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 LIMITED. 
 
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 No. 105 RUE LAFAYETTE, PARIS, FRANCE, 
 
 TWtKNUPKCTURBRS OP 
 
 ANILINE COLORS, 
 
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 INCLUDINQ MANY 
 
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 NEW YORK, U.S. A. 
 
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cEhr D. H. HtH iCibrani 
 
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 JECT TO AN OVERDUE FINE AS 
 POSTED AT THE CIRCULATION 
 DESK. 
 
THE 
 
 practical 
 Ostrich Feather Dyer, 
 
 ALEXANDER PAUL. 
 
 REVISED AXE) CORRECTED 
 
 DR. M. FRANK. ' 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 MRS. DR. M. FRANK, 
 
 " Textile Color isi,"' 
 
 506 Arch St., Philadelphla, Pa., U. S. A. 
 
 1888. 
 
Copi/rifffd, J8SS, },;, ^frs. I>r. M. Frank, 
 All liujhts Jteserved. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In the preparation of this work it has been my aim to 
 present Recipes, simple, 3'et complete in every detail, for 
 dyeing every color and shade of color known. Relia- 
 bility, practicability and rapidity I claim for this work, 
 and would ask that it be judged not from a literary 
 standpoint, but as a thorough and practical instructor 
 in the art of Ostrich Feather Dyeing, as simplified and 
 perfected by me during years of hard work and re- 
 search. It is the first work of its kind ever put before 
 the public in the English language, and will, in conse- 
 quence, receive from those interested close scrutiny and 
 criticism, which prompts the author to offer $1000 to 
 any person who will prove that the recipes herein con- 
 tained, or any single one of them, will not produce the 
 desired color or shade perfect and in the time men- 
 tioned. The old methodical orthodox dyers will find a 
 decided advantage in being enabled to make colors in 
 minutes, that heretofore required hours and days to 
 
li OSTRICH FKATIIKR DYEIN'O. 
 
 * 
 
 complete. Technicalities and high-sounding phrases 
 for the naint's of colors and terms of the dye-house 
 have no place in this work. It is not necessary for a 
 man to be a chemist to l>e a practical feather dyer, 
 other authorities to the contrary notwithstanding. 
 Good practical common sense and judgment and a 
 knowledge of the nature of the goods j'on are handling, 
 an<l throw theory to the winds. Alex Paul. 
 
TO THE 
 
 OSTRICH FEATHEU 
 
 MANUFACTURERS, DYERS AND SCOURERS, 
 
 AND 
 
 IMTERESTED PUBLIC OP AMERICA AND EUROPE, 
 
 THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 TESTIMOIi^IALS. 
 
 The following are a few of the numerous testimonials re- 
 ceived by Dr. M. Frank, Manager of •• Textile Colorist," in 
 evidence of our method : 
 
 Chicago, Feb. 23, 1885. 
 
 All I have to say regarding Mr. Alex. Paul's method for 
 dyeing ostrich feathers are just as he represents, and after 
 having taken a course I am perfectly satisfied. 
 
 I. F. SCHWARZ. 
 
 KicnMOND, Ya., Jan. 20, 1885. 
 Sir, — After receiving a course of instruction of Mr. Alex. 
 Paul, I think he is a thorough master of his art, and fully 
 comes up his promises, and any one who wishes to learn the 
 art could not do better than to engage his services. 
 
 Jas. F. Thurstox. 
 
 Louisville, Ky. , March 12, 1885. 
 
 This is to certify that I have this day received instructions 
 from Mr. Paul, in the art of feather dyeing, and I can truly 
 say that I am much pleased with his process, so simple, so 
 quickly done, and produces such beautiful colors and shades. 
 I paid $150 to other parties for instruction in feather dyeing, 
 and I can say that I knew but little about feather dyeing be- 
 fore to-day. P. Barrister. 
 
 Milwaukee, Feb. 27, 1885. 
 
 We take pleasure in recommending the method of feather 
 dyeing taught to us by Mr. Alex. Paul, for the sum of fifty 
 
11 (tsTUKii keatiii:k dyeixo. 
 
 dullars. Wt* think it would oe beneficial for any dyt-r to 
 learn this art. Otto Pietsch Co, 
 
 Ilo( HESTER, Feb. 4, ISST). 
 This is to certify that Mr. Paul lias tliis day given uie in- 
 structions in ostrich feather dyeii.g, for which I paid fifty 
 dollars. I am jierfectly satislieil that he Iwis accoinnlishiHl all 
 that he undertook to do to my s;itisfaetion, and think that it 
 will prove to be money well invested. Wm. Mains. 
 
 Canton, O., Feb. 11, 18S5. 
 I have taken this day a coni-se of instruction in ostrich 
 feather dyeing from Mr. A. Paul, for which I luiid him fifty 
 dolhirs. The s;ime I consider the most simple and best 
 naethod known ; and is well worth ten times the amount. 
 
 C. Peter & Son. 
 
 Utica, Jan. 31, l!^"). 
 I have received a course of instructions from Alex. Paul, 
 for which I jwi'd him fifty dollai-s, and would state that I 
 consider Mr. Paul a thorough master of the art of feather 
 dyeing, and feel that live times thi' amount paid him would 
 liot l>e etiuivalent to the information receive<l. 
 
 John- W. McLean. 
 
 MiLWAiKKi:, Feb. '2S, ISS,"). 
 Mr. Alex. Paul has given me instruction for dyeing and 
 cleaning o.strich feathei^s. I feel sjitisfieti to certify that his 
 iiietlnMl cannot l)e excelle<l, and that the instruction is w«)rth 
 ten t inns the amount charged. I. I.eiseh. 
 
OSTllICH FliATHER DYEING, 111 
 
 Baltimore, Jan, 14, 1885, 
 Sir, — I have received through Mr, Alex, Paul of your 
 method of feather dyeing, and acknowledge tliat your method 
 is far superior to my most vivid imagination of what can be 
 executed in tlie art of featlier dyeing. I would not sell the 
 information I have obtained, nor would be without it for a 
 great deal more than I paid for it, E. Bauer. 
 
 Albany, Jan. 28, 1885. 
 I am glad to have had the opportunity to learn the art of 
 feather dyeing as taught by Mr. Alex, Paul, and will never 
 regret It. It is the easiest, most economical and the best 
 method known. I paid Mr, Paul fifty dollars for his instruc- 
 tion, but I would not be without it for five hundred. It is, 
 without exception, the finest method extant. 
 
 John P. Mayer. 
 
A, Work-bench. B, Hydro-extractor. C, C, Buckets. D, Boiler. E, Stationary 
 Wash-tub. F, F, Hot-water Pipes. 
 
Curling Knife 
 
OSTRICH 
 
 FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 GROWTH OF THE OSTRICH FEATHER TRADE 
 
 DURING THE PAST TWELVE YEARS 
 
 IN THIS COUNTRY. 
 
 The manufacturers of America could have been 
 counted on the fingers of one's hand a dozen years ago. 
 At the present time New York alone can boast of be- 
 tween forty and fifty. Enterprising men in other cities 
 and throughout the country- are yearly becoming inter- 
 ested and endeavoring to take hold of this young and 
 profitable business, and we can look to ostrich feather 
 manufacturing at the present time as one of our staple 
 industries. The greatest disadvantage manufacturers 
 have had to contend with was a lack of knowledge of 
 coloring. Our greatest chemists and aniline manufac- 
 
2 OSTUItH KKATIIER DYEING. 
 
 turers have worked diligently-, contributing largely to 
 the progress of wool, cotton and silk dyeing, but the 
 amount of dyestufTs used by the largest feather manu- 
 facturers was of such minor importance that it did not 
 seem profitable for them to investigate ; consequently 
 the art of ostrich feather dyeing progressed ver}' slowly. 
 Feather dyers a dozen years ago were scarce, and the 
 art (if in those days it could be called such), was con- 
 trolled to a great extent by the French, who, judging 
 by my experience with them, impressed me as being the 
 most egotistical mortals, and decidedl}' oithodox in 
 their methods, absolutely refusing to take hold of any- 
 thing new that mi^ht prove beneficial to them, and so 
 jealousl}' did they guard their (as they considered 
 them) secrets, that during working hours every one of 
 them even their employers, were denied admittance to 
 the dye-house. 
 
 Millions of dollars arc at the present time invested 
 in ostrich feathers in all conditions, in the cases of raw 
 stock in the warehouses and in the flourishing ostrich 
 farms now in existence; and a milliner's window with- 
 out its rich clusters of ostrich tips and plumes would 
 to day be a rare sight. They are used not only in the 
 trimming of hats and Ifonnets, but fashion demands 
 their use in trimming dresses, wraps, etc., and to a large 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 3 
 
 extent they are being used in making handsome and 
 very valuable fans. It is to be regretted that London 
 and Paris marlcets are supplied with the choicest of the 
 goods that come from the Cape, and America gets the 
 leavings, although our market consumes equally as 
 many, if not more. It is only a matter of time, how- 
 ever, when manufacturers will be importing raw stock- 
 direct. 
 
 THE BIRD, ITS PLUMAGE AND HABITS. 
 
 Years ago, before the trade had begun to assume its 
 present proportions, the supply of feathers came chief- 
 ly from Egypt; the bird being hunted by the natives, 
 and generally killed for its plumage, which was in qual- 
 ity far superior to the feathers which are to-day raised 
 on farms at the Cape. The flues or fibres of the Egyp- 
 tian were very close and compact and very strong in 
 texture and of great durability, and having a gx-eat 
 affinity for color, they were capable of standing a great 
 amount of manipulation without receiving serious in- 
 juiy. A serious objection to them was that one-half, or 
 more, were marked where the bird pecked them with his 
 bill, giving them a moth-eaten appearance, and few of 
 them could be used for white, as they were more or less 
 
4 OSTRICH KKATHER DYEING. 
 
 stained on the ends, a dirty 3'ellow, which soap would 
 not remove and acid would only develop, there being at 
 that time no known mtlliod of bleaching them, as the 
 virtues of Peroxide of Hydrogen or Permanganate of 
 Potash as bleaching agents were unknown to the dyers. 
 Enterprising capitalists saw a profitable field for invest- 
 ment in the propagation of the bird, and, as a result, 
 the supply has greatly increased, and the (luality of the 
 plumage is far sui>erior in every respect to the wild 
 Egyptian ostrich. 
 
 A full grown ostrich will weigh al>out three hundred 
 pounds, and stamls about seven to eight feet in height. 
 In the breeding season they will travel in broods of 
 from three to five in number, one of which is invariably 
 a male. The hens lay their eggs in a pit scraped out 
 with their feet, the sand forming a ridge around it. 
 When they have accumulated a dozen eggs or so the 
 male I)egin8 to brood, always taking his place on them 
 at night, surronmled by the hens, while b}* day they 
 will relieve one another. Again, at times the hatching 
 h.ns been lefl entirel}' to the sun. North African eggs 
 present a smooth surface, while those of the South are 
 pilled. 
 
 At the present time an ostrich farm is in progress in 
 California; it is as yet a very young institution, and itd 
 
OSTKICH FEATHER DYEING. 5 
 
 success is being watched with interest, but, in my 
 opinion, while the bird will live and thrive, the quality 
 of the plumage will be very inferior to those in their 
 native clime. So much has already been written con- 
 cerning the bird's powerful digestive organs, and so ex- 
 aggerated that we will not try to discredit or contradict 
 it. It is hardly necessary to remark that there is 
 scarcely enough substance in ten-penny nails or door- 
 knobs to fatten an ostrich on. 
 
 BRIEF SKETCH OF DYESTUFFS USED BY ME 
 IN MY METHOD OF DYEING. 
 
 LOGWOOD. 
 
 Logwood is met with in commerce in the shape of 
 large blocks, averaging about four hundred pounds each 
 in weight. On the surface the wood is a dirty deep 
 brown red, but within, where it has not come in contact 
 with the atmosphere, its color is much brighter. The 
 tree is a native of South America. It has been known 
 and used ever since a short period after the discovery 
 of America. During the twenty-third year of the reign 
 of Queen Elizabeth an act of Parliament was passed, 
 
6 OSTItlCII KKATIIKH DYKING. 
 
 forbidding its use as a dyestulT, because it did not yield 
 fast colors. This act was repealed, however, by an Or- 
 der in Council of Charles II., which proceeds to set 
 forth that great improvements have been made as re- 
 gards the obtaining of fast colors from logwood. The 
 following are the chief varieties of logwood, distin- 
 guished by names derived from the localities of expor- 
 tation : Yucatan, Laguna, Domingo, Monte Christo, 
 Fort Liberie, Jamaica, etc. 
 
 Logwood is to day one of our most imi>ortant dye- 
 woods, as indeed it enters in feather dyeing into all of 
 the dark or staple colors, such as black, navy blue, 
 brown, green, garnet., etc. To extnict the substance 
 requires considerable boiling, especially if used in the 
 form of chips; if it is used ground, which is by far 
 preferable to chips in feather dyeing, it requires much 
 less boiling to extract the substance. The dyer will 
 often find logwood, that, although purchased under the 
 name of a most excellent brand, will be far inferior to 
 what he has been using, in which case it is well to look 
 for an adulteration of 8t>me sort, which it is not at all 
 easy to detect, only when it does not produce the 
 desired result. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 7 
 
 TURMERIC, y -' ' '" 
 
 The substance known as turmeric is the under-ground 
 stem of a plant which grows in a wild state in some 
 parts of China and India. It emits a strong, but 
 pleasant odor, and its taste is peppery, aromatic and 
 bitter at the same time. The plant, however, is culti- 
 vated in Java and Bengal ; the latter country producing 
 the better quality. Although turmeric is rich in color- 
 ing matter, its want of permanence is a hindrance to it. 
 It is generally sold in powder, ground down very fine. 
 It should be quite dry ; if damp, it loses its color, turns 
 a dull yellowish brown, and dyes flat shades. A good 
 turmeric should show a beautiful lustre. It enters into 
 a majority of the dark colors in feather dyeing, and, al- 
 though used as a body for colors only, a great deal de- 
 pends upon it as to the result. 
 
 BICHROMATE OF POTASH. ' 
 
 This dyestuff, known as red chrome and bichromate 
 and often times simply as chrome, consists in one equiv- 
 alent of potash, with two equivalents of chromic acid. 
 It contains no water, and consequently cannot lose any 
 weight by exposure to heat or dry air. It will not at- 
 tract moisture from a damp atmosphere. It dissolves 
 
6 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 readily in ten times its weight of cold water, and is in- 
 soluble in alcobo". It forms bright red crystals, and 
 the solution is of a deep orange yellow. Bichromate of 
 potash is a most powerful oxidizing agent, and pro* 
 <luce3 very complex and interesting changes in tincto- 
 rial bodies. It is an intense poison. Its most exten- 
 sive application is now in the production of blacks, 
 along with logwoo«l ; indeed, without its aid it would 
 be next to an impossibility to produce a glossy and i>er- 
 manent black on ostrich feathers. In giving depth of 
 shade to all dark colors it is used in preference to any 
 thinor else, and I have never found any to contain any 
 adulteration that was perceptible, or that was a hin- 
 drance to its good (jualities. It is u?ed in ostrich 
 feather dyeing always in a diluted form, in a very high 
 temperature of water. 
 
 ARCHIL. 
 
 About the thirteenth century an Italian, Tederigi 
 by name, during travels iit the East observed the tincto- 
 rial powers of a certain class of plant o! low organiza- 
 tion, called lichens, and intro«luced the color into 
 Europe under the name of archil. For this discovery 
 he was amply rewarded by the government, besides 
 
OSTEICH FEATHER DYEING. 9 
 
 amassing a large fortune, as the supply for years canae 
 from Florence. At first the weeds were collected ^on 
 the shores of various islands in the Mediterranean ; but 
 on the discovery of the Canary Islands, in 1402, large 
 quantities were obtained from there. Later on they 
 were imported from Cape Verde ; and now they are also 
 obtained from Madagascar, Zanzibar, Angelo and Lima 
 and various localities in South America. 
 
 Tbe weed does not contain any coloring matter al- 
 ready formed, but under the influence of ammonia and 
 the oxygen of the atmosphere gives rise to archil. The 
 manufacture of archil was for centuries carried on in 
 wooden troughs. Two hundred parts lichens were 
 placed in the trough together with about two hundred 
 and forty parts of decomposed urine, and the mixture 
 well worked every three hours for forty-eight hours. ^ , r^ »j/" 
 Five parts of slaked lime, one part of arsenious acid S '/> f)'!:)f^ 
 and one and one-quarter parts of alum were then added, 
 and the whole well stirred and allowed to ferment. 
 The stirring was repeated, from time to time, for a 
 month. The contents of the 'trough were then removed 
 to casks, and left to stand, thus improving the color. 
 Archil is also one of the most important dyestuffs used 
 by the feather dyer, principally entering into the com, 
 position of garnet, plum, brown, etc. Contact with 
 
10 OSTKKII KEATHKK DYKINO. 
 
 acid will destroy its coloring virtues by turning it a 
 dull brown red. 
 
 SAFRANINE. 
 
 It is prepared b}' treating aniline oils successively 
 with nitrous acid and arsenic acid, and one of an alka- 
 line nitrate at about 212^ Fab., for a sbort time. The 
 product is extracted with boiling water, neutralized 
 with an alkali Gltered, and the color precipitated with 
 common salt. 
 
 Pure hydrochloride forms thin reddish cr^'stals, 
 which are soluble in water and in alcohol, yielding a 
 yellowish red solution.. The most characteristic reac- 
 tion of safranine is that when concentrated sulphuric 
 acid is gradually added to its solution, the color 
 changes to violet, then to blue, dark green and light 
 green. Then, on diluting the solution with water, the 
 same changes of color take place, only in the reverse 
 order. 
 
 In feather dyeing safranine is used chiefly In making 
 light colore of a pinkish hue ; such as pink, terra cotta, 
 and to give a tint to ecru, beige and such colors. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 11 
 
 OXALIC ACID, ^ ' ^ 
 
 Oxalic acid, a most powerful acid, occurs combined 
 chiefly with potash juices of plants of the genus oxahs 
 and rumex. Artificially it was obtained by the action 
 of nitric acid upon sugar and starch, but has been pre- 
 pared latterly by treating spent dyestuffs with alkalies. 
 Oxalic acid forms colorless transparent crystals, which 
 are inodorous, intensely sour, and do not grow moist 
 upon exposure. Should they become damp, some nitric 
 or sulphuric acid, used in the preparation, has not been 
 thoroughly removed. It is soluble in its own weight of 
 boiling water, but requires about eight times its weight 
 of water at 65° Fah. Oxalic is one of the largely used 
 acids in feather d3^eing, being used in a number of light 
 colors for the purpose of developing the color. In de- 
 veloping blues it is invaluable. Other colors it will to- 
 tally destroy, violet or safranine, for example ; and it is 
 used in place of sulphuric acid for the purpose of ex- 
 tracting color. 
 
 Indigo is derived from several plants of warm cli- 
 mates. In the plant the color exists as a yellowish liq- 
 uid ; but when extracted and exposed to the action of 
 
12 OSTRICH KEATUER DYEING. 
 
 the air it becomes insoluble, and takes an intensely 
 blue color. The cultivation of the plant is carried on 
 chiefly in India, Java, Egypt and Louisiana. Indigo 
 comes in the market in lumps, which, if of good qual- 
 ity, presents a deep bluish purple color, and exhibits a 
 fine reddish coppery lustre if rubbed with a hard, pol- 
 ished body. If very hard or heavy, or when the color 
 is very dull, blackish, greenish or brownish, the quality 
 is below the standard. It is, however, of very little 
 consequence in ostrich feather dyeing, and its impuri- 
 ties would scarcely at any time be noticeable. It 
 should, however, dilute thoroujihly in boiling water, 
 and if there remain a sediment of any proportion, the 
 indigo is impure. Sulphuric acid is generally used to 
 develop the color. 
 
 SULPHURIC ACID. 
 
