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How to make ink
Birgit Reißland & Ad Stijnman
Netherlands Institute of Cultural Heritage (ICN),
Amsterdam
Historical ink recipes
On this page you will find a selection of different
iron gall ink recipes published over the preceding
centuries. Tracking and collecting historical recipes
provides insight into the chemical composition of
inks used on documents and drawings. This knowledge
helps conservators comprehend why certain inks seem
to degrade at a faster pace than others. Furthermore,
knowledge of historic ink composition is crucial
in developing treatment methods for damaged objects.
It is our intention to periodically expand this
list with more recipes and literature.
The first six depicted recipes are supplied by
The Netherlands Institute of Cultural Heritage (ICN).
Within the information unit of the ICN, copies of
sources have been acquired, transcribed, studied
and made accessible by means of a database (ARTES
database). The database is intended for use by art
historians, conservators, scientists, artists, students
and other interested parties. These first six examples
have been transcribed in their original language.
- recipe from "A Booke of Secrets" (English)
- recipes from "Die Tintenfabrikation"
(German)
- recipe from "The coocking and receipes
book by D 'Erp" (French)
- recipe from "Secreti del reverendo donno
Alessio Piemontese" (Italian)
- recipe from a manuscript of the University Library
Uppsala (Latin)
- recipe from a manuscript of the University Library
Utrecht (Dutch)
Source: A Booke of
Secrets ... written first in Italian, and now newly
translated into English, by W.P., London, Edward
White, 1596
To make inke to write
upon paper
Take halfe a pint of water, a pint wanting a quarter
of wine, and as much vineger, which being mixed together
make a quart and a quarter of a pint more, then take
six ounces of gauls beaten into small pouder and sifted
through a sive, put this pouder into a pot by it selfe,
and poure halfe the water, wine and vineger into it,
take likewise foure ounces of vietriall, and beat
it into pouder, and put it also in a pot by it selfe,
whereinto put a quarter of the wine, water, and vineger
that remaineth, and to the other quarter, put foure
ounces of gum Arabike beaten to pouder, that done,
cover the three pots close, and let them stand three
or foure daies together, stirring them every day three
or foure times, on the first day set the pot with
gaules on the fire, and when it begins to seeth, stir
it about till it be throughly warme, then straine
it through a cloath into another pot, and mixe it
with the other two pots, stirring them well together,
and being covered, then let it stand three daies,
til thou meanest to use it, on the fourth day, when
it is setled, poure it out, and it wil be good inke.
If there remaine any dregs behind, poure some raine
water that hath stand long in a tub or vessell into
it, for the older the water is, the better it is,
and keepe that untill you make more inke, so it is
better then clean water.
We kindly appreciate references of other ink recipes
/ sources.
For further information please contact the following
address:
The Netherlands Institute of Cultural Heritage (ICN)
Ad Stijnman
Research Department
Gabriel Metsustraat 8
NL - 1071 EA Amsterdam
Tel.: +31.20.3054762
Fax.: +31.20.3054700
E-mail: ad.stijnman@icn.nl
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