The “Assistant and Guide,” is dedicated to all interested in the great industrial interest which it represents. It is a humble pioneer in a new field, and is submitted with the hope that it may be found a valuable “assistant” to those just starting in the first years of their apprenticeship—a “guide” to such as are desirous of perfecting themselves in the calling to which their efforts are directed, and a “companion” to the merchant, and all who seek for information, in the thousand varied channels through which it flows.

W. H. R. JR.

Boston, October, 1858.

CONTENTS.

Introduction—An account of the various styles of “covering for feet,” before the Christian Era; with illustrations,[xv]
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
Importance of the Boot and Shoe Trade,[9]
CHAPTER II.
Rise and Progress of the Boot and Shoe Trade,[14]
CHAPTER III.
Gutta Percha—its Properties, Manufactures, &c., &c.,[19]
CHAPTER IV.
Gutta Percha—its First Application as a Cement in the United States,[39]
CHAPTER V.
Gutta Percha for Belts, Harnesses, &c.; its Application to Wood Work, &c.,[43]
Testimonials,[45]
CHAPTER VI.
India Rubber—its Discovery, Uses, &c.,[51]
Cleaning Processes, Mackintosh Cloth,[56]
Cutting Processes, India Rubber Liquid, Braids and Webs,[58]–60
Vulcanized; Comparison of India Rubber and Gutta Percha,[61]–65
BOOK II.
CHAPTER I.
Preparation of Stock,[66]
Middle Soles; Spur or Spring Lifts; To Prepare Leather Soles; To Prepare Counters; Preparation of Stock for Cloth Shoes; Preparation of the Upper Stock; To Prepare Uppers made of any description of Leather, or part Leather and Cloth; Instructions for Lasting; Cementing Processes after Lasting; Directions for applying Thick or Thin Soles to Shoes and Boots; Remarks on Finishing; Taps or Soles for Repairing; Preparing the Boot or Shoe to be Repaired; Important Facts for Manufacturers; Compounds for Heels of Shoes or Boots; Various Fibrous Compounds for Leather Soles, &c.; Practical Hints.
CHAPTER II.
Hints and Instructions on Pattern Cutting,[79]
Diagrams on pages [82], [83], [84], [85], [87], [96], [97], [99]; Fitting up Lasts for the Measurement of the Foot, [88]; Cutting Boot Patterns, [89]; Scales for Lasts, [91]; Scales for Medium Proportions of Feet, [93]; Directions for Pattern Cutting, [93]–101.
CHAPTER III.
Instructions for Making French Custom Boots, Shoes and Gaiters,[103]
BOOK III.
CHAPTER I.
Discovery of the Vulcanization and Sulphurization of India Rubber in America,[106]
Nathaniel Hayward, [109]; Importance of the Discovery, [113]; Causes of Failure, [114]; Charles Goodyear, and Interesting Account of his Trials, [114]–124; Results.
CHAPTER II.
Vulcanization—Interesting Reflections,[128]
CHAPTER III.
Vulcanization—Tests of Quality of Native Gums, Power to be used in Manufacture, [136]; Methods of Manufacture, &c.
CHAPTER IV.
Vulcanization—Importance of Gum Elastic for Educational Purposes,[142]
CHAPTER V.
Adulteration of India Rubber (Caoutchouc;) English System of Adulteration fully presented,[145]–164
CHAPTER IV.
Valuable Recipes—Purifying Gutta Percha,[165]
Marine Glue; India Rubber Armor; New Gutta Percha Composition; India Rubber Varnish; Water-Proofing Oil; India Rubber Teeth; Emery Paper, &c.; Cheap Method of Making Leather Water Proof.
BOOK IV.
CHAPTER I.
Gutta Percha Patents,[174]
First Patent by D. A. Brooman, fully described; Properties of Gutta Percha; Artificial Fuels; Elastic Applications; Applications in State of Solution; Patent for Improvements in Boots, Shoes and Gaiters, [181]; Description of Patent, [182]–186; Patent by Charles Hancock, Improvements in the Manufacture of Gutta Percha and its Application, [186]: Description of Process of Making and Applying Varnishes to India Rubber Shoes, &c., [187]; Method of Making Gutta Percha light, porous and spongy, [190]; Varnishes, [192]; Parke’s Improvements in Dyeing, [195]; Hancock’s Patent for Improvements in Preparation of Gutta Percha, and Application to Manufacturing Purposes, [196]–200; Re-Vulcanization, [200]; Lorimier’s Patent for Combining Gutta Percha and Caoutchouc with other materials, [203]; Compounds for Boots, Shoes, &c.; Hancock’s Specification for Making Water Proof Shoes, &c., [205]; Claim for Making Shoes of Gutta Percha with other materials, [208]; Cartley’s Patent for Varnishes, [210]; Burke for Manufacture of Air-Proof and Water-Proof Fabrics, [211]; Hancock’s Patent for Gutta Percha Heel Tips, [213]; Varnishes, [214]; Gerard’s Patent for Dissolving India Rubber and Gutta Percha, [217]; Newton’s Patent Applicable to Boots, Shoes, and other coverings for the feet, [219]; N. S. Dodge’s Improvements in Treating Vulcanized India Rubber and Gutta Percha.
CHAPTER II.
American Patents and Claims—Introductory,[230]
Synopsis of American Patents, commencing 1813, ending 1858, [232]–284; Chaffee’s Patent, Application of India Rubber to Cloth, [233]; Goodyear’s Patent, Divesting India Rubber of its Adhesive Qualities, [234]; Hayward’s Patent, Sulphur Preparation, [237]; Chilcott & Snell’s Patent for Improvement in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes, [255]; Reynold’s Patent for Composition in Tanning, [257]; Edward Brown, for Improvement in Porous Elastic Cloth for Gaiters, [258]; Hyatt & Meyer, Improvement in Manufacture of Boot and Shoe Soles of Gutta Percha and India Rubber, [258]; J. A. Pease’s Improvement in Over-Shoes, [262]; Tyer & Helm’s Improvement in Manufacture of Boots and Shoes, [264]; Parmlee’s Attaching Metallic Heels to India Rubber Soles, [265]; Arthur’s Machine for Cutting Boot and Shoe Uppers and Soles from India Rubber, [266]; Rice & Whorf Improvement in Lasting and Applying Soles to Shoes, [269]–272; Tyer & Helm, Making India Rubber Cloth, [271]–272; Crockett, Making Sheets of Leather from Currier’s Shavings or Buffings, [274]; N. Hayward, Preparing Elastic India Rubber Cloth, [275]; Thomas C. Wales’ Water Proof Gaiter Shoes and Boots, [279]; Samuel Whitmarsh, Composition for Artificial Leather, [282]; Boyden & Frederick’s Composition for Varnishing Leather, [283]; F. Baschnagel, for Restoring Waste Vulcanized Rubber, [284]; Descriptive Index of Chemical Patents Issued in 1855–66, [284]–285.
Remarks.—Many of the Patents, described in this chapter, are not here referred to, as they are not particularly applicable to the Shoe and Leather interest
BOOK V.
CHAPTER I.
Tanning,[286]
Description of the Art; Natural and Artificial Tanning, [289]; Extent of the Business in the United States, [290].
CHAPTER II.
Tanning and the Tanning Woods of America,[293]
CHAPTER III.
Practical Hints on Tanning,[301]
CHAPTER IV.
Hibbard’s Process of Tanning,[308]
CHAPTER V.
Tanning Processes,[317]
The Preller Process, [318]; Tanning Buckskin, [321]; New Method of Tanning, [322]; Dexter’s Process, [323]; Fair Leather, [325].
CHAPTER VI.
Patents for Tanning,[326]
Hibbard’s Patent, [326]; Towle’s Patent, [327]; Enos & Hunt’s, [328].
Appendix,[329]
Jenkins’ Improved Heater and Press; Valuable Recipes for Gutta Percha and India Rubber Cement for Boots and Shoes; Varnishes, Gums and Glues, [331]; Black Varnish for Boot and Shoe Edges and Heels, [333]; Water-Proof Cement, [334]; Shellac Varnish, [335]; Glues, [336]–339; Water-Proof Cloth, [340]; Japanning Leather, [343]; Gums, [344].
[Directory.]