 Sulphuric acid, commonly' called oil o f^ vitriol, a com- 
 mon, yet very important, acid. Although not used to 
 any great extent in ostrich feather dyeing, it occurs in 
 commerce in various states and degrees of purity. It 
 was at one time prepared bj' distilling dried copperas at 
 a hi<rh temperature. It is now obtained in greater 
 purity from the alkaline bisulphates. It is a clear col- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHEK DPEIXG. 13 
 
 orless oily fluid, weighing about eighteen pounds to the 
 gallon. If mixed with cold water, a great increase of 
 temperature takes place. It rapidly destroys organic 
 bodies, depriving them of their oxygen and bj-drogen, 
 and leaving the carbon behind, as a blackish mass. If 
 any particle of organic matter falls into a carboy of 
 acid, it is decomposed, and imparts a dark color to the 
 liquid. It takes up water from the air rapidly, if left 
 uncorked, and thus dilutes itself. Its use in feather 
 dyeing is principally to extract colors that are too- 
 dark. 
 
 COPPERAS. 
 
 Copperas is generally prepared from the soft, white 
 variety of iron pyrites, frequently found to a great ex- 
 tent in the coal measures. These, on exposure to air 
 and moisture, decompose the latter, taking up oxygen, 
 and are thus converted into sulphate of iron. Copperas 
 forms pale greenish blue semi-transparent crystals, con- 
 taining forty-five per cent, of water. If this be ex- 
 pelled, there remains a dull whitish powder. The cr^'s- 
 tals dissolve readily in one and one-half times their 
 weight of cold water, and less than half their weight of 
 boiling water. The direct uses of copperas have very 
 much diminished in feather dyeing; as for dyeing 
 
14 OSTRICU FEATHER DYEIMO. 
 
 black in conjunction wIlIj logwood it has been almost 
 entirely superseded by bichromate of potash. In drabs 
 and in saddening down light colors it is, to a certain ex- 
 tent, still used. It is used in quantities so small, how- 
 ever, that there is no serious results to be feared, as it 
 must be used in quantity to injure the fibre. 
 
 BISMARCK BROWN. 
 
 Bismarck brown is a product that is used iji feather 
 dyeing to a considerable extent, chiefly in a diluted 
 form. It dissolves readily in boiling water. It comes 
 in the form of a powder, of a dirty black hue, and in 
 liquid it is a heavy yellowish red. It makes a fast col- 
 or, alkali having but little ell'ect on it. Oxalic or sul- 
 phuric acid will brighten the color, and turning it more 
 on the red order. In giving a brownish hue to such 
 light colors as beige, ecru, etc., it is invaluable. It is 
 used liy some in the topping of dark brown. It has 
 such a great aflinjty for the fibre of feathers that it is 
 very dillicult to remove therefrom. 
 
 CONCENTRATED COTTON BLUB 
 
 This blue appears to the consumer in the form of 
 crystals or coarse powder of a purjilish tint. It is not 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 15 
 
 universally used among feather dyers, although it is the 
 most reliable aniline blue in use. It is used in conjunc- 
 tion with oxalic acid to develop. It is fast to light, and 
 possesses a great many advantages of value. It is sol- 
 uble in water, either hot or cold, and is used in the pro- 
 duction of the palest shades, as well as in the darkest 
 navy blues. 
 
 ROCCELINE. 
 
 A patented product, that in feather dyeing is capa- 
 ble of taking the place of all other reds. It is the only 
 dyestuff that satisfactorily takes the place of extract of 
 safflower, producing, with the aid of a proportion of 
 oxalic acid, the most beautiful shades of scarlet and 
 cardinal. It is perfectly fast to light, dissolves readily 
 in boiling water, and comes to us in the form of a dull 
 red powder. Its adulterations, if it contains any, have 
 never interfered with its success ; in fact, to the feather 
 dyer it contains virtues too manifold and valuable to 
 enumerate. 
 
10 OSTKICII KKATHKR DYBrNO. 
 
 DYEING RECIPES. 
 
 WHITE. 
 
 BLEACmNO, OE WHAT IS COMMONLY CALLED CLEANING. 
 
 After stringing your feathers and marking your 
 tickets, prepare luke warm soap-water and wash thor- 
 oughly between the hands to remove all dirl and grease. 
 Rub the soap on the feathers, rinse thoroughly in luke 
 warm water two or three times for the purpose of re- 
 moving all particles of soap, which is very important; 
 just as much so as removing the dirt. For one to one 
 hundred feathers you can use a common porcelain wash 
 bowl. Prepare bath b} using one gallon of clear cold 
 water, add to that a small handful of starch, powdered 
 or hiuip starch will answer. Enter feathers, rubbing 
 them thoroughly between the hands to expand the flues 
 and get them in condition to receive the color, so as to 
 insure an even shade; after which add about one-half 
 teaspoonful of oxalic acid and a drop of diluted violet. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 17 
 
 just enough to give your kath a pale lavender tint. 
 ■ Enter feathers, and let remain in bath about one min- 
 ute, keeping them under the surface and agitating by 
 rubbing them between the hands ; after which squeeze 
 feathers out of bath and dry. The quickest method for 
 a few feathers is to have a small quantity of clean, pow- 
 dered starch, and rub them around in it The starch 
 will immediately absorb all moisture, and you have but 
 to beat it out of the flues, as it dries either on a clean 
 board or between the hands. It is but the work of a lew 
 seconds. This method of drying insures an unsoiled 
 color, as the feathers are dry a few seconds after leaving 
 the bath. 
 
 Great care should be used to bring your violet di- 
 luted thoroughly, so that no particles may enter the 
 bath and spot your goods. In diluting your violet use 
 boiling water, and shake well in bottle, and let it stand 
 for a time, when all sediment will settle at the bottom, 
 and will not again mix with your color. 
 
 It is very important to use only the amount of oxalic 
 acid mentioned in recipe, as a greater quantity would 
 destroy your color by turning the violet a dirty blueish 
 green, and much less than the quantity mentioned 
 would have a tendency to cast a lavender tint on your 
 goods. Should you, bj' mistake or carelessness, spoil 
 
18 OSTKICU FEATIIEK IIYEINO. 
 
 your white, proceed to rinse off all the starch in cold 
 water first ; then in luke warm water to remove all the 
 acid from ftatbers, and then use soap and hot water, 
 and wash -well, and rinse. Mix afresh white bath as 
 directed in the recipe, and proceed this time with mure 
 care. 
 
 BLEACHING LIGHT COLORS WHITE. 
 
 Old faded light colors, such as blue, pink, ecru, corn, 
 drab, etc., that you are desirous of bleaching white, 
 can be accomplisled in the following way. Wash feath- 
 ers thoroughly in warm water, using soap. Add a 
 small pinch of soda, after which rinse in about three 
 warm waters to insure the removal of every particle of 
 soap. Dilute in clean bowl or L>asin onc-quarler ounce 
 of permanganate of potash in one gallon of boiling 
 water. The water must be as hot as steam or fire can 
 make it. Enter feathers, and let remain in bath about 
 one minute, a few seconds more or less will do no harm, 
 nor will it make any material difference in the result ; 
 continually agitating in bath with clean stick, after 
 which you will notice that the feathers have assumed a 
 light, full brown color. Take out of the bath, but do 
 not rinse them ; let the loose color drain off for a few 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 19 
 
 seconds, meantime empty bath and rinse j'our bowl 
 tliorougbly ; then dilute half an ounce of oxalic acid or 
 sulphurous acid in one gallon of boiling water. The 
 water must be absolutely clean. Enter feathers, and let 
 remain in until all the color has entirely disappeared, 
 gently agitating while in bath. After the bath has be- 
 come transparent and the feathers white, which will talie 
 about two minutes, empty out about two-thirds of the 
 bath, and add cold water to reduce to hand heat; then 
 add a small handful of starch and a drop of diluted 
 violet, and enter your feathers, and let them remain in 
 about one minute, squeeze out and dry in starch. Blue 
 you will generally find the hardest of all light colors to 
 remove for white, the soda and permanganate seem- 
 ing apparently to decompose the color. The moment it 
 enters the oxalic bath, it generally, to a more or less 
 extent, develops the color again. Such being the case, 
 after rinsing in luke warm water to remove acid, return 
 to a weak soda bath for a minute, and then rinse and 
 return to permanganate bath, rather weaker than the 
 first one ; in other words, repeat the first operation all 
 through, only in weaker solutions. 
 
 This process can be used successfully in bleaching 
 all light colors white. In bleaching natural blacks, 
 however, it would not be practicable. A recipe for 
 
20 OSTniClI FEATHER DYEISO. 
 
 bleaching natural black will be found in another i)ortion 
 of the book. 
 
 LIGHT PINK. 
 
 "White feathers are generally used for this color, but 
 all light colors can be made a beautiful shade of pink 
 by first bleaching with jK'rraanganate of potash. After 
 washing and rinsing thoroughly in lake warm water, 
 soap to remove all loose dirt and grease, or bleaching, 
 if required. Prepare bath as follows : Take one gallon 
 of luke warm water, more or less, according to the 
 quantity* of feathers j'ou have to dye add a small hand- 
 ful of starch. Enter your feathers and rub around be- 
 tween the hands thoroughly' to open the flues so as to in* 
 sure an even shade ; add a couple of drops of diluted 
 safranine to bath. Enter feathers, and let them remain 
 in the bath about one minute, or until feathers look 
 about two shades darker than sample ; gently stirring 
 them around in balh meanwhile, and keeping them un- 
 der the surface. Remove from l>ath, squeeze and dr}' 
 in the usual way, rubbing them m dry powdered starch, 
 and beat them out on a clean board or between the 
 hands to remove all particles which might adhere. 
 Should your sample that you have to match l)e a little 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIXG. 
 
 20a 
 
 // 
 
 "WHITE— page 16. 
 
 LIGHT PINK— page 20. 
 
 LILAC— page 56. 
 
 LEMON— page 52. 
 
 V 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 21 
 
 on the yellowish order, a drop of diluted Bismarck 
 brown added to bath will bring the desired shade ; or if 
 a very brilliant shade or rose pink, a drop of diluted 
 violet added to the bath and increase temperature ; a 
 little judgment is always necessary ; as, for example, 
 should you require a dark shade, you would naturally 
 let your goods remain longer in the bath than the time 
 specified in recipe, or add a little more color, and if 
 a very pale pink is wanted, less time and color should 
 be used. Should you, at any time, find your color, 
 after being dried, a couple of shades darker than your 
 sample, rinse goods m hike warm water, and enter 
 feathers, pass through for a minute, and dry. 
 
 LIGHT BLUE. 
 
 All other faded out light colors can be made into a 
 delicate shade of sky blue by first bleaching with per- 
 manganate of potash process for the purpose of remov- 
 ing colors. White feathers that are only dirty and 
 greasy must be thoroughly washed and rinsed in hike 
 warm water, after which prepare bath as follows : For 
 one gallon of luke warm water, more or less, according 
 to the amount of feathers to be dyed, add a small 
 handful of clean starch ; enter your feather and rub 
 
23 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 them around in bath fur a second l>etwecn the hands to 
 open the flues, to admit color evenly ; add about one 
 teaspoonful of oxalic acid, enter feathers and let remain 
 in bath a few seconds longer; then remove feathers 
 from bath, and add a couple of drops of concentrated 
 cotton blue diluted ; re-enter feathers and let them re- 
 main in about half a minute; increase temperature of 
 your bath a few degrees by adding some hot water; 
 take feathers out of bath and add thereto a drop of 
 diluted indigo blue ; reenter, and keep them well under 
 the surface of bath to give them an even color, and al- 
 low to remain in about thirty seconds longer. Take 
 them out of bath, squeeze out and dry, either in pow- 
 dered starch or by beating on a clean board or table. 
 Under no circumstances allow feathers to hang wet and 
 motionless on line during process of drying witliout 
 beating the starch out. The result of so doing would 
 cause the feathers to look thin, shriveled, and injure the 
 color and quality of goods. The same care should be 
 observed not alone in this, but in all colors. 
 
 In light blui'S your bath should look about two 
 shades darker than the sample to be matched. Where 
 a darker shade is required, more color can be added ; 
 and, through carelessness or negligence, should you 
 allow your color to become too dark, rinse off your 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 23 
 
 feathers in cold water first to remove the starch, and 
 then in Iiike warm water a couple of times to draw oflf 
 all acid, and pass feathers a few seconds through a bath 
 of luke warm water with a small pinch of soda in it, 
 which will have the effect of drawing off all surplus 
 color; after which rinse in luke warm water, and mix a 
 fresh bath of luke warm water and starch and one-half 
 a teaspoonful of oxalic acid ; enter your feathers and 
 carefully add color u)itil you have obtained the desired 
 shade. 
 
 ECRU. 
 
 All old colors, excepting dark brown, bottle green, 
 navy blue, black, garnet, etc., can be dyed a good shade 
 of ecru. Begin an old color by passing them through 
 a solution of hot water, about one ounce of soda to a 
 gallon of water, for about 30 seconds ; after which take 
 them out and rinse by passing them through clean boil- 
 ing water, which will draw off more color than it would 
 seem possible the feathers could contain. If all the 
 old color, or enough of it, be not removed, put feathers 
 through the permanganate of potash process. For 
 dirty white feathers simply wash them thoroughly with 
 soap .ind hot water, and rinse well ; then prepare your 
 
24 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIKO. 
 
 bath as follows : One gallon of band warm water, add 
 a small handful of starch, and enter feathers, rubbing 
 them around thoroughly, and getting the starch ru!)bed 
 into the flues; then add to bath a small quantity of 
 copi)eras, about the size of a l)ean,and re-enter your 
 feathers and let remain in bath about one minute or 
 less; after which add a few drops of logwood liquor 
 and about a teaspoonful of diluted aniline brown, first 
 removing feathers from bath ; enter feathers and let re- 
 main in bath about one minute, being careful to keep 
 them moving in bath. If found a little too brown to 
 match your sample, a small pinch of turmeric ailded to 
 bath will reduce the shade. If they are found a little 
 too yellow for sample, a drop of diluted violet will 
 answer. 
 
 If the dyer, through his own carelessness, should 
 allow his color to get too dark, proceed to extract color 
 as follows: dilute in about one gallon of hike warm 
 water one-half teaspoonful of oxalic acid. Enter feath- 
 ers, first rinsing off starch in cold water; let them re- 
 main in about half a minute, and rinse off about three 
 times in hot water to remove acid. The acid will turn 
 the feathers a bright yellow, and ader rinsing off well 
 the jellow color will have entirely disappeared, and the 
 feathers a light shade of dust. Prepare a fresh bath as 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 25 
 
 per recipe, and, using more care, enter feathers and pass 
 through until you have acquired the desired shade. 
 
 In the first bath, should a very dark shade be re- 
 quired, add a little more logwood and copperas than 
 directed in the recipe, and if a very light color, a little 
 less. 
 
 CREAM COLOR. 
 
 There are numerous methods of producing this most 
 beautiful, yet simple, shade. Any yellow substance in 
 conjunction with oxalic acid can be used with more or 
 less fair success. A great many dyers use a few 
 drops of diluted logwood, developed with the aid of 
 oxalic acid. The color this produces is very satisfac- 
 tory when finished, but no sooner is it exposed to 
 strong light than the color becomes a dirty drab shade, 
 caused by the acid leaving the feathers, the logwood be- 
 coming oxidized. 
 
 The best and most permanent shade of cream color 
 is obtained in the following manner : Thoroughly wash 
 and rinse your feathers to remove every particle of dirt, 
 for it is as necessary to have the feathers clean as if 
 they were for a white, and if they are very dirty or old 
 faded out colors, put them through the permanganate 
 
96 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING, 
 
 of potash process, and then remove all color. Prepare 
 bath of one gallon of luke warm water and a small 
 handful of starch ; enter feathers and rub around in 
 bath between the hands ; meantime dilute in about one 
 pint of boiling water a small five-cent package of es- 
 Bence of coffee (commonly called chicory), and boil for 
 a few minutes; then add a few drops of the liquid to 
 the bath, and add thereto a teaspoonful of oxalic acid. 
 Reenter feathers and let remain in bath about one min- 
 ute, constantly moving them around ; after which 
 squeeze them out and dry, either in starch or on a clean 
 board. 
 
 The result will be a rich and permanent cream. 
 Should a pink or brownish tint be required to match 
 sample, a drop of Bismarck brown added to bath will 
 produce the desired result; or if wanted a little more 
 yellow, a few grains of turmeric added to the bath will 
 answer. 
 
 SILVER GRAY. 
 
 A very delicate color, requiring feathers almost a 
 pure white to make a clear shade. After thorough!}' 
 wnsliing and rinsing, or bleaching if reciuired, witlj per- 
 manganate of potash, prepare a bath of one gallon of 
 
OSTRICH FEATH--R DyEI^-t,. 
 
 IT' 
 
 2Ga 
 
 n] 
 
 CREAM-page 25. 
 
 LIGHT BLUE— page 21. 
 
 LAVENDER-page 38. SALMOX-page 71. 
 
K 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 27 
 
 luke warm water, and add a small handful of starch. 
 Enter feathers and manipulate between the hands; 
 then add to bath a small piece of copperas, about the 
 size of a pea, and a few drops of diluted logwood liq- 
 uor ; re-enter feathers and let remain in bath until in 
 appearances they are two or three shades darker 
 than sample; then add to bath a couple of drops of 
 diluted violet, first removing feathers from bath ; let 
 them remain in a few seconds longer, and squeeze out 
 and dry in the usual way. The violet gives j'our feath- 
 ers the brilliant shade that is so desirable in silver 
 grays. 
 
 Be careful in drying them not to use starch that has 
 been previously used in drying feathers that have been 
 dyed in acid baths, as it would be liable to spot your 
 color. Should you, through carelessness or otherwise, 
 allow your color to get darker than shade desired, rinse 
 feathers off a couple of times in cold water to remove 
 starch ; then dilute half a teaspoonful of oxalic acid in 
 a gallon of hot water, and pass feathers thi-ough it for 
 a few seconds, and then rinse off twice in boiling water. 
 After which prepare a bath same as per recipe, using 
 more care, and pass feathers through until you have ob- 
 tained the desired shade. 
 
28 OSTRICH KEATIIEU DYEING. 
 
 BISMARCK BROWN. 
 
 Wasli and rinse your feathers, after which prepare a 
 bath of one gallon of boiling water and about one 
 ounce of turnuric and half an ounce of copperas ; en- 
 ter your feathers antl let them remain in bath alK>ut two 
 minutes, more or less, after which take out and rinse 
 twice in cold water. Meantime have boiling a bath of 
 half a pound of logwood to a gallon of water, and en- 
 ter feathers at boiling temperature, letting them remain 
 in about ten seconds or longer. Should a darker shade 
 be desired, take out and rinse in cold water, aller which 
 dilute a half teaspoonful of aniline brown in a gallon of 
 boiling water. Reduce temperature a little with cold 
 water. Enter feathers and let them remain in about 
 three minutes ; then cool off a small portion of the 
 bath, and add a small handful of starch, pass feathers 
 through and dry. 
 
 If a lighter shade is wanted, add a drop of sul- 
 l)huric acid to the starch bath and pass feathers 
 through. If the sample to match be more on the yel- 
 low order, about twice the amount of turmeric in the 
 first bath ; and if desired more on the red, use no tur- 
 meric, only copperas, in the first bath. If a darker 
 shade is wanted, let them remain a longer time than 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 29 
 
 that specified in the logwood bath. Any light color 
 can be used to make a Bismarck brown ; but if very- 
 dark colors are used, it is well to draw off some of the 
 color, doing it in the usual way. 
 
 SEAL BROWN. 
 
