the world!
Making photographs on the dials Watch
1) Beat to a foam of egg whites, with the addition of a little ammonia. Add 9 ounces
and 3 DR. water and whisk again. After the egg has set, the filter and let the liquid run
over the dial which has been washed with ammonia. When the surplus
runoff, coat with the mixture and allow to dry.
2) A sensitive collodion is now produced as follows: Dissolve 9 gr. zinc chloride in
5 DR. alcohol, add 7-1/2 gr. of collodion cotton and 6-1/2 dr. ether. Shake it all
strength.
3) Dissolve 23 gr. silver nitrate in hot water, add 1-1/2 dr. Alcohol and maintain
whole solution by heating. The silver solution is now added in small quantities at a time
collodion, which must be well regulated. This, of course, is in the darkroom.
After 24 hours of the emulsion is filtered by passing through the swab
alcohol. This durable collodion emulsion is now flowed thinly prepared on the lookout
dial, which, after the collodion has coagulated, moves up and down in distilled water
water until the scratches fat disappear. The water is changed once, and after a short
immersion, the dial is left to dry on a sheet of paper blotting.
4) It is now ready for exposure. Exposed to light magnesium and develop with a developer oxalic citrate, or
the developer hydroquinone following:
Hydroquinone … … … … 1 dr.
The potassium bromide …. 6 DR.
Sodium sulphite. … … … .. 1-1/2 oz
Sodium carbonate. … … … 2-2/3 dr.
Water … … … … … … … .. 14 oz
5) After setting and drying, coat with clear lacquer positive.
It is difficult for us to imagine how anyone could be on for begin! We hope you enjoyed this look back at a time when people were forced to rely on good old Yankee know-how, common sense and their own ingenuity!
About the Author:
Leo Walters is a full time e-commerce merchant offering historical photographs and posters, along with vintage Hollywood collectibles at www.Laughingravy21.com.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Cleaning Jewelry Like Grandma Used to Do It, and How to Put a Photograph on a Watch Dial
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