[83] Terra di bolo Armenio: red earth that was and is used in gilding grounds, &c.
[84] Ricuocano.
[85] Cellini’s method of hardening differs from that of Theophilus; the latter in describing the tempering of files, Book III, Chapter xvii., practically employs animal charcoal to case-harden his metal.
[86] Cellini uses the words ‘stampare’ and ‘intagliare’ in their generic as well as their specific sense.
[87] What we should call engraved punches.
[88] Bolso forte. This might be: ‘strongly backed,’ i.e., the reverse of undercut.
[89] Cellini’s description is not very clear; see note, pp. [68] & [74].
[90] Scaglia: perhaps fine oxide of iron. Professor Roberts-Austen suggests that this may have been what is now called ‘rouge.’
CHAPTER XV. ABOUT MEDALS.
In dealing with these beautiful things I will first explain to you the method adopted by the ancients and then tell you how we are wont to go to work nowadays. As far as we can gather from the methods of this art, it appears that in the days when the art of making medals commenced to flourish in Egypt, Greece, and Rome, the rulers put the impressions of their heads on one side and on the other some record of the great deeds they had done. What strikes us professionals, however, who look deeper into the matter, is the variety of medals struck for each emperor by a number of different masters. And the reason of this is that when a new ruler was elected all the masters of the craft of medal stamping in his dominions, and especially those in his immediate residence, struck a medal for the occasion, the prince’s head on one side, and on the other some commemoration of one of his deeds of honour. Then all the many medals were shown to the prince, and his ministers, and to him whose work was pronounced the best was awarded the Mastership of the Mint, or rather the making of the dies for the coins.