INTRODUCTION.

The readers of the “Guide” will be interested in an examination of the various styles of shoes, or rather “coverings for the feet,” that have prevailed, dating some fifteen hundred years prior to the advent of Christ. Some of the most unique, we have had engraved from Cantrell’s designs, which we here furnish, to give correct views.

The first attempt, of which we have any account, to give style to the coverings of the feet, produced the Sandal. These differed in style, though slightly varied in form. Those used by the poorer classes were constructed of flat slices of the palm leaf, which, lapped over in the centre, formed the sole, and a double band of twisted leaves secured and strengthened the edge; a thong of the strong fibres of the same plant was affixed to each side of the instep, and was secured round the foot, while those indulged in by the more wealthy classes were made of leather, and were frequently lined with cloth, the point or end turning up like a pair of modern skates. The sandal reached its greatest perfection among the Romans. The emperor Aurelian gave the royal permission to the ladies of his time to wear sandals of various colors, the men not being permitted to indulge in so great a luxury. The Roman senators wore buskins of a black color, with a crescent of gold or silver on the top of the foot, while the soldiers wore simple sandals fastened by thongs. In the reign of Edward the Third, of England, those who worked at the shoe trade, were denominated the “gentle craft,” as they produced shoes of the most gorgeous description, the richest contrasts of color were elaborated and the greatest variety of pattern devised.