 For seal brown it is not necessary to wash your 
 feathers, nor to bleach off any color. Any old colors, 
 excepting black, can be made a good shade of seal 
 brown. Begin in bath by diluting about two ounces of 
 turmeric in a gallon of boiling water (more or less mat- 
 ters not). Enter your feathers and keep them well un- 
 der the surface of the bath about two or three minutes ; 
 after which take out and rinse in cold water twice. In 
 the meantime boiling a bath of logwood about one 
 pound to a gallon of water. If boiled on fire about 
 fifteen minutes is necessary, and if boiled with steam a 
 half hour is required. Enter feathers in logwood and 
 let remain in about three minutes, keeping them well 
 under the surface of bath, after which take out and 
 rinse ; if m cold water about fwice, then dilute a half 
 an ounce of bichromate of potash in a gallon of boiling 
 water, and see that bichromate is thoroughly dissolved. 
 Enter feathers and let them remain in about ten seconds, 
 
30 OSTRICH FEATHEH DYEING. 
 
 a, longer time if a ver}- dark shade is wanted; tben take 
 tbcin out and rinse thoroughly >n cold water; after 
 which add to .your logwood bath about one tablespoon- 
 ful of extract of archil ; bring bath to a boil and enter 
 your feathers ; cover up bath and let them remain in 
 about four minutes; a little more or less time, iu this 
 bath is of no material diflerence in color, only to make 
 the shade heavier or lighter. Take your feathers out of 
 bath and rinse in cold water ; mix a small handful of 
 starch iu about a quart of cold water, and pass feathers 
 through and dry in the usual wu}-. 
 
 If your color be darker than the shade you desire, 
 add a drop or two of sulphuric acid to starch bath, and 
 pass your feathers through for a few seconds. If found 
 to be lighter than the shade you desire, rinse off the 
 starch from 3'our feathers in cold water ; then dilute a 
 quarter of an ounce of bichromate of potash in a gallon 
 of boiling water, and pass your feathers through ; after 
 which rinse, starch and dry. 
 
 Another excellent method for quick seal brown is as 
 follows: dilute two ounces of turmeric an<l half an 
 ounce of copjjeras in one gallon of l)oiling water, and let 
 them remain in about two minutes ; take out and rinse, 
 then enter in a strong bath of logwood at boiling, and 
 keep under surface about three miuules; alter which 
 
OSTRICH FEATIIl^^Il DYEING. 
 
 30a 
 
 i 
 
 SEA-FOAM— page 70. 
 
 ECRU— page 23. 
 
 SILVER GRAY— page 26. 
 
 V 
 
 i^i 
 
 TRILEUL— page 58. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 31 
 
 rinse , then mix a bath of a quarter to a half teaspoon- 
 ful of aniline brown in a gallon of boiling water. En- 
 ter your feathers and let them remain in bath about 
 three minutes ; take out, rinse, starch and dry. If re- 
 quired darker, re-enter into logwood bath for a few sec- 
 onds. If wanted lighter, add a drop or two of sulphuric 
 acid in your starch bath, squeeze out and dry in the 
 usual way. 
 
 NAYY BLUE. 
 
 All light colored feathers can be used for navy blue 
 without first either washing or bleaching out any of the 
 color. But if your feathers be very dirty or greasy, 
 especially the latter, wash them well in warm soap 
 water and rinse. Prepare bath by diluting about one 
 teaspoonful of concentrated cotton blue in one gallon of 
 boiling water ; add about a teaspoonful of oxalic acid. 
 Stir around well to thoroughly dissolve aniline; then 
 enter j^our feathers, and raise temperature of j^our bath 
 to boiling. Let feathers remain in about three min- 
 utes ; a minute more will not do any harm, only have a 
 tendency to make your color a little richer; after which 
 take feathers out of bath and rinse thoroughly in cold 
 water for the purpose of removing all loose particles 
 
34 OSTRICH FEATHER DYErNO. 
 
 little longer, or a few drops of diluted violet in bath 
 will answer instead. Then empty out all but a small 
 quantity of your bath and cool off with cold water, and 
 add a small handful of starch. Pass feathers through, 
 squeeze out and dry. The result is a most beautiful 
 shade of cardinal. This color is perfectly fast to light. 
 If 3"our shade to match should happen to l>e slightl}' on 
 the yellowish order, a few drops of diluted aniline 
 brown added to bath with rocceline will produce the 
 yellowish tint. It is hardly possible to spoil this color, 
 except by the extravagant use of one of the ingre- 
 dients. 
 
 CRUSHED STRAWBKRRY. 
 
 Prepare feathers by washing and rinsing thoroughly 
 in hike warm water ; or if old, dark, faded out colors, 
 pass them through bleaching process of permanganate 
 of potash ; afterwards Iwing careful to rinse all the acid 
 out before oitering bath. Prepare bath by diluting a 
 small handful of starch in about a gallon of hike warm 
 water, enter feathers and manipulate thoroughly l>e- 
 twcen the hands for a few seconds; take out, and add 
 to bath a few drops of diluted safVanine ; re-enter 
 feathers and let remain in bath about one minute, or 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIISTG. 
 
 34a 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 35 
 
 until they have assumed a dark sbade of pink ; then add 
 to bath a few drops of diluted aniline brown and a 
 small pinch of copperas, and enter feathers, letting 
 them remain a minute longer. Take feathers out, and 
 dry in the usual way. 
 
 If a very dark shade is wanted, a few drops of di- 
 luted logwood added to bath at the time 3'ou add the 
 copperas will have the desired effect ; or a few drops of 
 violet will answer in its stead. Should j'ou find your 
 color too much on the drab, a few drops of safranine 
 added to bath will have the desired effect. Should 3'ou 
 find that your color is entirely too dark for 3'our sam- 
 ple, rinse off the starch in cold water ; pass feathers 
 through a solution of a half teaspoonful of oxalic acid 
 in a gallon of hot water for a few seconds ; then rinse 
 in hot water twice to remove the acid, after which pre- 
 pare a fresh bath as per recipe, using more care, and 
 keep in until desired result is obtained. 
 
 PLUM. 
 
 Feathers that are any color excepting dark green or 
 black can be dyed a beautiful shade of plum. Wash 
 and rinse your goods, and prepare your bath as follows : 
 one pound of logwood to a gallon or more of water, and 
 
30 OSTRICU FEATHER DYELNO. 
 
 l)oil fifteen minutes or longer) then add to bath about a 
 quarter pound of extract of archil, and enter your 
 feathers, letting them remain in bath about five minutes, 
 after which take them out and rinse in cold watir. 
 Prepare a bath of half an ounce of bichromate of pot- 
 ash in a ghllon of boiling water, more or less, and see 
 that it is thoroughl3' dissolved ; pass feathers through 
 about ten seconds; then take them out and rinse twice 
 in clear cold water; then dilute a small handful of 
 starch in a half gallon of hike warm water, and add to 
 it about half an ounce of soda; pass feathers through 
 for alK)ut half a minute and dry. 
 
 Should color be found too light for sample, rinse off 
 starch in cold water, and repeat bichromate of potash 
 bath ; rinse, starch and dry. An old logwood bath that 
 has been used for other colors will answer for plum, and 
 save boiling up a fresh bath. 
 
 OLIVE. 
 
 If your feathers to be dyed are very dark colors, 
 such as brown, navy blue, green, garnet, etc., draw off 
 some of the color by passing through a solution of boil- 
 ing water and half an ounce of soda, and rinse in boil- 
 ing water twice. Prepare bath by diluting two ounces 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 37 
 
 of turmeric in about one gallon of water. Enter feath- 
 ers and let them remain in about two minutes, — a longer 
 lime will not hurt ; after which take them out and rinse 
 in cold water twice. Have a medium strong bath of 
 logwood boiling meantime, and enter your feathers, let- 
 ting them remain in about two minutes ; then take them 
 out and rinse in cold water. Prepare a bath of one 
 gallon of boiling water and half an ounce of bichromate 
 of potash, and after it is thoroughly dissolved, enter 
 your feathers and let them remain in about one minute, 
 longer if a very dark shade be required. Take out and 
 rinse, after which your feathers will have assumed a 
 dark, dull olive, looking not unlike a faded out black. 
 Next prepare a bath of two ounces of turmeric with 
 about one gallon of boiling water, and add thereto a 
 small pinch of green aniline, just enough to give j^our 
 bath the appearance of being a couple of shades more 
 on the green than the sample to be matched. Enter 
 your feathers and let them remain in about three min- 
 utes ; first, however, bringing your bath to a boil, after 
 which take feathers out and rinse, starch and dry. 
 
 If feathers be found darker than sample to be 
 matched, a few drops of diluted oxalic acid in 3'our 
 starch bath will bring the shade down ; and if found 
 lighter than sample, rinse the starch off thoroughly in 
 
38 OSTRlCil FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 cold water, and dilute a quarter ounce of bichromate of 
 potash in a gallon of boiling water, and pass your feath- 
 ers through for a few seconds. If wanted a very dark 
 shade, they should, after having the starch rinsed off, be 
 returned to the logwood bath, then rinsed and give the 
 bichromate of potash bath as above. If found a little 
 too much on the green for sample, a weak bath of tur- 
 meric, similar to the first bath of the operation will 
 have the desired effect. There are also some shades of 
 olive where it will not be found necessary to use any 
 green at all ; that is when the shade approaches t_e 
 brown on the olive. 
 
 LAVENDER. 
 
 Feathers for lavender must be white, or nearly so, if 
 you desire a good clear shade. All light colors can be 
 used by first bleaching with permanganate of potash, or 
 if only dirty white feathers, wash and rinse them thor- 
 oughly. Prepare bath of hike warm water and a small 
 handful of starch, rub feathers around l)ctwecn the 
 hands to expand the fibres ; then add to bath a few 
 drops of diluted violet. Enter your feathers and let 
 remain about one minute in bath, keeping them mean- 
 while in motion ; take out your feathers and add to 
 
OSTRICn FEATHER DYEING. 39 
 
 bath a drop of diluted safranine ; re-enter and raise 
 temperature of bath a few degrees by addition of hot 
 water ; let your feathers remain about half a minute 
 in bath ; if wanted darker, add a few drops of diluted 
 violet, and if lighter, less ; after which take out your 
 feathers and dry them in the usual way, being careful 
 to use clean starch for drying. To use starch that had 
 previously been used to dry light colors that contained 
 areid, would most likely result in spotting your color, 
 as the application of acid to any portion of the delicate 
 color would turn it a greenish blue. If j'our color be 
 found too dark for sample, you can either wash in a so- 
 lution of soap water, or else pass feathers through a 
 bath of a teaspoonful of oxalic acid to a gallon of luke 
 warm water, after which rinse off well and put through 
 fresh bath as per recipe. 
 
 OLD GOLD. 
 
 All light colors, such as light blues, pinks, drabs, 
 yellows, etc., that you are desirous of making old gold 
 lieed but to be washed with soap and hot water prior to 
 entering in bath. Prepare your bath with two ounces 
 of turmeric and one gallon of boiling water, more or 
 less matters not. Enter your feathers, and let them re- 
 
40 OSTKUn IKATIIEU DYEIXO. 
 
 main in bath about two minutes, after which add a small 
 pinch of copperas, about the size of a bean. Let your 
 feathers remain in kith about one minute longer, alter 
 which take feathers from bath and add thereto a few 
 drops of diluted Bismarck brown ; let them remain in 
 bath about one minute longer; take them out, cool off 
 a small portion of the bath with cold water, add a small 
 handful of starch, pass your feathers through and dry. 
 If wanted a very dark shade of gold, a few drops of 
 diluted logwood added to bath will have the desired 
 effect ; and if wanted lighter, a smaller quantity of cop* 
 peras in bath. 
 
 If the shade be found entirely too dark for sample, 
 a solution of oxalic acid in hike warm water will draw 
 off a portion of the color and brighten what is left. If 
 wanted a very yellowish shade of gold, use more tur- 
 meric, less cojjperas and no logwood, and be jiurtieuhir 
 to have your bath at all times at a boiling tempera- 
 ture. 
 
 GARNET. 
 
 It is not Becessary to wash your feathers, except 
 they are very dirty and greasy. As a rule all old col- 
 ors, excepting greens, navy blues or blacks, can be used 
 for this color without bleaching. Prepare bath by boil- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 40a 
 
 ^^ 
 
 SLATE— page 47. 
 
 GENDARME BLUE— page 57. 
 
 FELT DRAB— page 46. 
 
 GARNET— page 40. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 41 
 
 ing about one pound of logwood to a gallon of water or 
 more about fifteen minutes ; strain off liquor from 
 ■wood; add about two tablespoon i'u Is of extract of ar- 
 chil, and bring again to a boil. Enter your feathers 
 and let them remain in bath about four or five minutes, 
 after which take feathers from bath, rinse twice in clean 
 cold water, and dilute a small handful of starch in a 
 little clear cold water ; pass feathers through and dry 
 in the usual way. Should your color be found too dark 
 for sample to be matched, dilute a couple of drops of 
 sulphuric acid in your starch bath, and pass feathers 
 through for a few seconds ; first, however, adding a lit- 
 tle hot water to increase temperature. 
 
 If found lighter than the desired shade, rinse your 
 feathers thoroughly in cold water and dilute half an 
 ounce of bichromate of potash in about one gallon of 
 boiling water ; pass your feathers through for a few sec- 
 onds, rinse thoroughly and dry. Great care is neces- 
 sary in passing feathers through this chrome bath, as 
 the color will oxidize very rapidly. 
 
 If your sample to match be more on the brown 
 shade, a very little archil, not more than one-half the 
 prescribed quantity must be used ; and if more on the 
 purple or plum, add more archil than the quantity 
 specified. 
 
42 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 In preparing bath, when you have added the archil, 
 be careful in bringing it to boiling temperature that jou 
 do not allow it to boil an}' time, as that would have a 
 tendency to dull your color. By keeping this Iwith 
 clean it can be used several times, in fact, it improves 
 with age; and, if kept in a crock, so that it will not 
 come in contact with any metallic substance, and when 
 needed just brought to boiling temperature; and if 
 needed, a teaspoonful of archil added to it will produce 
 ▼ery beautiful shades of garnet. 
 
 This bath can l»e used to make your plum colors ; 
 and if you have an old Imth of logwood on hand it is 
 not necessary to boil a fresh one, simply add the archil, 
 and bring to a boil. 
 
 TERRA COTTA. 
 
 If white feathers, wash and rinse them thoroughly 
 with hot water, and if faded out light colors, extract 
 color by bleaching with jK^rmauganute of potash in the 
 usual wa}' ; being careful to rinse well in hot water to 
 remove all the acid used in bleaching before entering 
 bath. Prepare bath as follows : al>out a gallon of luke 
 warm water, and add a small handful of starch. Enter 
 leathers, rub around in bath between tin- hands, take 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 43 
 
 out and add a few drops of diluted safranine, and coi> 
 peras about the size of a pea. Enter feathers and let 
 remain in bath about one minute; take out and add 
 about half a teaspoonful of diluted aniline brown ; re- 
 enter feathers and let them remain in about half a min- 
 ute longer ; after which dry in the usual way. If found 
 too pink for sample, add a few drops more aniline 
 brown, and return to bath for a few seconds. If found 
 too yellow, add a few drops more of diluted safranine, 
 and keep in bath a few seconds longer; if wanted 
 darker, add a little more of each color, and keep in bath 
 longer. 
 
 BOTTLE GREEN. 
 
 After washing and rinsing feathers thoroughly,— if 
 dirty or greasy, extracting color if necessary,— prepare 
 bath as follows : One ounce of turmeric diluted in one 
 gallon of boiling water ; enter your feathers and let re- 
 main in about one minute, after which take out and 
 rinse thoroughly. Prepare a weak bath of logwood, 
 about half a pound to the gallon of water, or about half 
 the usual strength of an ordinary logwood bath for 
 black; boil a few minutes, after which enter your feath- 
 ers and let them remain in bath about one minute ; then 
 
44 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 take out and rinse thoroughly in cold water; alUr 
 which prepare a bath of half an ounce of bichromate of 
 potash to one gallon of boiling water. Dissolve bi- 
 chromate of potash, enter feathers and let them remain 
 in about half a minute ; a little longer if a very dark 
 shade be required, and so much less time if a very light 
 shade is required ; after which take feathers out and 
 rinse thoroughl}' in cold water. Dilute about one-half a 
 teaspoonful of aniline green in a gallon of boiling water, 
 and reduce temperature of bath a few degrees with cold 
 water • then enter feathers and let them remain in bath 
 about two or three minutes ; remove feathers and cool 
 oil a small portion of the bath with cold water, and add 
 to it a small handful of starch ; pass your feathers 
 through the bath, squeeze out and dry off in the usual 
 way. 
 
 If found to be lighter than shade desired, rinse off 
 starch thoroughly, and return for a few seconds to log- 
 wood bath without increasing temperature any ; then 
 rinse off in cold water, and pass through a weak solu- 
 tion of bichromate of potash, about one-quarter ounce 
 to a gallon ; after which rinse, starch and dry. 
 
 If found darker than shade desired, pass feathers 
 through a solution of half a teaspoonful of oxalic acid 
 in about one gallon of luke warm water for about thirty 
 
OSTRICH FEATHEE DYEING. 45 
 
 seconds ; take them out of this and rinse twice throuo-h 
 boiling water, and then give a wealc bath of aniline 
 green,— about half the strength of the first bath. If 
 samples to be matched be more on the yellow or olive, 
 use decidedly more turmeric in the first bath, and add 
 a little, say about a teaspoonful, to the aniline green 
 bath. If a green on the blue, it will be necessary to 
 use only one-half the turmeric prescribed in the first 
 bath. 
 
 STEEL COLOR. 
 
 All light colors can be used to make a good shade of 
 steel by first extracting colors by the usual process of 
 bleaching with permanganate of potash ; if white and 
 dirty, wash thoroughly in hot water and soap and rinse. 
 Prepare your bath as follows : To one gallon of luke 
 warm water add a small handful of starch ; enter your 
 feathers, rub them around well in bath ; after which add 
 a small pinch of copperas and about a tablespoonful of 
 logwood liquor, and let remain in about one minute ; in- 
 crease temperature of bath and add a few drops of di- 
 luted violet, first removing your feathers from bath ; re- 
 enter feathers and let remain about one minute, or until 
 your feathers look about four bhades darker than sam- 
 ple ; after which take out and dry. 
 
46 OSTRICH FEATIIER DYEIXO. 
 
 If found too ligbt, return to bath and add more log* 
 wood liquor and a few drops more violet, and should 
 you find them altogether too dark for sample, extract 
 your color by passing them through a solution of one 
 teaspoonful of oxalic acid in a gallon of hot water; 
 after which rinse them off by passing them through a 
 gallon of boiling water about twice, when 30U will find 
 30ur color reduced four or five shades. The oxalic acid 
 renders the feathers a bright yellow. 
 
 Boiling water will draw off the logwood and bring 
 out 30ur shade of drab in as much milder form ; then 
 proceed to mix a new drab bath the same as |>er recipe, 
 onl}- using more caution not to get it too dark; enter 
 feathers, bring to shade, using a drop of violet to 
 brighten up color. Be careful in drying not to use 
 starch that has previously been used on a color where 
 iicid was used to develop. 
 
 FELT DRAB. 
 
 Prepare feathers by washing and rinsing thoroughly, 
 or bleaching if needed; after which mix a bath of hike 
 warm water and starch. Enter feathers and manipulate 
 in bath a few seconds l)etween the hands ; after which 
 add a small quantity ol copperas, about the size of a 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIXG. 
 
 46a 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 47 
 
 pea. Enter feathers and let them remain in about half 
 a minute ; take out feathers and add a few drops of log- 
 wood liquor ; re-enter feathers and let them remain in 
 about half a minute ; add to bath about a drop of di- 
 luted safranine, and if shade be wanted a little on the 
 yellow, a drop of diluted Bismarck brown can be added. 
 Allow feathers to remain in until they look about three 
 shades darker than sample ; then take out and dry as 
 usual. If found either too dark or too light, treat pre- 
 cisely as preceding color (steel). Be careful not to use 
 starch that has been used for an acid color. 
 
 SLATE COLOR. 
 
 To make this color all light colors can be used and 
 some dark onesj only those, however, that do not con- 
 tain much yellow, as, for example, blues, reds, etc. 
 After preparing for bath by washing and rinsing, or by 
 extracting color if necessary, mix a bath of logwood, 
 about half the usual strength, and enter feathers, Bath 
 must be at boiling temperature, and let them remain in 
 about one minute ; after which take out and rinse. 
 Proceed to mix a bath of one quarter ounce of copperas 
 and one gallon of boiling water ; enter feathers and let 
 them remain in bath about halt a minute ; take out and 
 
48 08TRICU KEATIIEK DYEING. 
 
 cool off a small portion of the bath, add starch and paM 
 feathers through, squeeze out and dry. 
 
