Badische— The Badische Anilin & Soda Fabrik,
128 Duane St.,
N. Y. City.
Cassella— The Cassella Co.,
184 Front St.,
N. Y. City.
Elberfeld—The Farbenfabriken of Elberfeld Co.,
117 Hudson St.,
N. Y. City.
Kalle— Kalle & Co.,
530 Canal St.,
N. Y. City.
Klipstein—A. Klipstein & Co.,
Agent for Society of Chemical Industry of Basle,
654 Greenwich St.,
N. Y. City.
Metz— Farbwerke-Hoechst Co., formerly H. A. Metz & Co.,
Agent for the Meister Lucius & Bruning Co.,
122 Hudson St.,
N. Y. City.

N. B. Further information concerning dyestuffs, apparatus, textiles, chemicals, etc., connected with this work may be obtained on writing to the author at 7 West 43rd St., New York.

THE NAMING OF MODERN DYESTUFFS

It is important to remember that, in order to identify a color by name, it is necessary to know three things: first, the trade name; second, the shade, or distinguishing, letter; and third, the manufacturer or agent. The trade name sometimes bears a reference to the class, properties, or color of the dye, as “fast acid blue”; or to its chemical composition, as “methylene blue,” or “diamine red”; but in most cases it is simply an arbitrary name, given by the original discoverer when the patents were issued, or assigned later by the manufacturer or his local agents.

The letter or letters, following the name, refer generally to the shade, as for instance, B for blue, R for red, Y or G for yellow (Germangelb), and so on. Thus “methyl violet” is sold in brands running all the way from 6 B to 6 R—that is, from full purple shades that are very close to blue, to bright violet shades, very close to red. Sometimes, however, the letter refers to the composition of the dye or its class, as “fuchsine S” (Germansauer) often called acid fuchsine or acid magenta; or “alizarine blue, D,” when the D indicates a “direct” cotton color. And sometimes the letter F is used to indicate fastness to light, in which case “F F” would signify a brand of very unusual fastness, for that particular class of colors at any rate.

But not infrequently the letter is merely a mark applied for purposes of identification, whose significance cannot easily be learned by those not in the business of color selling, even when it is not a secret closely guarded by the particular firm supplying the dyestuff.

For this reason, the name of the manufacturer or agent shouldalways be added to the color name and letter, if it is important to get a particular color in any case. The best of the older dyes are manufactured by all of the larger firms, of substantially the same strength and shades, although often not under the same names. The later colors, whose patents have not expired, are of course the individual property of the different manufacturers, and can be, and are, marketed by them under any name they like to give them. Accordingly it frequently happens that two different firms may sell, under the same name, two entirely different colors; it would be impossible to tell which dyestuff was intended unless the firm name were attached.

But with these three essentials correctly given—name, brand, and maker—a color can be identified and obtained true in composition and shade, even after the lapse of many years.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE COAL-TAR COLORS AVAILABLE FOR CRAFTSMEN.

Class Name.Materials on which to be used.How applied.How developed.How finished.
I. Direct Cotton or Salt Colors:Cotton, linen, and artificial silk. Rarely wool and silk.In boiling water, with addition of salt.By rinsing in water.
II. Sulphur Colors:Cotton and linen.Rarely silk.In hot or lukewarm water, with addition of soda, sodium sulphide, salt, and Turkey red oil.By exposure to air after wringing.By washing in a hot soap bath, and rinsing.
III. Indigo or Vat Colors:Cotton and linen.Rarely silk. Also as stencil pastes on cotton and linen.In hot or warm water, with addition of caustic soda and sodium hydrosulphite. By exposure to air after wringing.
Some colors must be developed by boiling in a soap bath.		By washing in a hot soap bath, and rinsing.
Stencilled work, by steaming and washing in hot soap bath.
IV. Basic Colors:Raffia, straw, rattan, and basketry in general. Artificial silk.Leather.Rarely wool and silk. Also as stencil pastes on cotton, linen, and silk.In hot or warm water, with addition of a little acetic acid (vinegar).Raffia, etc., finished by rinsing in water. Leather by rubbing with wax when dry. Stencilled work, by steaming and passing through a weak bath of Tartar Emetic.
V. Acid Colors:Wool, silk, and feathers.Sometimes leather. Rarely rattan and basketry.In hot or cold water with addition (for wool) of sulphuric acid and Glauber’s salt. For silk add soap and acid. For leather add a little acetic acid. For feathers add oxalic acid or formic acid.Wool needs very careful rinsing in water, to remove every trace of acid. Silk finished by a cold soap bath, followed by a weak bath of acetic acid. Leather finished with wax. Feathers finished with starch.