DECORATION OF A BOX OF WATER-COLOURS, &c.

The limits of our present notice preclude the possibility of our indicating the materials of which Messrs.Ackermann’s colours consist, or the processes upon which, in common with those of other manufacturers, theiradmitted excellence depends. We may, however, convey to our readers some idea of the extensive agencieswhich are called into operation, to supply, from the remotest countries of the globe, the ingredients necessaryfor their composition. Thus, from Saxony we obtain those delicate blues known as cobalt and smalt. Lapislazuli, from which the costly and beautiful ultramarine is extracted, is found in Siberia and Persia , though anartificial ultramarine is manufactured in France and Germany ; and indigo is brought from the East Indiesand Central America. England, Germany, and China , yield the fine qualities of vermilion; whilst carmineis prepared from the minute cochineal insect of Central America and Mexico. For a long period France possessed the greatest proficiency in the preparation of the latter pigment, but the manufacture is now successfullycarried on in England. The best madders are derived from Germany and Holland ; the beautiful class of

colours called chromes are produced in Siberia ; whilst ochres of almost innumerable tints are found in mostparts of the Continent, and in some districts of England and Wales . Sepia is extracted from the cuttle-fish, andChina boasts exclusively of its matchless “Indian” ink. Blacks are mostly calcined from ivory, bone, or the

tendrils of the vine, and other light woods. Gamboge is brought from America and the East Indies. Browns

are obtained chiefly from bituminous deposits; but amongst them may be noticed that singular pigment,mummy, derived, as its name implies, from Egypt .

Many interesting additions to the colours previously known were, for the first time, presented to the publicon the occasion of the Great Exhibition , and to these we cannot have a better guide than Mr. William Linton,whose work on “Ancient and Modern Colours, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time,”* is a mostelaborate and valuable publication. Mr. Linton observes, that “among the novelties in this department ofproduction was a large collection of native Indian ochres, sent by the Honourable East India Company , of everyvariety of tint, from the yellows and browns common to the ochres of European districts, to the pinks andpurple reds which are less known as pigments, and chiefly found in countries believed by geologists to beof an igneous origin. There were other collections of ochres, also, from Canada and Trinidad. Several

varied tints of green ultramarine were exhibited; durable transparent colours, well adapted for the palette, amongwhich was an excellent permanent substance for Prussian and Antwerp blue. There were many other mineralcolours of great use and beauty; as greens prepared from zinc and cobalt; a new bright yellow, chromate ofcadmium; a subdued orange from cerium; a red from palladium; a beautiful rose pink and deep rich purpleof varied hues from cobalt; a brown from iron; a new white from lead (Pattinson’s oxichloride) ; and severalmore, of whose existence few had previously known; a series of beautiful silicates from the Potteries; variousnew colours made with zinc; also rich and powerful glazing colours, chiefly greens, browns, and yellows,prepared with fatty acids; and an artificial ultramarine blue, of the prismatic hue, from Alsace , resemblingthe finest lapis lazuli, and responding to the same chemical tests; an acquisition of whose value an estimatemay be formed, from the fact, that a fine quality of the native pigment, such as is usually sold in the shops atfive guineas the ounce, was exactly matched by the above example, the manufacture of which (having beenrepeated with the most perfect success) would be amply remunerated at half that number of pence for the ounce.”

It would be improper to close our present remarks without alluding to the taste displayed by Mr. Sleighin the composition of the design we have engraved. Some of the most successful plates given in this work bearample testimony to the ability and talent of that gentleman; and it will be at once acknowledged that, inthe object above described, he has displayed considerable powers as an original designer, in addition to those'which have long since gained for him a high degree of reputation as a lithographic artist.

* Longman and Co. 8vo. 1852.