 If the color to be matched be very dark, repeat the 
 bath of logwood and mix a bath of one-quarter ounce 
 of bichromate of potash in a gallon of boiling water. 
 Enter feathers and let remain in about half a minute ; 
 after which rinse off in cold water, and starch and dry. 
 If a ver}' brilliant shade be requireil. when you have 
 rinsed feathers from l)ichromate of potash bath, wash 
 thoroughly in soap-suds and rinse in luke warm water. 
 Dilute a small quantity of starch in cold water, {lass 
 feathers through and dry. The above recipe produces 
 & most beautiful shade of slate color, perfectly fast to 
 light, and the depth of shade is regulated by the quan- 
 tity of logwood. Should you find your color altogether 
 too dark for sample, proceed to extract by passing 
 through a solution of one tcaspoonful of oxalic acid to 
 one gallon of l)oiling water for about half a minute, and 
 then rinsing off twice or three times in boiling water; 
 after which repeat in a milder form. 
 
 ORANGE COLOR. 
 
 Prepare feathers by washing and rinsing thoroughly. 
 Prepare bath by diluting about two ounces of turmeric 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 49 
 
 in a gallon of boiling water, and enter your feathers, 
 letting them remain in bath about two minutes ; then 
 take them out and add a few drops of diluted Bismarck 
 brown and about a teaspoon ful of oxalic acid ; re-enter 
 your feathers and bring bath to a boil, and let remain in 
 about three minutes ; after which take out, and cool otf 
 a small quantity of bath, add a small handful of starch, 
 pass feathers through and dry. 
 
 Should you desire a very full dark shade, use about 
 twice the amount of turmeric, add a few drops more 
 Bismarck brown ; and if wanted much lighter, use less 
 of each color. If wanted more yellow, use very small 
 quantity of Bismarck brown ; and if a vei'y reddish 
 shade of orange, a little more Bismarck brown than 
 amount prescribed in recipe. 
 
 There are numerous orange anilines in the market 
 that are used successfully in dyeing shades of orange, 
 but it is almost necessary to have a different shade of 
 aniline for every shade of color made. Should your 
 sample to be matched be rather dull, use no oxalic acid 
 in bath, as the oxalic acid is used in developing and 
 brightening the shade. To remove the color, should it 
 be too dark, the first method is to wash well in soap 
 water, rinse and pass through a solution of oxalic acid 
 in warm water, about half an ounce to the gallon. 
 
60 OSTRICU FEATHER DYEINO. 
 
 SCARLET. 
 
 Wash and rinse your feathers thoroughly, and if re- 
 quired to remove a surplus ol any old color, pass 
 through a bath of permanganate of potash, as per 
 recipe; after which prepare a bath of half a tcaspoonful 
 of oxalic acid to one gallon of boiling water and al>out 
 a teasnoonful of turmeric ; enter feathers and let them 
 remain in bath about halt a minute, after which take 
 them out and add to bath about half a tcaspoonful of 
 rocceline; dissolve powder thoroughly, and return to 
 bath; let them remain in about one minute longer, then 
 cool off a small quantity of the bath and add a small 
 handful of starch; pass 3'our feathers through, squeeze 
 out and dry as usual. 
 
 If wanted a verj' dark shade, add a little more roc- 
 celine and let remain lonjicr in bath. If shade be a 
 little on the orange, use more turmeric and less roccel- 
 ine: and if more on the cardinal, vice versa. Should 
 you, through carelessness, get your color too dark, to 
 remove color rinse off and wash thoroughly in a soap 
 bath, and rinse off in l)oiling water about twice, which 
 will have the effect of reducing the color several shades ; 
 mix a new bath as per recipe, and enter feathers, using 
 more care and judgment and proceed to starch and dry 
 as called for in recipe. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 51 
 
 MAROON. 
 
 Almost any odd shades of color can be used without 
 extracting colors, but if dirty or greasy, it is always 
 best to wash thoroughly and rinse. Take your old log- 
 wood bath that has been used for black and other col- 
 ors, or else boil a fresh bath of the same proportions, 
 about a pound to the gallon. When at boiling temper- 
 ature add thereto a half cupful of extract of archil, first 
 removing the grounds of logwood from the bath ; then 
 enter your feathers and let them remain in the batL 
 about four or five minutes ; take them out and rinse 
 thoroughly in cold water, and prepare a bath of one- 
 half ounce of bichromate of potash to a gallon of boil- 
 ing water, and thoroughl}^ dissolve potash ; after which 
 pass your goods through for a few seconds only, and 
 take out and rinse twice in cold water ; dilute a small 
 handful of starch in clean cold water, pass feathers 
 through and dry. 
 
 Should a very dark shade be required, allow your 
 feathers to remain in bichromate of potash bath a few 
 seconds longer ; take out and dry. Should you find 
 3'our color too dark for sample, it is onl}' necessary to 
 add to your starch bath a few drops of sulphuric acid, 
 and add a small quantity of hot water to increase tem- 
 
62 OSTUICU FEATIIEK DYEING. 
 
 perature a few degrees, and pass feathers through. 
 This bath, same as the garnet, can be used again, and 
 improves with age if kept in a clean place. If you 
 ha\"e an old gr.met bath on hand, it will answer for ma- 
 roon by bringing to a boil and adding about a teaspoon- 
 ful more extract of archil to it. 
 
 LEMON COLOR. 
 
 Wash and rinse ^our feathers thoroughl}' if dirty 
 whites ; if old faded out light colors, bleach with per- 
 manganate of potash ; after which prepare bath as fol- 
 lows: One gallon oi luke warm water and a handful of 
 starch ; enter 3'our feathers and rub around between the 
 hands for a few seconds ; then add to bath a teas{)oon> 
 ful of oxalic acid, and dilute about a tablespoonful of 
 turmeric in a small quantity of water, and add a few 
 drops of the liquor to the Iwith ; re-enter jour feathers 
 and let them remain in about one minute or so ; after 
 which take them out and add a droji of diluted indigo 
 blue; return feAtlicrs to bath and allow them to remain 
 about one mivlte longer in bath, after i^liirli take out, 
 squeeze and dry usual. 
 
 If a deep rich shade be desired, and you have no 
 sample to match, use no indigo in the bath. Another 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIXG. 53 
 
 excellent iKethod of making lemon is to substitute an 
 equal amount of picric acid for turmeric ; and, 
 should you find your color entirely too dark for 
 your sample, rinse off your feathers in luke warm water, 
 and proceed to wash with soap and hot water, and rinse 
 thoroughly in boiling water ; then prepare a fresh bath 
 as per recipe, and enter your feathers, using much care. 
 If found too light for your sample, add to bath a little 
 more turmeric liquor, and return feathers to bath for a 
 few seconds longer, and dry. 
 
 BLACK. 
 
 The most staple and important of all the colors. 
 Some will argue that it is not a color ; I, to the con- 
 trary, however, that it is not only a color, but a combi- 
 nation of colors, and it is the knowledge of how to 
 properly combine them that results in the production of 
 a very handsome and glossy black Twelve years ago 
 a bath of black that was commenced on Monday and 
 was ready to go into the drying-room by Saturday was 
 considered at that time a most expeditious piece of 
 work ; and, even up to the presert time, some of our 
 old orthodox dyers, — those old chronic, methodical 
 dyers, — those who dye according to the most approved 
 
64 OSTniCII KEATllEK DYEING. 
 
 and adviintageoU3 methods of half a century a^e, — still 
 continue to occupy the greater i)art of a week in get- 
 ling a black on what (by that time) is left of the feath- 
 ers. Their object from the start is to produce a black, 
 and they gencrall}' succeed. 
 
 Begin, if raw stock, b}' washing and rinsing thor- 
 oughly in order to remove all natural grease and dirt 
 adhering to the fibre. If they are old colors to be re- 
 dyed a black, it is not necessary to wash them nor to 
 bleach them for the purpose of removing any of the 
 color, as the black bath will overcome all the other 
 colors ; as, for example, a navy blue, a bottle green, 
 garnet, etc., can be all entered at the same time, and put 
 through precisely the same process, and they will all 
 be the same shade of black when the}' are dried. 
 
 Prepare bath by diluting a quarter pound of tur- 
 meric in a gallon of boiling w:jter and bring to a boil ; 
 after which enter your feathers, and let remain in bath 
 about five minutes, keeping them well under the surface, 
 and gently moving while in bath ; after which take 
 feathers out and rinse twice in clear cold water. Mean- 
 time dilute one pound of logwood in about one and a 
 hall gallons of boiling Avater, and boil for al>out fifteen 
 minutes ; after which enter your feathers and let them 
 remain in bath about four minutes; then take out and 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 55 
 
 rinse thoroughly in two waters. Dilute one ounce cf 
 bichromate of potash in one gallon^ more or less, of 
 boiling water, enough to completely cover up your 
 feathers, dissolving bichromate of potash thoroughly. 
 Enter your feathers, let them remain in bath about 
 three minutes ; after which take them out and rinse 
 thoroughly. Meantime have logwood bath boiling, and 
 return feathers to it. Cover up, and let them remain 
 about eight minutes; take out and rinse twice as be- 
 fore. After rinsing, prepare a bath of about half an 
 ounce ^f bichromate of potash and salt s of t arjar about 
 the size of a pea in a gallon of boiling water ; dissolve 
 thoroughly. Let them remain in bath about three min- 
 utes ; after which take out and rinse thoroughly in cold 
 water. Then mix a bath of hot soap-s_uds, and enter 
 feathers ; wash well and rinse in luke warm water. 
 
 The washing and rinsing is not absolutely necessary, 
 in fact, it can not much improve what is already a clean, 
 glossy black. Washing, however, if productive of a 
 change at all, must be beneficial. Then proceed to mix 
 a small handful of starch in a small quantity of cold 
 water; pass feathers through and dry. While your 
 feathers are in the bichromate of potash bath, they 
 must be kept moving in bath constantly and well under 
 the surface. There is nothing to be added to make a 
 
56 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIXO. 
 
 successful result, except it be to caution you to adhere 
 as strictly as possible to the recipe. 
 
 It often occurs that feathers are brought in to be 
 dipped over that have faded out, or have grown rusty 
 looking from exposure to light and long wear. The 
 color can be restored by simply passing them through 
 the last two baths for the same length of time that is 
 allotted to the regular recipe. During the process of 
 drying black be sure to have the starch beaten out as 
 fast as it dries. It is best to dry them in the open air, 
 and, if possible, allow them to hang in the sun for a 
 while, as it improves the color. One esjiecial advantage 
 this black has over most others, is that it improves with 
 age; and, instead of fading, the black will grow more 
 intense. 
 
 LILAC. 
 
 Wash and rinse thoroughly in hot soap water, and 
 rinse in about four waters to remove any particle of 
 soap that may adhere to the feathers; next prepare 
 balli of one gallon of hand warm water, and add a 
 handful of starch. Enter feathers and rub thoroughly 
 between the hands ; remove and add to bath a few 
 drops of diluted violet, according to shade required ; 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEENTG. 67 
 
 add about two drops of diluted saffranine, and re-enter 
 feathers, let remain in Lath about three minutes, 
 squeeze out and dry in powdered starch in the usual 
 way. Be sure your starch is clean and free from acid, 
 and also that j'our board is in the same condition. 
 Great care should be exercised to see that every parti- 
 cle of the violet is dissolved to avoid spots on the 
 feathers. Should quite a bluish shade be desired, a 
 drop of diluted aniline green added will produce the 
 desired result. 
 
 GENDARME BLUE. 
 
 Prepare feathers by washing thoroughly, and rinse 
 about four times in hot water to remove any particle of 
 soap that may adhere to the feathers. Prepare a bath 
 of a teaspoonful of indigotine powder to one gallon of 
 boiling water. Mix thoroughly and enter feathers, and 
 let remain in about one minute, after which remove and 
 add about one teaspoonful of oxalic acid or same quan- 
 tity of sulphuric acid, and re-enter feathers, letting 
 them remain in bath about five minutes longer ; then 
 remove from bath and cool off. Reserve a small por- 
 tion of bath, and cool off with cold water, adding a 
 drop of sulphuric acid and a small handful of starch ; 
 
58 OSTRICH FEATIIEK DYEING. 
 
 pass feathers through ami dry in powdered starch bj 
 rubbing between the hands or by simply beating out on 
 a clean board, used only for drying acid colors. 
 
 Should you find your color too dark, thoroughly 
 rinse off all the starch and pass feathers through a bath 
 of boiling water and let remain about half a minute ; 
 pass through starch bath and dry. If found too light, 
 slmpl}' increase temperature of bath by adding boiling 
 water and few drops more indigotinc ; re-enter feathers 
 and let them remain in bath a coupJl of minutes 
 longer. 
 
 TRILUEL. 
 
 Wash and rinse feathers thoroughly in hot water 
 and soap, and rinse thoroughly in about four hot 
 waters; then pass through a bath of plain boiling 
 water ; next prepare a bath of one gallon of luke warm 
 water, and add a handful of starch. Enter feathers 
 and rub thoroughly between the hands; remove and 
 add a teaspoonful of oxalic acid ; enter feathers and let 
 them remain in bath al)out two rainutesj then remove 
 and add to bath a few drops of diluted picric acid, 
 and reycnter feathers ; let remain in about one 
 minute longer, take out and dry in the usual way by 
 
OSTRICH FEATIIEK DYEIXG. 
 
 58a 
 
 OXIVE— page 36. 
 
 % *i 
 
 I 
 
 TERRA COTTA— page. 
 
 PLAIN. DRAB— page 78. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHEE DYEING. 59 
 
 rubbing in powdered starch between the hands and 
 beating out on a clean board until all the starch has 
 been removed from the fibre. Should you find your 
 color a shade too dark, mix a luke warm starch bath, 
 and pass feathers through, keeping them under about 
 half a minute, and dry as usual. Be careful that your 
 picric acid is thoroughly dissolved, as otherwise it will 
 be likely to spot your feathers, if the particles come in 
 contact with the flues, and the spots are very hard to 
 remove, as it would be necessary to put them through a 
 bleaching process. 
 
 ARMY BLUE. 
 
 Prepare feathers by washing and rinsing thoroughly 
 in hot water. Be careful about rinsing to remove every 
 particle of soap that may adhere to the fibre, after 
 which prepare bath as follows : One teaspoonful of in- 
 digotine powder, diluted in one gallon of boiling water, 
 and add thereto about halt a teaspoonful of oxalic acid, 
 stirring around well to thoroughly dissolve every parti- 
 cle of color. Enter feathers and let them remain in 
 bath about four minutes ; after which take out and rinse 
 in luke warm water to remove the acid in feathers ; 
 next prepare a bath of one gallon of hand warm water 
 
60 OSTKICIl FEATUER DYEING. 
 
 and add a Bmall handful of starch ; add thereto a cupful 
 of boiled logwood liquor and a few grains of copperas, 
 enter feathers, let remain in bath about three minutes ; 
 take out and dry by rubbing between the hands in i)ow- 
 dered starch, and beat out on a clean board until all the 
 starch has been removed. Should you find your color 
 darker than shade required, prepare a bath of half a 
 teaspoonful of oxalic acid in a gallon of hahd warm 
 water, and pass feathers through about half a minute ; 
 take out and pass through boiling water, after which 
 pass through starch bath and dr}'. Should you find 
 shade too light, add more logwood to bath, increase 
 temperature, let remain in a couple of minutes longer 
 and diy. 
 
 PURPLE. 
 
 Prepare feathers by washing in hot water and soap 
 thoroughly, and afterwards rinse in about four hot 
 waters to remove evtry particle of soap and dirt; after 
 which prepare bath as follows : Take one gallon of water 
 about 200<*Fah. ; dilute therein half a teaspoonful of 
 Yiolet 3 B., stirring it around thoroughly to dissolve 
 every particle. Enter your feathers and let remain 
 about five minutes ; after which take out and pour out 
 
OSTRICH FEATHEIi DYEING. 61 
 
 the bath, reserving some, and cooling it off with cold, 
 clean water, .add a small handful of starch and pass 
 feathers through, first cooling them off by shaking 
 them in the air ; rub them between the hands in starch 
 bath to aid the flue or fibre to expand ; after which 
 squeeze out and rub thoroughly between the hands, and 
 beat out on a clean board until every particle of starch 
 has been removed. Should you find the top or tips a 
 darker shade than the bottom, or should they bronze or 
 assume a metallic appearance, pass feathers through a 
 bowl of boiling water with a small pinch of soda added, 
 and rinse ; after which pass through a new starch bath 
 with a few drops of diluted violet added ; take out and 
 dry. 
 
 MEDIUM GREEN. 
 
 Prepare your feathers same as for bottle green. 
 Prepare bath by diluting about one ounce of turmeric 
 in a gallon of boiling water, and enter feathers, letting 
 them remain in bath about two minutes ; after which 
 take out and rinse in cold water twice. Have boiling a 
 medium strong bath of logwood, and pass feathers 
 through for a few seconds, first cooling off temperature 
 of logwood bath a few degrees with cold water ; after 
 
82 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIXO. 
 
 which rinse off thoroughly-, and prepare a bath of a 
 quarter of an ounce of bichromate of potash in a gallon 
 of boiling water, dissolve it thoroughly, and enter 
 feathers ; let them remain in this bath al)Out ten sec- 
 onds, and take them out and rinse thoroughly in cold 
 water. Proceed to dilute one teaspoonful of turmeric 
 and a half teaspoonful of aniline green in a gallon of 
 boiling water, and reduce temperature a few degrees 
 with cold water. Enter your feathers, and let them re- 
 main in bath about three minutes ; then take them out 
 and cool off a small portion of bath, and add a small 
 handful of starch, and dry in the usual way. 
 
 If found to be too dark, add a few drops of diluted 
 oxalic acid to starch bath, and pass your feathers 
 through for a few seconds. If found too light, rinse off 
 the starch in cold water and return to logwood bath for 
 a few seconds, without increasing the temperature an}', 
 and rinse off and give a weak bath of bichromate of 
 potash, rinse off and dr}'. 
 
 BEIGE. 
 
 Prepare your feathers by washing and rinsing thor- 
 oughly, or if old light colors, bleach with permanganate 
 of potash, being sure to rinse out in hot water to re- 
 
OSTKICH FEATHER DYEIXG. 63 
 
 move acid from feathers, before putting in bath. Dilute 
 a, small quantity of starch in a gallon of boiling water, 
 and enter your feathers, rubbing them around in bath 
 between the hands to expands the flues and admit the 
 color evenly on feathers. After which add to bath a 
 small pinch of copperas, about the size of a bean, and 
 about a teaspoonful of turmeric, and enter your feath- 
 ers, letting them remain in bath about one minute; 
 take them out, and add about a teaspoonful of logwood 
 liquor; reenter your feathers, and let them remain in 
 bath about one minute, first increasing the temperature 
 by adding hot water ; after which remove feathers from 
 bath, and add thereto a few drops of diluted Bismarck 
 brown. To bring the ecru tint desired, a few seconds 
 before taking feathers from bath to dry, add a couple of 
 drops of diluted violet, squeeze out and dry 
 
 If a very dark shade of beige is wanted use a 
 greater amount of logwood and Bismarck brown, and if 
 lighter shade is desired, less color should be used. 
 Should your color be found altogether too dark for 
 sample, dilute about half a teaspoonful of oxalic acid 
 in a gallon of hot water, more or less. Pass your 
 feathers through for a few seconds, and rinse off twice 
 in luke warm water and once in boiling water. Then 
 mix a fresh bath of luke warm water and starch, and 
 
04 OS.TUICII FKATHIIK DYEING. 
 
 add thereto a small proportion of turmeric and diluted 
 Bismarck brown, and copperas about llie size of a pea. 
 Enter your leathers, and, using care, bring to the de- 
 sired shade. 
 
 CORN COLOR. 
 
 Prepare feathers by washing and rinsing thoroughly 
 if dirty greasy whites, or bleach with permanganate of 
 potash if faded out light colors. Prepare your bath as 
 follows : Take one gallon of hike warm water and di- 
 lute therein a small handful of starch, and rub your 
 feathers around between the hands. Add about a half 
 teaspoonful of turmeric and dilute well in bath. Enter 
 your feathers and rub around well between the hands. 
 Increase the temperature of your bath by adding hot 
 water, and allow your feathers to remain in bath about 
 one minute ; then take them out and add a couple of 
 drops of diluted aniline brown ; re-enter feathers and 
 let them remain in bath about one minute longer; then 
 squeeze out and dry as usual. 
 
 If your slifide to match be considerably on the yel- 
 low shade, use very little aniline brown, about one drop, 
 anil if more on the brown, use less turmeric. If your 
 color be entirely too dark and dull looking, dilute half 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 64a 
 
 NAVY BLUE— page 81. 
 
 \ 
 
 PEA GREEN— page 80. 
 
 MAGENTA— pai 
 
 BRONZE— page 74. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 05 
 
 a teaspoonful of oxalic acid, and pass featliers through 
 for a few seconds and rinse oS in luke water water. 
 Prepare a fresh bath and enter your feathers, as per re- 
 cipe ; or, if wanted a very bright shade, wash ofi with 
 soap and hot water, and rinse thoroughly in hot water. 
 Then prepare a bath of one teaspoonful of turmeric, 
 one teaspoonful of oxalic acid and one teaspoonful of 
 diluted Bismarck brown in a gallon of luke warm 
 water. Enter your feathers and keep in bath about two 
 minutes, add a little starch to bath, and pass feathers 
 through for a few seconds longer, squeeze out and dry 
 in the usual way. 
 
 ELECTRIC BLUE. 
 
 Feathers must be white, or nearly so, to make a 
 good clear shade of electric blue. Prepare your feath- 
 ers by washing with soap and hot water if dirty whites, 
 and if old, faded light colors bleach with permanganate 
 of potash. Prepare your bath as follows : Take half a 
 teaspoonful of cotton blue and a half teaspoonful of 
 oxalic acid, — a little more or less matters not, — in a 
 gallon of boiling water. Enter your feathers, and let 
 them remain in bath about five minutes ; after which 
 take out and rinse twice in cold water and once in hot 
 
66 OSTKICll KEATHKIl DYEING. 
 
 •water to remove all acid and loose color. Prepare a 
 bath of about one cupful of logwood liquor and a small 
 pinch of copperas in a gallon of hot water, not quite 
 boiling, however, and pass feathers through for a couple 
 of minutes. Cool off a little of your bath, and add a 
 small handful of starch and a few drops of violet, jmss 
 feathers through and dry. 
 
 MEDIUM BROWN. 
 
 All light colors can be made a handsome shade of 
 medium brown without removing the color by bleach- 
 ing or without washing, unless very dirty and greasy. 
 Prepare your bath by diluting about two ounces of tur- 
 meric and a half ounce of copperas in one gallon, more 
 or less, of boiling water. Enter your feathers, keep 
 them well under the surface of bath, and let them re- 
 main therein about two niintites; after which take out, 
 rinse twice in cold water. Have boiling meantime a 
 medium strong bath of logwood, about the same pro- 
 portion as for black; boil about fifteen minutes, and 
 enter your fealhers, allowini; them to rrmain in about 
 one minute; alter which take out and rinse off twice in 
 cold water; then dilute about a half teaspoonful of ani- 
 line brown in a gallon of boiling water, and after dis- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 67 
 
 solving well, enter your feathers, and let them remain 
 in bath about two minutes ; take out and rinse in cold 
 water ; after which dilute a small handful of starch in 
 a small quantity of luke warm water, und add to that 
 a couple of drops of sulphuric acid; pass feathers 
 through for a few seconds, squeeze out and dry. 
 
 Should your color be too dark to match sample, re- 
 turn to starch bath, add a few drops of sulphuric acid, 
 let feathers remain in abouD half a minute, and dry. If 
 a darker shade is wanted, it is necessary to rinse oflf 
 starch in cold water, and return your feathers to log- 
 wood bath for a few seconds, rinse oflF and repeat Bis- 
 marck brown bath as before. By this process, with a 
 little judgment, all shades of brown can be produced in 
 the most satisfactory manner. 
 
 MEDIUM BLUE. 
 
 Prepare your feathers by washing and rinsing thor- 
 oughly in hot water ; light faded out colors need not be 
 bleached, but thoroughly washed in hot soap suds in- 
 stead. Prepare your bath as follows : Take one tea- 
 spoonful of concentrated cotton blue and one teaspoon- 
 ful of oxalic acid, dilute it in one gallon of boiling 
 water. Be careful to see that tlic blue crystals are well 
 
68 OSTEICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 dissolved. Enter your feathers, and let them remaiu in 
 bath about four minutes, keeping them well under the 
 surface. Meantime keep them gently agitated to in- 
 sure an even color ; after which take out, rinse, starch 
 and dr^'. 
 
 If your feathers be found too dark for sample, or 
 too much on the purple, rinse off, starch in cold water 
 thoroughly, and pass through a bowl of boiling water, 
 starch and dry, using a few grains of oxalic acid diluted 
 in starch Jmth. 
 
 If a very light shade be desired, use but half the 
 quantity of cotton blue, and do not allow them to re- 
 main in bath quite so long a time. If a much darker 
 shade be required than the foregoing recipe will pro- 
 duce, then rinse off your feathers thoroughly in cold 
 water, to remove all starch, and pass feathers through 
 a medium strong bath of logwood at boiling temj^era- 
 ture for a few seconds, and rinse off twice in cold 
 water; dilute a half ounce of bichromate of potash in 
 a gallon of boiling water, and pass your feathers 
 through for a few seconds only; rinse, starch and dr}'. 
 Should you get your color too dark by this process, 
 pass your feathers through a solution of half a tea- 
 spoonful of oxalic acid in a gallon of boiling water, and 
 rinse off in boiling water twice; then dilute a small 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEINO. 69 
 
 quantity of starch in luke warm water, add a few grains 
 of oxalic acid to it, pass feathers through and dry as 
 usual. 
 
 MAGENTA. 
 
 Prepare your feathers, whether dirty whites or 
 faded out light colors, by washing thoroughly in hot 
 soap suds and rinsing well in hot water. Prepare your 
 bath as follows : Take about a half teaspoonful of saf- 
 ranine and dilute in one gallon, more or less, of boiling 
 water, and add thereto a half tablespoonful of extract 
 of archil. Enter your feathers and let them remain in 
 bath about two minutes; after which take out and add 
 to bath a few drops of diluted violet, and re-enter your 
 feathers, letting them remain in bath about one minute 
 longer. Then take out and rinse in cold water, and di- 
 lute a small handful of starch in bowl of luke warm 
 water ; pass feathers through and dry. 
 
 If found too red for sample, rinse off and add to 
 bath a tablespoonful of extract of archil ; return feath- 
 ers to bath for about one minute, first, however, in- 
 creasing temperature ; next rinse, starch and dry. 
 
 If found to be too much on the plum for sample, 
 rinse off and add to bath about a quarter teaspoonful of 
 
70 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIKO. 
 
 safranine, increase temperature of bath to almost boil- 
 ing ; enter feathers and let tliem remain in batb about 
 one minute; after which rinse, starch and dry. If 
 found to be too light, add a few drops of diluted violet 
 to bath; and, if too dark, dilute a half teaspoonful of 
 oxalic acid in one gallon of luke warm water, and pass 
 feathers through for a few seconds, rinse off twice or 
 more in boiling water ; then prepare bath same as jier 
 recipe, and allow them to remain until desired shade is 
 obtained. ** 
 
 SEA FOAM. 
 
 This is a very delicate shade of color bordering on 
 pea green. Your feathers must be white, or nearly so. 
 If dirty whites, wash and rinse thoroughly ; and, if old 
 faded out colors, pass through bleach of permanganate 
 of potash ; after which prepare your bath of one gallon 
 of luke warm water and a small handful of starch, and 
 enter your feathers, rubbing them around between the 
 hands. Take feathers from bath and add about a half 
 teaspoonful of turmeric ; re-enter your feathers, keep- 
 ing them moving around in bath aliout half a minute. 
 Then take out your feathers and add to l)ath a couple 
 of drops of diluted aniline green. Re-enter feathers, 
 
OSTRICH FEATUER DYEIXG. 
 
 (Oa 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 71 
 
 first increasing the temperature of your bath a few de- 
 grees by adding hot water, let them remain in bath 
 about two minutes longer, squeeze out and dry in the 
 usual way. 
 
 Should your sample be more on the green, you will 
 simply add a few drops more diluted aniline green ; 
 and if more on the yellow, you can use less. If the 
 shade to be matched be darker than your feathers, add 
 more of each color in the preparation of first bath. If 
 a rather dull shade be desired, which in this color is 
 quite frequently the case, a small pinch of copperas 
 about the size of a pea will have the desired effect. 
 
 Should you find your color entirely too dark for 
 your sample, wash off thoroughly in soap suds, and 
 rinse in hot water ; after which dilute a half teaspoon- 
 ful of oxalic acid in a gallon of luke warm water, 
 pass feathers through for a few seconds and rinse off in 
 luke warm water. Then prepare your bath as per 
 recipe, using a little more care and judgment in 3'our 
 second attempt. 
 
 SALMON. 
 
 Have your feathers white, or nearly so, by washing 
 if dirty, or bleaching with i^ermanganate if needed, 
 
72 OSTRICU FEATHEK DYEING. 
 
 being careful to rinse thoroughly for the purpose of re- 
 moving any acid or soap; after which prepare your 
 bath as follows : Take one gallon of hike warm water 
 and a small handful of starch. Enter your feathers and 
 rub around between the hands for a few seconds ; then 
 add to bath a few drops of diluted safranine and cop 
 peras about the size of a pea. Let your feathers re- 
 main in bath about one minute ; after which take out 
 and add to bath about one teaspoonful of diluted 
 Bismarck brown, first increasing temperature of bath a 
 few degrees with hot water ; re-enter your feathers and 
 allow them to remain in bath about a minute ; after 
 which squeeze out and dry in the usual way. 
 
 If your sample to be matched be more on the pink, 
 use less aniline brown ; and if more on the yellow, use 
 less safranine and more aniline brown. Should you de« 
 sire a much darker 6ha<lo. use more of each color than 
 laid down in recipe, and add a few drops of logwood 
 liquor. If your leathers be found altogether too dark 
 for sample, rinse off starch in cold water and dilute a 
 half teaspoonful of oxalic acid in hike warm water, and 
 pass your feathers through for a few seconds, take out 
 and rinse a couple of times in hot water (not l)oiling). 
 Prepare bath again as per recipe, using greater care. 
 This shade of color is on the order of the terra cotta 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYELN'G. 73 
 
 and crushed strawberry, and can be made in the same 
 bath by adding color or diluting. Be careful in dr3-ing 
 to use only clean starch and a clean board that has not 
 been used with any acid colors. 
 
 STONE COLOR. 
 
 Stone color is a shade varying very slightly from 
 slate and smoke color. Ail light shades can be used for 
 this color; first preparing them by washing and rinsing 
 them thoroughly. Prepare a medium strong bath of 
 logwood by boiling for about fifteen minutes; after 
 which enter your feathers, and let them remain in baih 
 about two or three minutes, longer if a very dark shade 
 be required ; then take them out and rinse in cold 
 water twice. Prepare a bath of half ounce of bichrom- 
 ate of potash in one gallon of boiling water, and dis- 
 solve thoroughly. Enter your feathers, and let them 
 remain in bath about two minutes, keeping them well 
 under the surface of bath and moving at the same time, 
 to assist in producing an even color; after which t:ike 
 out and rinse off about three times in cold water, mikI 
 prepare a bath of hot soap water. Enter j-our feathers, 
 and wash thorbughly, adding to bath a small pinch of 
 soda; after which rinse carefully in hot water; dis- 
 
74 OSTRICH FEATHER DYErNO. 
 
 solve a small liaiulful of starch in cold water, pass your 
 feathers through, squeeze out and dry in the usual 
 way. 
 
 If your feathers be found much too light for your 
 sample to be matched, rinse ofl starch in cold water, 
 and return your feathers to logwood bath for a few sec- 
 onds; dissolve a small pinch of copperas in a gallon of 
 boiling water, reduce temperature a little and enter 
 your feathers, letting them remain in bath a few sec- 
 onds. Take out and pass through starch and dr}' If 
 found to be altogether too dark, dilute a teaspoon ful of 
 oxalic acid in a gallon of hot water; pass feathers 
 through a few seconds and rinse off in boiling water 
 twice ; wash, starch and dry. 
 
 BRONZE. 
 
 Wash and rinse thoroughly, using soap for washing, 
 and rinse out in hot water about four times ; after 
 wlpch prepart a bath of one quarter pound of turmeric 
 to one pnllon of boiling water. Enter feathers and let 
 remain in bath about tlirec minutes; take out and rinse. 
 Boil a bath of half pound of logwood to one gallon of 
 water about ten minutes ; enter feathers and let remain 
 in bath about four minutes ; take out and rinse. Then 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 75 
 
 prepare a bath of half an ounce of bichromate of pot- 
 ash and one gallon of boiling water, and let feathers re- 
 main in bath about two minutes, take out and rinse. 
 Next prepare a bath of one quarter pound of turmeric 
 and one-quarter teaspoonful of Victoria green crystals, 
 and add one gallon of boiling water. Enter feathers 
 and let remain in bath about four minutes ; take out, 
 cool off a small portion of the bath and add a small 
 handful of starch. Pass feathers through and dry in 
 powdered starch by pressing between the hands ; then 
 beat on a board or table until all the starch is removed 
 from the feather. 
 
 CHOCOLATE. 
 
 Prepare your feathers by washing and rinsing thor- 
 oughly ; and, if necessary, bleach with permanganate of 
 potash. After doing this, rinse thoroughly in hot wa- 
 ter for the purpose of removing all acid from the fibre. 
 Prepare your bath of one gallon of water at boiling 
 temperature ; add thereto a teaspoonful of turmeric and 
 a small pinch of copperas about the size of a bean. 
 Enter your feathers and allow them to remain in bath 
 about one minute or longer. Take out your feathers, 
 and add to bath about one tablespoonful of diluted Bis- 
 
70 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 maick Brown and a few drops of diluted violet; re-en- 
 ter your featbers, and let tbem remain in bath alK)ut 
 three minutes, keeping tbem meanwbile well under the 
 surlace of the bath ; after which take tbem out, cool 
 otf a small portion of the batb, and add thereto a small 
 handful of starch; pass your feathers through and dry 
 in the usual wa}'. 
 
 If a very dark shade be required, you will add to 
 bath about a tablcspconful of logwood liquor at the 
 same time you add the violet, and allow them to remain 
 in batb a little longer. Should 3'ou find your color en- 
 tirely too dark for your sample to be matched, rinse off 
 starch in cold water; dilute about a half teaspoonful of 
 oxalic acid in a gallon or more of hot water. Pass 
 your feathers through, and rinse off in luke warm water 
 twice ; then pass your feathers through a bath of boil- 
 ing water, for the purpose of effectively removing the 
 acid ; after which prepare again as called for in recipe, 
 using a little more care, and the desired result will be 
 obtained. 
 
 • 
 
 MOSS COLOR. 
 
 Wash your feathers and rinse thoroughly. Prepare 
 your batb of quarter pound of turmeric and a half 
 
OSTIlICn FEATHER DYEING 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 77 
 
 ounce of copperas diluted in a gallon or more of boil- 
 ing water. Enter your feathers and let them remain in 
 bath about two minutes; after which take out and 
 rinse twice in cold water. Meantime have a medium 
 strong bath of logwood boiling, and enter your feath- 
 ers, letting them remain in about one minute, take out 
 and rinse. Then prepare a bath of about two ounces 
 of turmeric and a small pinch of aniline green in a gal- 
 Ion of boiling water. Enter your feathers and allow 
 them to remain in bath about three minutes or longer. 
 Take out and cool off a small quantity of l>ath with 
 cold water; add a small handful of starch, pass your 
 feathers through and dry. 
 
 If your color be found too much on the green for 
 your sample to be matched, add to starch bath a few 
 drops of sulphuric acid; or, instead, rinse off starch 
 and mix a bath of two ounces of turmeric in a gallon 
 of boiling water ; pass your feathers through for a min- 
 ute or so, starch and dry. 
 
 If found to be too much on the yellow or olive, add 
 to your bath a few grains of aniline green, and return 
 them to the same for a few seconds, first rinsing off 
 starch in cold water. If found too light, pass for a few 
 seconds through a weak bath of bichromate of potash ; 
 and if too dark, dilute a few grains of oxalic acid in 
 
78 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIKO. 
 
 Lot water, and add to >our starch bath a few drops. 
 Pass your feathers through for a few secouds and dry 
 in the usual way. 
 
 PLAIN DRAB. 
 
 If your feathers are old, dirty whites, wash and 
 rinse them thoroughly. If light colors, remove the 
 same by passing through permanganate of potash pro- 
 cess, and use great care in rinsing to remove all the 
 acid before entering in bath. Prepare your bath with 
 one gallon of lake warm water and a small handful of 
 starch ; enter your feathers and rub them around well 
 in bath between the hands to expand the fibres. Take 
 out your feathers, and add to bath a small piece of cop- 
 peras about the size of a bean and about a quarter cup- 
 ful of logwood liquor: re-enter j'our feathers, and let 
 them remain in bath a few minutes, meantime adding a 
 small quantity of hot wator to increase temjK'rature of 
 bath; then add a couple of drops of diluted safranine 
 to bati), let remain in bath one minute longer, squeeze 
 out and dry as usual. 
 
 If wanted more on the shade of felt drab, use, in- 
 stead of safranine, a few drops of Bismarck brown ; 
 and if wanted more on the steel, use a few drops of di- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 79 
 
 luted violet in bath. If a darker shade should be de- 
 sired, use only a little more logwood liquor, and allow 
 them to remain a short time in bath. 
 
 Should 3 ou find your color to be altogether too dark 
 for sample to be matched, rinse off starch, and dilute a 
 half teaspoonful of oxalic acid in hot water ; pass your 
 feathers through, rinse off a couple of times in luke 
 warm water and lastly through boiling water, for the 
 purpose of removing all acid. Then prepare a fresh 
 bath according to recipe, and pass through until you 
 have obtained the desired shade. 
 
 COFFEE COLOR 
 
 Old faded out light colors need only to be thorough- 
 ly washed and rinsed to prepare them for this color ; 
 and darker colors can be prepared by bleaching with 
 permanganate of potash, taking care to rinse thorough- 
 ly in hot water for the purpose of removing all the 
 acid. Prepare your bath of about one teaspoonful of 
 turmeric and copperas about the size of a bean in a 
 gallon of boiling water. Enter your feathers and let 
 remain in bath about two minutes; remove feathers 
 from bath and add a half cupful of logwood liquor and 
 return feathers to bath, letting them remain in about 
 
80 OSTUlCll KEATlIKll DYEING. 
 
 one minute ; after which remove feathers anil atUl ta 
 your bath about two lublespoonfuls of diluted Bismarck 
 brown and hot water to increase temperature of balh; 
 re enter feathers and allow them to remain in about two 
 minutes; after which cool off a small quantity of the 
 bath and add a small handful of starch ; pass feathers 
 through and dry. 
 
 If found to be too light, return to bath, first adding 
 more logwood li([Uor and Bismarck brown, and let them 
 remain in bath about oi:e minute. If too dark for your 
 sample to be matched, dilute a few grains of oxalic acid 
 in luke warm water; pass feathers through for a few 
 seconds and rinse off three times in luke warm water. 
 Then prepare bath as per recipe, using more care in the 
 preparation 
 
 If found too much on the yellow, a few drops of di- 
 luted safranine added to your bath will produce the 
 desired effect. Use clean starch in drying; if a table 
 onboard is used, see that it is perfectly clean and free 
 from acid. 
 
 PEA GREEN. 
 
 Prepare your feathers by washing thoroughly in hot 
 water, and rinse thoroughly to remove any soap that 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 81 
 
 may adhere to the feathers. Then prepare a bath by 
 diluting a handful of starch in a half gallon of hand 
 warm water, and rub feathers around between the 
 hands. Remove feathers and a add a few drops of di- 
 luted Victoria green and a couple of drops of diluted 
 picric acid. Enter feathers, letting them remain in 
 bath about two minutes, keeping them well under the 
 surface to insure an even color. 
 
 If wanted a shade more on the yellow, add a drop 
 more of picric acid ; and if more on the blue, leave the 
 picric acid out entirely. Take out and dry in starch, 
 being careful to beat out on a clean board in the usual 
 way. 
 
 OLIVE BROWN. 
 
 Wash feathers thoroughly in hot water and soap, 
 and rinse about four times in hot water ; after which 
 prepare a bath of half a pound of logwood ; first enter 
 feathers in one-quarter pound of turmeric and one gal- 
 lon of boiling water ; let them remain in bath about 
 four minutes. When logwood bath has boiled suffi- 
 ciently, say ten minutes, rinse feathers out of turmeric 
 in cold water ; and enter in logwood, letting them re- 
 main in bath about six minutes ; take out and rinse. 
 
82 OSTUICU FEATUEIi DYEIXO. 
 
 Prepare r batb of half an ounce of bichromate of pot- 
 ash and one gallon of boiling water ; enter feathers and 
 let remain in bath about tfHIf minute ; take out and 
 rinse thoroughly in cold water. Mix a bath of one 
 ounce of turmeric to one ounce of archil and half the 
 old logwood bath ; bring to a boil and enter feathers, 
 letting them remain in bath about six minutes ; take 
 out and rinse. Then mix a bath of luke warm water 
 and starch, add a couple of drops of 8uli)hnric acid and 
 a couple of drops of picric acid diluted ; pass feathers 
 through, squeeze out thoroughly and dry by rubbing 
 in powdered starch between the hands ; beat out on « 
 clean board until all the starch is removed from the 
 feathers. 
 
 PROCESS OF DEGRADING OR BLEACOINQ 
 
 NATURAL GRAY OR BLACK 
 
 WHITE. 
 
 Betnn by washing and rinsing your feathers thor- 
 ouf^hly ; after which soak in a bath of compound of 
 one gallon of ammonia to eight gallons of water for 
 about eight hours : take feathers out and squeeze out 
 the excess of ammonia which is in the flues. Put your 
 feathers in the peroxide of hydrogen with an addition 
 
OSTUICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 82a 
 
 CARDIXAL— iJgge 33. MEDIUM GREEN— page 61, 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 83 
 
 of twelve to sixteen ounces of ammonia to one fi.ye 
 gallon can or demijohn, and let it work slowly, stirring 
 feathers from time to time for about six hours ; after 
 which lay your feathers on one side of the tub and add 
 to the peroxide of hydrogen bath about four ounces 
 more of ammonia ; stir the bath well to insure a thor- 
 ough mixture of the peroxide of hydrogen with the 
 ammonia. 
 
 The peroxide of hydrogen will continue to work for 
 about twelve hours more, until it becomes thoroughly 
 exhausted ; after which take out your feathers and 
 rinse a few times in luke warm water. Then proceed 
 to put them in a second bath of peroxide of hydrogen 
 to be prepared as follows : To a half gallon demijohn 
 
 of peroxide of hydrogen add two and a half gallons of "2, -'/! 
 
 / 
 water, and add thereto about eight ounces of ammonia. «^ o~' 
 
 Then enter your feathers, and allow the bath to work a 
 
 few hours ; again add about two ounces of ammonia by -- 
 
 the same process as before, and then let it work a few 
 
 hours longer, or until the bath becomes exhausted. To 
 
 ascertain whether total exhaustion has taken place, take 
 
 a small portion of the bath in a glass and dilute therein 
 
 a few grains of permanganate of potash ; if it be not 
 
 totally exhausted, bubbles will appear on the surface ; 
 
 if exhausted, none will be noticeable. 
 
 iii 
 
84 OSTRICH FEATUER DYEINO. 
 
 After your fenthers have been removed from the 
 bath the}* must be carefully rinsed off in three or four 
 waters, a few degrees more than luke warm. Then pre- 
 pare a warm soap bath, and allow your feathers to re- 
 main in a few minutes; after which rinse off thorough- 
 ly in luke warm water; dilute a small handful of starch 
 in a quantity of cold water, pass your feathers through 
 and dr}'. 
 
 All natural color will have entirely disappeared. 
 Whatever portion of the amount of feathers you have 
 just bleached are for whites, before drying them up, 
 prepare a bath as per recipe for white, pass through and 
 dry in the usual wa}'. This process of bleaching is 
 used only when it is desirable to make li{j;ht colors from 
 gray or natural black feathers, but feathers for nav}' 
 blue, seal brown, bottle green, etc., will not be improved 
 by bleaching. The shade of color can be evened off in 
 the bath. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 85 
 
 HINTS ABOUT THE DYE- 
 HOUSE. 
 
 In dyehouses where steam is used, it is necessary to 
 boil your bath a longer time than where the bath comes 
 in direct contact wiih the fire. The accommodations of 
 a dyehouse for the re-dying of ostrich feathers need be 
 very simple and inexpensive; in fact, I have seen a 
 dyehouse where old re-dyed transient work to the 
 amount of fifty dollars per day was accomplished with 
 a small cooking stove, a wash-boiler, a wash-bowl and a 
 tin dipper; costing in all less than six dollars. Of 
 course, in the manufacture of raw stock it is necessary 
 to have larger vessels and much better facilities ; for in- 
 stance, instead of from ten to fifty, or even a hundred 
 feathers, you will of necessity be compelled to dye lots 
 of from five to ten pounds of goods at one time. Two 
 stationary tubs or vats, one for use in washing white 
 and bleaching, and the other for black, with water pipes 
 
86 OSTUICII FEATHER DYEINQ. 
 
 and steam pipes and connections ; a few large porcelain 
 lined or copper basins for dark colors are essential ; 
 it is also well to have an outer room or inclosed closet 
 to keep your dyestuffs in, as it is important that they 
 be kept clean. When cans of color are opened for the 
 purpose of diluting a portion or making a color, have 
 the cover replaced and returned to closet when through 
 with it. 
 
 Ilave bench or table whereon rests your basins, while 
 you mutch shades in making colors, if possible, where a 
 north light will strike it ; and if cold weather and the 
 windows closed, keep the glass clean. You will often 
 get various reflections in the dyehouse that cause a 
 great deal of trouble to the dyer; as, for example, if 
 the sun should be shining on a red brick wall and the 
 reflection beating into the dyehouse. it will oft^n lead 
 the dyer astray, and while he thinks ho has a j^erfect 
 match, when the color goes into the ollice there is a de- 
 cided diflVrence. 
 
 The great majority who are expected to be benefitted 
 by this work are not ostrich feather manufacturers, 
 but the job dyer ; and it is my object to simplify the 
 dyehouse as well as the methods of dyeing. A small 
 corner (^f the dyehouse can be used, and a couple of 
 ordinary wa8h-l)owls, a common wash boiler and a tin 
 
OSTKICII FEATHER DYEIXG. 87 
 
 dipper are really all tlie utensils that are practically 
 necessary to complete the dyeliouse for the renovator. 
 A couple of hours in the morning devoted to feather 
 dj-eing, and a good practical man can turn out fifty 
 dollars worth at a cost of only his two hours labor, and 
 perhaps fifty cents worth of color. Feathers can be 
 dried in an ordinary hot room or, if warm weather, out 
 in the open air. The dry room where large quantities 
 of feathers are dried should never be too warm, as the 
 feathers are apt to dry up quicker than the boys can 
 beat the starch out of them ; and, as a consequence, 
 the flues or fibres are not expanded as they should be, 
 and the feathers are much harder to curl. The board 
 or table used to beat the feathers on must be perfectlj^ 
 smooth, as there is otherwise danger of tearing out the 
 flues. 
 
 The drying of feathers is quite an important opera- 
 tion, and if not understood, can result in ruining a 
 great many by drying them improperly, allowing the 
 starch to dry up on the flues without beating it out, 
 and by breaking the quills. The dry room is only used 
 when the weather is too inclement to dry in the open 
 air, or when you have not got outside accommodations. 
 The yard or roof is far preferable to the dry -room, and 
 <5specially so for white and black feathers. After hav- 
 
88 OSTRICH FEATIIEK DYEING. 
 
 ing been washed and the starch thoioughl}- removed, it 
 will improve them greatly to expose them to the sun 
 for :in hour or two. Colors, especially delicate shades, 
 should not be allowed to bang in the sun ou\y during 
 the actual time re.juired for drying a black made by our 
 process; it greatly improves upon exposure to the sun- 
 light, giving it an advantage over all others. Baths of 
 logwood or old garnet baths that you are desirous of 
 saving for future use, it will be well to remove them 
 from the copper or tin basins or pans to wooden buck- 
 ets or crockery jars, and cover them up for the purpose 
 of excluding all foreign matter. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
 
 In the redj'ing of old feathers the first thing neces- 
 sary is to enter them in book by whatever system you 
 may think best ; after which they are assorted as to 
 color, the blacks, browns, greens, blues, etc. Put in 
 separate lots and then string them and mark your tick- 
 eta. You will often find when you have selected your 
 colors a number of different shades to be dyed one 
 color; as, for example, when you come to string your 
 browns, you will find a blue, a green, a garnet, a diali. 
 And perhaps a dozen different shades of colors ; string 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIXG. 89 
 
 them all on at once and enter together, and d^'e a good 
 medium shade of seal brown and dry ; after which you 
 proceed to take them off the string, and place them 
 with their respective tickets. You will now find, per- 
 haps, one a shade too dark for 3'our sample, another 
 perhaps a shade too light. The former j-ou would pass 
 through a weak solution of sulpliuric acid in starch 
 bath, and the latter through a weak solution of bi- 
 -chromate of potash. Another one you ma}- find a little 
 too red for sample, or too yellow. These, in turn, you 
 oan bring to match your sample as per recipe for 
 brown. 
 
 In beginning the days work, it is well to do all 3'our 
 bleaching and cleaning first, while your hand basins 
 and dyehouse are in a clean condition ; after which 
 the blacks, as thej- require logwood good and pure, and 
 the same logwood used for them can be used for all 
 other colors where logwood enters into their composi- 
 tion. Consequently one bath of logwood boiled in the 
 morning will do all the work for the day. 
 
 In Chicago I remember, while giving instruction to 
 a gentleman, who had come down from St. Paul, Minn., 
 for the purpose of learning the art, that in one after- 
 noon I taught him how to make evcrj- color and shade 
 of color known, and my logwood bath that was used 
 
90 OSTRICU F£AT1I£K DYEING. 
 
 during the whole day's work wtis boiled in a smalt 
 sauce-pan that held about two quarts. It hail been used 
 in making black, browns, greens and navy blues of all 
 shades, and was still in good enough condition to make 
 any color, excepting i)erh:ip3 black. 
 
 Keep your bath of logwooil covered at all times 
 when not in actual use, and, indeed, then, if convenient, 
 to prevent any foreign substance from entering it. It 
 is the custom of a great many ostrich feather d^-ers to 
 keep a quantity of starch in the dyehouse for the pur- 
 pose of dipping their feathers into it and jiartially 
 beating them out prior to removing them from the bath 
 for the purpose of drying the ends up to see if they 
 match sample. This is a very bad pi^actice, for the 
 loose starch flying through the dyehouse will settle on 
 the uncovered colors and cause not a little annoyance 
 and trouble. Keep the starch out of the dyehouse ; 
 keep it in the drying-room where it belongs. In drying 
 your feathers out of the baths in starch it is well to 
 have two boxes, — one to be used for colors that contain 
 acid ; as, for example, light blues, lemon, etc.. — the 
 other for those colors that contain none ; such as drabs, 
 pinks, etc. In dissolving colors use ordinary bottles, 
 and be sure to always use l>oiling water for the purpose 
 of diluting. Let the proportions be about one tea- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. ftt 
 
 spoonful of color to one pint of boiling water. Shake 
 gently to thoroughly dilute aniline, and cork or cover 
 bottles to keep out dirt. 
 
 Colors that are used in making very delicate shades, 
 such as pinks or light blues, it is well to tie around the 
 top of the bottle in place of a cork a small piece of 
 muslin. It will act as a strainer, and prevent particles 
 of color that may not have been thoroughly dissolved 
 from passing into the bath and spotting your goods. 
 Do not be too careful of the hands and afraid of get- 
 ting them covered with dyestuffs ; use them in the bath 
 instead of sticks at all times, excepting where the liq- 
 uid is too hot to permit it. The best method of clean- 
 ing the hands, no matter how dirty, is to pass them 
 through a solution of soda, about one-quarter ounce in 
 a small quantity of hot water ; rinse off in cold water, 
 and take about a teaspoonful of chloride of lime 
 moisten with water and rub the hands gently with it 
 until all color has entirely disappeared} then wash with 
 soap and hot water. 
 
 WASHING RAW STOCK. 
 
 First string your feathers, being careful to place the 
 string on the end of quill so as not to get any of the 
 
92 OSTRICH KEATIIEU DYEING. 
 
 flues under the loop; then slice down according to 
 quantity of feathers to be washed, from one to more 
 pounds of soap in boiling water, and boil down to a liq- 
 uor; after which fill a clean tub half full of luke warm 
 water, and pour soap into it ; then enter your feathers 
 and give them a slight rubbing. Then push them well 
 under the surface of the water, cover them up and aU 
 low them to remain over night. In the morning run off 
 dirty water and squeeze out your feathers; enter your 
 feathers in a tub of clean luke warm water and use an 
 ordinary' wash board and a soft scrubbing brush. Rub 
 bar soap on feathers, and brush gentl}', being very care- 
 ful not to tear out the flues. Soap and brush one 
 string at a time, manipulate them much after the man- 
 ner of a woman handling a large wash. Be careful to 
 give minute attention to the bottom portion of the 
 feathers, as the flues are always more closely stuck to- 
 gether with the natural grease of the bird, and it often 
 require? an amount of hard labor to remove. Re|)eat 
 the washing operation and rinse off in about three luke 
 warm waters, starch and dr\*. 
 
 In starching rub the feathers around well between 
 the hands for the purpose of getting all the flues thor- 
 oughly expanded, squeeze out of bath and hang on 
 lines to dry. Put no more out at once than the dyers 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 93 
 
 can comfortably handle, as it is well to Lave them beat 
 out on board at regular intervals of a minute or so; 
 thereby expanding the flues to their utmost. The pro- 
 cess of selecting the diflerent grades or qualities follow, 
 and it is necessary for the person performing this work 
 to be familiar with the application of dyestufl-s to feath- 
 ers, to insure the dyer less trouble; as the difl'erent 
 qualities all put in the bath together, and going through 
 exactly the same process will come out different shades 
 of color, will cause the dyer a great deal of trouble and 
 labor getting them all an even color. When a batch of 
 feathers are intended for white it will not be necessary 
 to dry them first ; simply wash and rinse, and prepare 
 your white bath as per recipe, and pass them through it. 
 It is scarcely necessary to remark here that natural 
 black and gray feathers must not be washed at the same 
 time with whites, as the latter would not be improved. 
 Strings should not contain more than fifty plumes, 
 for, if they are made much longer, it would be awkward 
 to handle them. Tips, however, are often strung three 
 or four in a bunch, according to size, and an ordinary 
 string may contain two or three hundred. In washing 
 natural black tips it is advisable to use a brush on them 
 during the first rinsing to remove all particles of soap 
 therefrom. 
 
04 OSTKICll KEATUER DYEING. 
 
 SHADING. 
 
 Shading from dark to light colors is the result of 
 submerging one portion of the feather in the bath and 
 withholding the balance. Great care and not a little 
 skill is needed to produce a sutisfactory result. There 
 are various wa} s of himilling the goods, covering up 
 the portions to remain the light shade or holding them 
 out with the hands. Spotted or speckled feathers are 
 produced by first dyeing the light shade that you desire 
 to be spotted, and then wrapping around a round slick 
 with cord, according to the size jou desire to have the 
 spots, you will regulate the weight of cord used. After 
 having bound the cord tightly around the feather and 
 stick, which must then be tied firmly to keep from slip- 
 j)ing, pass through boiling water for a few seconds for 
 the purpose of expanding the wood and contracting the 
 cord, thereby making the cord much tighter. After 
 you have made them whatever dark color j'ou desire, 
 take out, starch and pass through dr}' starch; then re- 
 move cord and dry 30ur feathers, when you will find 
 that the portion covered by the cord will be the light 
 siiade, and the feathers have the appearance of being 
 tlotted :ill over. 
 
 Natural blacks or grays can be speckled as follows: 
 Go through the same preparations of binding around 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING . 95 
 
 Stick with cord and degrading or bleaching them white. 
 The result will be that the portion covered with cord 
 will be same as before entering the bath, a black or dark 
 brown, and the body of the feathers will be white. 
 Should you desire the feathers dyed any light color to 
 contrast with the dark spots ; before removing the cord, 
 mix your bath and dye as per recipe, dry as before di- 
 rected, and the result is very beautiful. Some very 
 nice effects are produced in shading by taking natural 
 grays or bioucs, that is, feathers that are one portion 
 white and the balance in spots, black. 
 
 PARING, STEAMING AND CURLING. 
 
 Feathers that have just come out of the dyehouse 
 for the first time require paring, which consists in re- 
 moving the quill from the inner portion of the feather, 
 thereby making the feathers more elastic. The feathers 
 must first be thoroughly dried ; they are then taken, 
 one at a time, held between the thumb and two fore fin' 
 gers of the left hand, while, with a knife held in the 
 right, the inner quill is rapidly removed close to the 
 flues or fibres. This branch of the business is in itself 
 a trade, and requires a great amount of skill and cau- 
 tion to prevent cutting through the quill. The feather 
 
96 OSTUICII KI^TIIER DYEIXO. 
 
 can be made still more limber by scraping tlie quill 
 with ft piece of glass. Of course, this process of par- 
 ing the quill is only used in new work. In re-dying old 
 feathers it is never needed ; in old work it i8 onl}' nec- 
 essary to dry up thoroughly, steam and curl. A great 
 many have no knowledge of what relation steaming has 
 to the finishing of feathers. It has the effect of making 
 all the flues lie perfectly straight beside each other, and 
 also dampens the feathers just enough to assist the 
 curler in her work. 
 
 It is necessary to have a steamer made as follows : 
 get a kettle that will hold about one gallon or more of 
 water, made out of plain tin, with a spout commencing 
 at the base about two inches in width and tapering up 
 to a half inch in width at top. The spout should l)e 
 about eighteen inches in length ; the total cost should 
 not l>e more than one dollar. Never have it more than 
 half full of water, and you can boil it on either an ordi- 
 nary stove or common gas or oil stove. 
 
 You may ask why steam from the boiler, or out of 
 an ordinary tea-kettle would not answer? It is too wet. 
 Instead of having the desired effect it wets the 
 flues, while the other dampens it just enough. The 
 steam emitted from the steam kettle is drier than anj' 
 other. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 97 
 
 When the steam is passing through the tube take 
 hold of the feathers by either end and pass backward 
 and forward for a few seconds about two inches above 
 the top of pipe, and lay down perfectly flat, one on top 
 of the other. Curling is a trade that can only be thor- 
 oughly mastered by practice ; the principles can be 
 taught, but only practice will make perfect. It does 
 not, however, require a great while. I have known per- 
 sons that within three months had become first-class 
 curlers, practicing a short time each day. 
 
 The feather is held between the first and second fin- 
 ger and thumi) of the left hand and a few flues taken up 
 at a time with the knife held in the right hand, and 
 gently drawn along the round dull edge of the knife, 
 and allowed to drop in a half circle ; begin at the bot- 
 tom of the right hand side of the feather, work up to 
 the top and around and down the other side ; and in 
 laying up take up about three flues at a time, skipping 
 about six. Feminine fingers are generally better 
 adapted to this work than others, and, in fact, it is more 
 of a woman's work than a man's. 
 
 Tips are general!}' bent and branched. You can 
 give the feathers a nice droop by taking the quill be- 
 tween the thumb and fore-finger, and with the thumb 
 pressing the quill through between the first and second 
 
98 OSTKICII FEATIIEU DYEING. 
 
 finger. Begin about the middle of the feather, and, 
 shifting about a quarter inch at a time, pass swiftly up 
 towards the top, when the feathers will have a very 
 beautiful droop. Plain wire stems can be used. Take 
 thin wire, cut about five inches in length, and twist one 
 end of it on stem or quill of your feathers so as to 
 hold ; then take tissue paper, cut in strips about a half 
 inch wide, and in color corresponding with the shade of 
 feathers ; wrap it around wire to entirely cover it up, 
 and then branch tips, two or three in a bunch, as suits 
 your fancy. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 99 
 
 NOTE OF THE PUBLISHER. 
 
 The old maxim, that " seeing is believing," applies 
 perhaps nowhere more than in dyeing. All those who 
 have availed themselves of the opportunity to see the 
 method of dyeing ostrich feathers practically executed 
 before their eyes by the author, as described in the fore- 
 going pages, are satisfied of and willingly testify to its 
 superiority over any of the methods heretofore known, 
 practiced and often acquired at the cost of much 
 money, time and trouble, and which, in many cases, 
 when put to the practical test, failed to give the desired 
 results. Yet there are probably many more disbeliev- 
 ers than believers in any new method, however freely 
 and truthfully certified to, who mistrust the quick work 
 of our new processes of ostrich feather d3'eing, and 
 who would rather prefer to operate after a somewhat 
 slow but (in their opinion) therefore surer, older meth- 
 od. They shall not be disappointed by perusing our 
 
lOU OSTUlLll KEATllER DYEING. 
 
 book and in looking up something which they would 
 want to try in practice, and for Ihem esi>ecially we sup- 
 plement our book with the following Appendix, con- 
 taining :i number of practically tested recipes for dye- 
 ing ostrich feathers. 
 
A PPENDIX. 
 
OSTEICU FEATUEIl DYEING. 103 
 
 GENERAL REMARKS 
 
 The cultivated taste of the present age, requiring 
 a large variety of natural and artificially produced or 
 embellished material for adornment, emploj'S almost 
 any kind of bird's feathers, either in their natural col- 
 oring or dyed. None of them, however, are used in the 
 condition as they are plucked from the bod}' of the live 
 or dead bird, but all must undergo a cleaning process, 
 which not only serves to improve their appearance, but 
 is an exceedingly essential requisite for the preser- 
 vation of the material from decay and the attacks 
 of moth and other insects, and is. above all, the first 
 condition and indispensable preparatory operation for 
 dyeing feathers, whether the costly feather of the os- 
 trich or the common feather of our domestic chicken or 
 pigeon. The cleaning or washing process is the same 
 for all kinds of feathers ; the ostrich feather, however, 
 requires drying after every treatment in a bath, and a 
 
104 OSTRICH KEATHEU DVEIXO. 
 
 special operation for the purpose of opening the fine 
 Hues, which gives the plumage of the ostrich its charac- 
 teristic and distinguishing beauty and rich, down}' ap- 
 pearance of luxurious softness. 
 
 The feathers of the ostrich, which are used for 
 <lress- feat hers, are taken from the wings and tail of the 
 bird, whose spurred wings, by their peculiar construc- 
 tion render it entirely unfit for flight. The wings 
 seem rather only lit to serve for the purpose of holding 
 the body of the bird in equilibrium while running, and 
 of preventing it from sinking to any depth into the 
 loose sand of the deserts, which are the home of the os- 
 trich. The natural colors of the ostrich feathers are 
 white, black and gray, or rather a dark drab. Thej* are, 
 therefore, sorted according to their natural color, to be 
 bleached white, or djed in light colors, or to be used 
 for dark shades. Practical men in the general dyeing 
 business, and in garment dyeing or re-<lyeing, hold that 
 it is unnecessary to bleach, respectively strip, the mate- 
 rial for dyeing dark colors, and garment dyers strip 
 their material only to a certian extent, so as to leave 
 upon it a bottom of color which the}' can advanta- 
 geously use for their new dye. This method appears 
 correct, if as " practical " as all that is designated, 
 which results in a saving of expense or labor ; but it is 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 105 
 
 evident that a clear color of the highest possible beauty 
 can never be obtained upon a bottom of a different hue ; 
 the bottom color will always, more or less, show and 
 impair the purity of the topping color ; but compound 
 or mixed colors can be thus produced in an advanta- 
 geous manner and to good effect, if the color of the 
 bottom enters into their composition. The same is un- 
 questionably the case with ostrich feathers, and the 
 d3'er is often compelled and must be prepared to bleach 
 the gray or black and white feathers in order to dye 
 them any light shade. The bleaching of naturally 
 purely black feathers is probably but seldom required, 
 as these are ordinarily left as nature has made thorn, but 
 merely cleaned to heighten their beauty and gloss. 
 
 Owing to the delicate nature of the material, the dye- 
 ing of ostrich feathers bears much similarity to that of 
 silk ; both being high in price, carelessness and negli- 
 gence in their treatment is apt to entail heavy losses. 
 The utmost cleanliness of all utensils is an absolute re- 
 quirement; dyestuffs, drugs and chemicals must never 
 be added to baths in substance, but always in solution, 
 and never while the material is in the bath ; but the 
 material must be taken up while the dyestuff or salt, 
 etc., solution is being added to the bath, and only re- 
 entered after stirring well. Solutions, as well as deeoc- 
 
106 OSTRICH FEATIIEK DVEINO. 
 
 tions, must always be filtered, respectively strained, 
 before adding them to the dye batb, even if they have 
 been prepared beforehand, because any undissolved or 
 solid particle of substance deposited upon the feathers 
 would necessarily produce a spot or mariv of a darker or 
 lighter shade, as the case may be, according to the char- 
 acter of the uiulissolved substance. Although alkalies 
 and heat are applied and necessar}' for washing or 
 scouring, that is, cleaning and ungreasing the feathers, 
 strong alkaline and excessive heat operating together 
 are as fatal for feathers as they are for any other animal 
 fibre, — wool or silk, — and strong heat applied to dry 
 feathers is apt to irretrievably ruin them. The soap with 
 which feathers are to be treated, must, therefore, be as 
 neutral as possible, and if recipes speak of "boiling" 
 the feathers, it must be understood in the sense as in 
 wool-dyeing, that is, to apply a heat near the boiling 
 point, when the baths begin to throw up bubbles, but 
 not actually boil. 
 
 Tliat the water used for any purpose in ostrich 
 feather dyeing, for washing, bleaching, dyeing or rinsing, 
 must be perfectly clean, needs hardly to be men- 
 tioned. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHKR DYEING. 107 
 
 UTENSILS. 
 
 The utensils required for feather dyeing are of a 
 verj^ simple character, few and inexpensive. For small 
 establishments an ordinary stove, a common wash-boiler, 
 to have constantly hot water on hand, an ordinary 
 wash tub, a white china wash-basin for dj'eing, a clean 
 board for starching and a few bottles, together with a 
 small tin pan or kettle and funnel, for making solutions 
 and decoctions and filtering them, is all that is necessary 
 besides the work table. More recently, flat, oval upper 
 pans, tinned for special purposes, have been introduced 
 as dye-vessels, which are neatly provided with a moveable 
 perforated false-bottom, and are heated either upon a 
 direct fire, or a gas jet, or by direct steam. In large 
 establishments copper pans are generally used, for the 
 better grades of ostrich feathers especially, and for ordi- 
 nary goods wooden tubs, both heated by steam. Where 
 wooden tubs are used, several of them are set apart for 
 the color most in demand, such as black, brown, gray, 
 mode, etc. 
 
 PREPARATION OF THE FEATHERS. 
 
 The bundles received from the dealer being opened, 
 the feathers are sorted according to color and size, and 
 
108 OSTURH FEATHKK DVEIXfJ. 
 
 those for white and light colors, to be bleached, are laid 
 fron those of dark colors, which arc ordinarily not 
 bleached, that is, the black or gray ones. When going 
 to work the feathers are jnit on strings, that is, they are 
 firmly tied singly, about an inch apart from one another, 
 and about an inch above the end of the quill, 20 or 
 25 with one string, seldom more, as the}' would make 
 the bundle too thick and unhandy. The feathers are then 
 ready for the steep, which operation ought always and 
 for any method be the first step of treatment before pro- 
 ceeding to washing, scouring and bleaching proper. 
 
 For this purpose a strong solution of soap is made in 
 boiling water; when cooled down to about 150° F., it is 
 well stirred, the feathers entered and left in the bath 
 overnight. The temperature ma}- be kept up over night. 
 It is necessary, however, to lay the feathers down in the 
 steep so that the ruiuid can reach every part of them, 
 and to keep them well immersed in the steep, for which 
 purpose it is advisable to weigli them down by clean 
 sticks of woo<l or some other means. Instead of soap, 
 soda may be used for the steep; taking about one and 
 one-half ounces of soda crystals to one gallon of water. 
 
 By the steep the impurities, dirt and grease, cover- 
 ing the feather are loosened, and thereby the following 
 cleaning operations materially faciliUiled. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 109 
 
 CLEANING AND BLEACHING OF FEATHERS. 
 
 The ostrich feathers, like all material taken from the 
 covering of the animal body, wool, h9,ir, etc., which are 
 embellished by dj'eing for the use of man or woman in 
 dress, contain by nature a certain amount of fat, and in 
 their raw condition are more or less covered with dust, 
 dirt and a greasy exudation, which must be removed 
 for dyeing; that is, they are scoured or washed and then 
 bleached or whitened, because the feathers, like all other 
 so-called white animal matter, have always a faint 
 yellowish tint, sometimes yellowish spots which cannot 
 be removed without injury to the material, but obliter- 
 ated by bleaching, which, in the case of white feathers, is 
 called bleaching or whitening. The bleaching of gray 
 and black feathers and the stripping or decoloring of 
 dyed feathers are different operations. 
 
 For scouring or washing, novel methods are recom- 
 mended, which, however, differ from one another very 
 little, and are, on the whole, represented by the follow- 
 ing: Prepare a good hand-warm bath (100-120° F ), 
 in which dissolve two ounces Marseilles soap in per 
 gallon of water and beat np to a good lather. Enter 
 feathers and rub them well, string for string, by hand. 
 They may even be taken upon a wash-board and rubbed 
 
110 OSTIUCll FEATUER DYE1^•0. 
 
 with a brush, which does not hurt them, notwithstanding 
 their delicate structure, because the soap steep has given 
 them great elasticity and resistance to the manipulation. 
 Continue the operations until the tiink is exhausted and 
 dirty ; then give another fresh bath of the same com|K)- 
 sition and temperature ; treat the feathers as in the flrst 
 bath and rinse them perfectly clean from every particle 
 of soap in two or three luke-warm (100°) waters; for, 
 every trace of soap remaining upon the feathers will 
 hinder the d} e from running up and cause uneven colors, 
 or, upon white feathers, 3ellow stains. Then prepare a 
 cold bath with solution of bioxohite of potash (one-eighth 
 to one-sixth ounce of salt to one gallon), enter feathers, 
 pass them in the bath for 15 — 20 minutes, take up and 
 rinse them in cold water three to four times to remove 
 the salt. For feathers which have to remain white, the 
 latter bath is composed of one and one-quarter ounces 
 bioxolate of potash and one and one-eighth ounces oxalic 
 acid to one gallon of water, and the feathers laid down 
 in it until perfectly white ; when they are taken out and 
 rinsed clean from acid in luke-warm water. 
 
 The feathers l)eing rinsed clean from the oxolate of 
 potash bath, if destined for white, are then whitened, or 
 rather blued, for the purpose of covering the yellowish 
 tint above mentioned. To this purpose a cold bath is 
 
OSTKICII FEATHER DYEING. Ill 
 
 prepared with only so much methyl violet or methylene 
 blue, as to give the water a very faint tint. To ascer- 
 tain whether this is the case, a white china plate is held 
 about a foot below the surface of the bath, when its ap- 
 pearance will show the shade of blue that will be pro- 
 duced by the bath. The feathers are then entered and 
 goitly agitated in the bath until they have the desired 
 tint. 
 
 DRYING OR STARCHING. 
 
 The feathers coming from the bioxolate of potash 
 bath, after rinsing, or from the blue baths, are squeezed 
 out by pulling them through the hand, and pressing 
 them between the laps of a dry clean piece of white 
 muslin, whereupon they are immediately passed through 
 a bath of raw starch, that is, unboiled starch, consistino- 
 of about one-half pound of starch to a gallon of water. 
 After passing them through the hand the feathers are 
 then again pressed between the cloth ; then the waves 
 are lightly drawn by hand over the stems, and the 
 feathers either beaten between the hands or upon a clean 
 board over a stove until dry, or they are agitated by 
 hand or by a suitable mechanical contrivance before an 
 open lire or gas-jet, or hung in a warm room and fre- 
 
112 OSTKICII FEATIIEK DYEING. 
 
 quently shaken until dry, that is, until all slaicli has 
 dropped out; and finally the remaining starch is beaten 
 out between the hands or upon the board by means of a 
 soft brush. By this treatment the feathers are not only 
 dried, but the flues opened besides. It needs not to be 
 specially mentioned, that the feathers are dried, or 
 finished, as it wore, in the same manner after dyeing. 
 
 In case the flues are not sufficiently opened, although 
 all the starch has l)een beaten out, dip the feathers into 
 clean benzine and swing or agitate them until dry, which 
 takes place in a few minutes, while the flues are opened 
 in the'most perfect manner. For white feathers the 
 benzine may be blued, but in this case, they must be 
 dried between muslin. 
 
 BLEACHING OR DECOLORING NATURALLY 
 GRAY FEATHERS. 
 
 The feather dyer is often required to dye light colors 
 upon naturally gray or even black feathers. As above 
 remarked, the natural color would show even under dark 
 colors dyed upon them to a greater or less extent, 
 unless they are first decolorized, that is, their natural 
 color destroyed or blackened. Much more necessary is, 
 therefore, this operation for light colors to l)e dyed 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 113 
 
 upon naturally colored ostrich feathers. The only 
 known chemical agent affecting, such a bleach to nearly 
 white is peroxyd of hydrogen or oxygenated water. 
 For bleaching ostrich feathers a bath is prepared of 
 peroxyd of hydrogen to which so much liquid ammonia 
 is added as to give the bath a sharp pungent odor. The 
 feathers, which must be previously cleaned as above 
 mentioned, and well rinsed, are entered and left im- 
 mersed in the bath until they have assumed a nearly 
 white cream color, whereupon the feathers are taken 
 up and thoroughly rinsed or laid down in running water 
 until every trace of ammonia has disappeared. It must 
 be observed, however, that only acid aniline colors can 
 be dyed upon such decolorized feathers and that in dye- 
 ing only a moderate heat must be applied. 
 
 Dr. P. Ebell, of Linden, near Hanover, one of the 
 first and still largest manufacturers of peroxyd of hydro- 
 gen, writes on the subject of feather bleaching as fol- 
 lows : The assorted and picked feathers are cleaned 
 from dirt and fat with soap and water by means of soft 
 brushes, which opei'ation is continued until the feathers 
 (after drying) are readily wetted by water ; when they 
 are laid down for some time in pure water. The liquids 
 are removed from the feathers by a centrifugal machine 
 or a wringer (the latter is evidently meant for ordinary 
 
114 OSTKICU FEATUEB DYEIXO. 
 
 feathers, other than ostrich feathers). Mix in a clean 
 wooden tub twenty litres peroxyd of hydrogen (Kicnigs- 
 w.a?ter & Ebell) with four hundred and fifty grammes 
 ammonia 20° B. (=:0 9 sp. gra.) and heat to 34*» 
 C, b\- a leaden steam pipe at the bottom of the tub. 
 Enter 5 kilo, cleaned feathers, which work by hand and 
 turn every hour. In twenty four hours the bleach is 
 completed. If pure white feathers are wanted, give a 
 second bath, but for a shorter period. The bleached 
 feathers are carefully removed from the bleaching bath 
 and laid down, for an hour and a half, in a cold bath of 
 one hundred litres water containing one hundred 
 grammes sulphuric acid 66° B., and then completely 
 lixiviated in pure, soft water. "While moist (after 
 sqiicczing) the}' are then passed througii a milk of un- 
 boiled starch which is light!}' blued with aniline blue or 
 violet, and slowly dried, in the air or in a warm room, 
 under rci>eated shaking to prevent the lines from stick- 
 ing together. After removing the starch by beating,- 
 the feathers are ready for curling, etc. 
 
 PEKOXY-D OF HYDROGEN. 
 
 This most valuable bleaching agent is a contraction 
 of hydrogen nnd oxypcn. of the formula HO,, sjv 
 
OSTEICH FEATHER DYEING. II5 
 
 grv.1.45 (chemically given), or 94.12 per cent, oxyaen 
 with 6 88 per cent, hydrogen. It consists in a limpid, 
 syrupous liquid, of characteristic color, and when heated 
 to 15° C, is decomposed into water and oxygen, upon 
 which property its great bleaching power is based.' Ex- 
 periments to reduce it to a solid form by refrigeration 
 and pressure have thus far been unsuccessful. The 
 commercial article is somewhat modified by the addition 
 of water to prevent its ready decomposition under the 
 influence of a warm temperature. For the same reason 
 It is advisable to always keep it in a cool place. 
 
 LIGHT BLUE. 
 
 L To dye this delicate color well, special care must be 
 taken in cleaning the feathers, for which purpose only 
 olive-oil soap of the best quality, with a little ammonia 
 ought to be employed. When they are perfectly clean 
 and no more grease upon the stems, rinse them first in 
 one or two lukewarm waters, then in cold water until 
 the last trace of soap is removed. Then -fill your basin 
 or dyeing pan three-quarters full of cold water; put in, 
 for a dozen feathers, one hundred and eighty grammes' 
 (about eight ounces) of raw starch in a sufficient quan- 
 tity of good indigo extract to give the starch-bath the 
 
IK) osruu II KEATHEK DYEING. 
 
 desired shade. Kuter the leathers and work them 
 gently until they are completely dyed, that is, for about 
 fifteen or twenty minutes. Then Uike them out, squeeze 
 out the starch by putting tlieni between the fingers and 
 thumb of your hand, and shalve ihein before the stove, 
 or in a well-warmed chamber until dry. While drying, 
 beat them from time to time upon the board, or between 
 the hands to remove the adhering starcli. 
 
 II. Prepare a lukewarm bath acidulated with a few 
 drops of sulphuric acid, so as to give a faint sour taste, 
 to which add, according to shade, solution of methyl 
 blue B. (Actien Gesellschaft fuer Anilin Fabriliation, 
 Berlin). Enter tiie feathers and leave them in the bath 
 until cold, or until uniformly dyed. 
 
 Note. — Some dyers use alkaline blue, which is not, 
 however, rccommendable, because alkaline baths, as 
 above remarked, are injurious to the feathers and must 
 be avoided as much as possible. 
 
 III. Trcpare bath of lukewarm water, dis.'^olve in it 
 about one-lialf ounce tartaric acid per one quart, and add 
 one ounce indij^o carmine per (piart of li<|uid ; stir well, 
 enter the lentlieis and agitate or lay down in the bath 
 until the required shade is obtained. This color shows 
 little fastness to ligiit and air, whicii can be improved, 
 however, by adding to tlie dye l»:ith one-quarter ounce 
 
OSTKICH FEATHER DYEING. 117 
 
 alum per quart. The shade being obtained, take up the 
 feathers and pass, without rinsing, through raw starch 
 milk, dry and beat as described. 
 
 Light blues, as is easy to understand, can only be 
 dj^ed upon white feathers for the mo?"', delicate shades ; 
 nearl}^ white, or developed gray feathers may be used 
 for the shades approaching a light medium blue. 
 
 NAYY BLUE. 
 
 I. For this color naturally gray or semi-bleached 
 feathers may be used. It requires a mordant, like wool. 
 For this purpose prepare a bath of forty per cent, (of 
 the weight of feathers) tannin at 167° F., enter the 
 feathers and agitate them from time to time for three 
 hours. Then take them up, drain and squeeze them out, 
 enter a cold bath of pyrolignite of iron (black liquor) 
 marking 5° B., and work them for half hour; take them 
 out, drain and squeeze, and then expose them, well 
 spread out upon the strings, for one hour to the action 
 of the air. Then rinse and dye upon a fresh warm bath 
 with a mixture of aniline blue and a little methyl violet, 
 using about twenty per cent, of the weight of feathers. 
 Add the dj^estuff in the beginning onl}^ in small doses 
 and slowly in order to prevent the production of a 
 
118 OSTUICH FEATIIEU DVEIXO. 
 
 bronzy, uiKlesirahle lustre upon the stem, iis is often the 
 case in dying with aniline dyestufls if ihty are added to 
 the bath in too large doses. 
 
 II. Prepare a hot bath, to which add as much indigo 
 carmine as to bring the color of the bath pretty near the 
 shade to be produced. Enter the feathers and agitate 
 them in the bath for one hour. Then take up the 
 feathers, add alum and a solution of clothblue S. to the 
 bath, re-enter the feathers and work them while raising 
 the temperature to boiling point, when the steam or 
 gas is turned off, or the pan removed from the Ore, and 
 the feathers allowed to lie for fifteen or twenty minutes 
 longer in the bath. They arc then taken out, rinsed, 
 starched and dried and beaten. 
 
 III. Have the feathers properly cleaned and well 
 rinsed from the soap, respectively soda. Gray feathers 
 may be used unbleached, but a jiurer color is obtained 
 upon them when bleached. Prepare a hot bath, to 
 which so much sulphuric acid is added, that it has a 
 feeble sour taste v add the solution of two per cent, (of 
 the weight of feathers), navy Itliie, one per cent, fast 
 blue or black, and one cijilith per cent, acid fuchsine. 
 Stir well, enter the feathers, manipulate while raising 
 the temperature to boiling point, but not to actual l>oil- 
 ing, continue at this temperature for one half hour ; then 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 119 
 
 stop off the steam, lay the feathers down in the bath 
 until cool, lift and dry as usual. 
 
 GENDARME BLUE. 
 
 This color requires a pure bottom, that is, naturally 
 white or bleached. After cleaning, respectively wash- 
 ing in warm soap, which must not even be omitted with 
 bleached feathers, and thorough rinsing, prepare a bath 
 and dye as for dyeing light blue with indigo carmine. 
 Then add some aniline green and navy blue to the bath, 
 re-enter the feathers which have been taken up before 
 making the addition, work them well while raising the 
 temperature to the boiling point ; continue at this tem- 
 perature for one-half hour longer, lift, rinse, starch and 
 dry as usual. 
 
 PLUM OR PRUNE. 
 
 I. For this color, which has in itself a subdued tone 
 of brown, or has the color of gray ostrich feathers, such 
 naturally colored feathers may be used unbleached, but 
 well cleaned and rinsed before dyeing. Prepare a luke- 
 warm bath, to which add about one-half ounce tartaric 
 
120 OSTKICIl FEATHEU DYEING. 
 
 acid to per quart of water and solution ol" methyl violet 
 6 B., according to shade, with a little aniline ponceau or 
 fast brown for toning. While working the feathers, 
 raise the temperature and continue d3'eing at nearly 
 boiling for or.e-half hour; then take out, wash and 
 dry. 
 Or, 
 
 II. Prepare a boiling hot bath with alum, sulphuric 
 acid and tartar; to which add acid fuchsine ; enter the 
 feathers, and dye one-half hour to a blue red, which 
 tone, by the addition of decoction of logwood, continue 
 at nearly boiling heat for one-half hour longer, lift, rinse 
 lightly, starch, beat and dry. 
 
 III. Take a hot bath, upon which violet has been 
 dyed, and refresh it with some solution of methyl violet, 
 5 B., and a fiw drops of sulphuric acid, or prepare a 
 hot bath with the same ingredients, and indigo car- 
 mine, according to shade ; or, instead of indigo carmine, 
 indigo substitute, fast blue B. A., and indigotine; pre- 
 ferably, however, use indigo carmine, which develops 
 more slowly, and therefore is surer to give better results, 
 while the aniline dyestuffs run up more rapidly, and are 
 apt to dye unevenly, unless their solutions are added 
 gradually and the feathers handled (juickly and care- 
 fully. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 121 
 
 LIGHT YELLOW. 
 
 L Light yellow is comparatively very little in 
 demand for ostrich feathers, and scarcely used for trim- 
 ming hats of children and young misses as a set-off for 
 other colors. To produce it, prepare a pretty hot bath 
 with a little sulphuric acid, so as to give it a slightly 
 acid taste, add very little qulnoline yellow, lay down the 
 feathers in the bath for one-half hour, turning and agi- 
 tating them from time to time, lift, rinse and dry. For 
 this color, as well as for light blues and roses, the feath- 
 ers must be perfectly white. (For this dye the quino- 
 line yellow manufactured by the Actien Gesellschaft fuer 
 Anilin Fabrikation, Berlin, is specially suitable). As 
 the purity of all light shades of delicate colors greatly 
 depends upon the purity of the water, it is advisable to 
 bring the bath, before preparing it, to boil with some 
 bran and chloride of tin and skim it off well. 
 
 MEDIUM YELLOW. 
 
 Various shades of yellow can also be produced with 
 the old natural dyestuffs, which are not, however, equal 
 m brilliancy to the foregoing described colors. The 
 feathers must be bleached for these as well as for any 
 
122 09TUICH KEATHEK DYEING. 
 
 clear color, wliieh would be luatcriuUy impaired by an 
 impure bottom ; still developed grays may be employed. 
 After scouring and thorougbl}' rinsing tbe feathers, pre- 
 pare a cold bath of alum, about one ounce to one gallon 
 of clear water, or of acetic acid ; lay tbe feathers down 
 until well opened, so that the liqui<l can uniformly act 
 upon all parts, for one hour. Then take them out, 
 squeeze and centrifugate them, and dye the shade upon 
 a fresh warm bath with the required quantity of flavinc, 
 decoction of color or of fustic; lift, rinse and starch as 
 usual 
 
 Or, dissolve a sufficient quantity of turmeric is boil- 
 ing water, filter and enter the feathers while the filtrate 
 is still well hot. Agitate them for five minutes, then 
 take them up, add to the bath a small quantity of tar- 
 taric acid, this to promote its dissolution ; then re-enter 
 the feathers, work them again for five minutes, lif^, rinse 
 in cold water, and dr}*. 
 
 If these colors are to have a light reddish or warmer 
 tone, add, when nearly done, some anotto to the dye 
 bath. 
 
 DARK YELLOW. 
 
 Bleached grays answer for this color as well as nat- 
 urally white feathers. Scour and rinse them well. Pre- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHEK DYEI^fG. 123 
 
 pare a bath, feebly acidulated with sulphuric acid, and 
 add the filtered solution of two and one-half per cent of 
 the weight of feathers, dark yellow, (manufactured by 
 the Leipziger Anilin Fabrik, formerly Bayer & Kegel). 
 Enter the feathers in the cold and work them diligently 
 until the color is well up, then raise the temperature 
 slowly to nO° F., dye to shade, lift, rinse in clear cold 
 water, starch and dry. 
 
 II. A new light yellow, which is fast to light and air, 
 is obtained by products of Leonhardt & Co., at Man- 
 heim, viz: redarine and acme yellow. Add to a hot 
 bath of 170-190° F., a quite small quantity of redarine 
 and still less acme yellow; enter the feathers, manipu- 
 late for one-half hour, take out, rinse and dry them with 
 starch, and beat well out. This color being extremely 
 sensitive, the purification of the water for the bath is as 
 necessary as the most scrupulous cleanliness of utensils 
 and workshops. 
 
 GOLDEN YELLOW. 
 
 L The feathers being scoured and rinsed clean of 
 soap, prepare a bath of five per cent, of the weight of 
 feathers, bisulphate of soda, add solution (filtei^d) of 
 azo orange, according to shade. Enter the feathers 
 
124 06TKICII KEATIIEU DYEING. 
 
 at \'20° F. ; heat up slowly to 110"* F., while working 
 the feathers; lilt when the shade is obtained, squeeze 
 out, starch and dry. 
 
 II. Prepare a bath with three per cent, (of the 
 weight of the iVathers) Glauber salt and one per cent, 
 sulphuric acid. Enter the feathers at 100-120° F., after 
 adding to the bath the solution of one per cent, golden 
 yellow S. (of Gust. Doerr, Frankfort-on Main), work the 
 feathers repeatedly during one half hour, when they all 
 liave assumed a rich, nourished color; take up, rinse 
 lightly, starch and beat them dry. 
 
 OLD GOLD. 
 
 ITave the naturally white or decolorized gray feath- 
 ers well washed in soap and rinsed clean from it. Pre- 
 pare a hot bath at 170° F., to -which add so much ana- 
 line cream as to color it dark reddish yellow. Enter 
 the feathers and agitate them from five to ten minutes, 
 acconling to the shade desired. Then take them up, 
 add some sulphuric acid to the bath, re-enter the feath- 
 ers, work for two minutes; then lift, rinse and dry. 
 The bath can be preserved for further use. 
 
-L... 
 
 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIKG. 125 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 So unpretending this color appears, so difficult is it 
 to produce, and it requires a considerable amount of 
 practice and good judgment to bring out a good color 
 from the beginning, as very little too much or too little 
 will spoil a color either in tone or in shade. A very 
 good logwood gray, which with proper attention seldom 
 fails to turn out satisfactory, is made as follows : Pre- 
 pare a hot bath, to which add a small quantity of decoc- 
 tion of logwood ; enter the feathers and work them in 
 the bath for fifteen or twenty minutes, according to 
 shade desired. Then take them up, add to the bath 
 very little pyrolignite of iron, that is, only as much as 
 to turn the color of the bath ; re-enter the feathers, agi- 
 tate them again for fifteen or twenty minutes in the 
 liquid ; then lift, rinse and starch as usual. This color 
 might be best described as dark ash gray. Instead of 
 pyrolignite of iron, some solution of copperas may be 
 used. It will be easily understood, that the more con- 
 centrated the decoction of logwood is, the darker turns 
 out the color, and it is in that respect particularly that 
 the dyer has to use good judgment in producing shades 
 from silver gray to dark ash gray. This color, besides, 
 presents the advantage, that by topping it with solutions 
 
118 06TRICU FEATUEU DVIONO. 
 
 of blue, brown, yellow or green coal-tar dyestufls a great 
 variety of mode colors can be produced. 
 
 PEARL GKAY. 
 
 After scouring and rinsing well, prepare a warm 
 bath (100-120° F.) with five per cent., of the weight of 
 feathers, bisulphate of soda, to which add solution of 
 Victoria blue and of extract of archil, according to 
 sample. Acid violet may be used, but requires a tem- 
 j>erature near the boiling point, which ought to be 
 avoided wherever possible in dyeing ostrich feathers. 
 To be on the safe side, make the solutions of the dye- 
 stuffs of medium concentration, use onl>' the clear of 
 them, or better filter the same, and add it slowly and 
 graduall}' first in small doses, finally by drops, for which 
 purpose the use of a burette with squeeze-cock is reccm- 
 mcndable. 
 
 SILVER GRAY. 
 
 Scour, resj)ectively bleach, and rinse the feathers 
 well clean, prepare a bath, work the solution of five ]>er 
 cent., of the weight of feathers, silver gray (Acteln 
 Gesellschaft fuer Anilin Fabrikation, Berlin), feebly 
 
OSTKICH FEATHEK DYEING. 127 
 
 acidulated with sulphuric acid ; enter the feathers iu the 
 cold, work well to make the color dye up evenlj^; then 
 raise the temperature slowly under diligent working, to 
 170° F , continue at this temperature for five to ten 
 minutes, lift, rinse and dry. 
 
 BROWK 
 
 The series of brown colors, partly produced by com- 
 binations of spectrum colors, partly of direct brown 
 dyestufls, presents a large range of modifications and 
 shades, from a light rust brown or buff to nearly black, 
 blueisli, jellowish, reddish, olive brown, etc., and is in 
 this respect only inferior to the non-desci'ipt endless 
 variety of modes. With the exception of the very 
 lightest shades, which require perfectly white feathers, 
 they can be dyed upon half-bleached, and the deeper 
 shades upon unbleached gray feathers; the d^-er, 
 must, however, in the latter case, bear in mind, that the 
 gray bottom color alwa3's influences to a certain degree, 
 the tone of the color that is to be dyed upon it. Never- 
 theless, as to the proportions of the dyestuffs to be em- 
 ployed for a given tone or shade cannot be given, be- 
 cause the tinctorial value of artificial dj'estufls is very 
 changeiable and not even constant with the same makers. 
 
128 OSTUICII KEATHEU DYEING, 
 
 Experience, skill ami trial dyes must, therefore, guide 
 the dyer in composing the baths for browns as well as 
 for modes, the majority of the latter being modifications 
 of brown. In general the following may be ob- 
 served : 
 
 I. After scouring the feathers and rinsing them per- 
 fectly clean of the scouring material, whether soap or 
 soda, prepare a bath of 170 to 190° F., to which add 
 fifteen per cent,, of the weight of feathers, bisulphatc of 
 soda, indigo carmine, extract of archil and azo j'ellow. 
 
 According to the proportionally greater or smaller 
 quantity of either d3'cstufr added to the dyebath either 
 browns are obtained, or olives, Russia green, reseda, or 
 a variet}' of modes. The trouble with all colors into 
 whose compositions indigo carmine enters is, that this 
 dyestuff rccpiires a comparatively high temperature to 
 run lip, preferably a boiling bath, which, however, is 
 decidedly objectionable with ostrich feathere. To 
 avoid this difficulty, the new acid Victoria blue is used 
 instead of indigo carmine, and fuchsine S. instead of 
 extract of :ueliil. Victoria blue dyes up readily at a 
 moderate temperature. 
 
 II. The feathers being scoured and rinsed clean, pre- 
 pare a boiling bath with so much sulphuric acid as to 
 give a feebly sour taste, and add fast aniline brown. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 129 
 
 turmeric, and indigo carmine or cloth-blue S., according 
 to the tone and shade desired. Prepare the bath so 
 that it shows exactly this tone of color which is to be 
 dyed, and bring it to boil in order to produce a perfect 
 mixture of the three dyestuffs, or rather their filtered 
 solutions. Then chill the bath to about 120° F.^ enter 
 the feathers, while raising the temperature in about fif- 
 teen minutes to near the boiling point ; then dye to 
 shade, lift, rinse and dr}'. 
 
 It is advisable, in order to obtain a level dj'e, to add 
 not the whole amount of dyestuff solution required at 
 one time, but at least in two times ; which rule 
 altogether applies to all aniline d3"estuffs, more or less, 
 as they mostly run up very rapidly and are apt, there- 
 fore, to give uneven d^'es. 
 
 If a j'ellowish tint is wanted^ use a little azo yellow 
 or azo orange; picric acid, which was formerly very 
 freel3'^ used for this purpose, has been almost entirely 
 abandoned. 
 
 LIGHT BROWK 
 
 Clean and rinse them as usual, prepare a bath of 
 110-190° F., with redarine, a trace of orange 0, and 
 some acid green ; enter feathers and work for one-half 
 
130 OSTIUCII KEATIIEK UVEIXG. 
 
 liour, then lift, rinse and dry. By varying the proi>or- 
 tions of dyestuffs, a series of modes is obtainable. (I^ye- 
 stuffs manufactured by Leonhardt & Co., of Mannheim). 
 
 KUST BROWN. 
 
 Prepare a slightly acidulated warm bath with three 
 per cent., of the weight of feathers, fast aniline brown, 
 one per cent, azo yellow, one percent, extract of indigo, 
 and a little siilphuric aci<l ; enter the well scoured and 
 rinsed feathers at 120-140° F., work the feathers for 
 one-half hour, while slowly raising the temperature to 
 the boiling point; continue dyeing at that degree of 
 heal, but not boiling, for live minutes; lilt, rinse, starch 
 and dr^'. 
 
 RED BROWX. 
 
 I. Scour and rinse well ; prepare a warm bath, in 
 which dissolve three per cent., of the weight of feathers, 
 alum, add twenty-five per cent, extract of archil, one 
 and one half per cent, azo yellow, and if required for 
 sh.ide, one-half per cent, indigo carmine ; enter at 170° 
 F., dye to shade while slowly raising the temiwrature to 
 near the l)oiling point, continue at that temperature for 
 ten to fifteen minutes longer ; then lift, rinse and di;. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 131 
 
 Instead of indigo carmine, cloth-blue S. may be used, 
 i)i which case enter at 120° and raise the temperature 
 slowly, not above 190° F. Or, 
 
 II. Prepare a bath at 190° F., add five per cent, bi- 
 sulphate of soda, when dissolved, add solution of ex- 
 tract of archil, fast j'ellow and indigo carmine as re- 
 quired for the shade, and dye at that temperature to 
 sample. Instead of ai'chil, any red or orange azo dye- 
 stuff may be used, preferably bordeaux. 
 
 COFFEE BROWN. 
 
 Have the feathers will cleaned and rinsed, bleaching 
 being not required, prepare a bath with three per cent, 
 alum (of the weight of feathers), at 170° F., add indigo 
 carmine, bordeaux and azo yellow, according to sample, 
 and dye to shade while slowly raising the temperature 
 to near the boiling point, but bring not to boil, but con- 
 tinue until the indigo carmine is well up. A less fast 
 color is obtained with archil, indigo carmine and picric 
 acid. When finished dj^eing, rinse, starch and dry as 
 usual. 
 
 The dyestuffs for brown being nearly the same for 
 all shades, while the depth and tone of the color is pro- 
 duced by differently proportioning the quantities of the 
 
132 OSTUKII KKATIIKU l>VEINO. 
 
 diflerent d^-estufls nnd the time of dyeing, it is advanta- 
 geous to have the solutions of dyestuffs near b}- on 
 hand ; it is advisable, however, if good work is intended, 
 to always filter before using solution -i which have been 
 standing for some time. This precaution is necessary, 
 because from most solutions, if allowed to stand for a 
 day or longer, some dyestufl' which was not dissolved 
 but only suspended in the liquid, separates out forming 
 a more or loss copious sediment which, if tt passes into 
 the dyo bath, settles tipon the feathers causing spots or 
 streaks of a <lifrerent shade than the rest of the feathers. 
 
 PUCE. 
 
 Scour and rinse the feathers well ; gra3'8 can be used 
 in their natural color without bleaching. Prepare a 
 warm bath, in which dissolve eighty per cent., of the 
 weight of feathers, Uirtaric acid and eighty per cent. 
 Glauber salt ; then ad«l sixteen per cent, aniline fast 
 brown, eight per cent. az<> yellow, and sixteen per cent. 
 in<luline or nigrosine, and bring the bath to a boil ; after 
 a few minutes of l)oiling, chill by the addition of cold 
 water, enter the feathers and work them at hand-heat 
 for fifteen or twenty minutes until the color has become 
 level; then bring the bath again to near the boiling 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. I33 
 
 point ; lay the feathers down in the bath, shut off the 
 steam, or withdraw from the fire, and let the bath cool 
 down. When cold, that is in about one or two hours, 
 take out the feathers, rinse and dry. 
 
 FAWN. 
 
 Prepare a warm bath with five per cent, bisulphate 
 of soda, add solutions of azo orange, acid violet and 
 some archil cautiously in several doses until the bath 
 has the desired color. Enter the scoured and rinsed 
 feathers and agitate for fifteen or twenty minutes, to 
 produce a level dye ; then raise the temperature slowly 
 to 190-200° F., dye for a few minutes longer, lift, rinse 
 and dry. 
 
 By varying the proportions of the dyestuflfs, drab, 
 wood brown, lead color, etc., can be obtained, and olives 
 by increasing the quantity of acid violet and omitting 
 the extract of archil. 
 
 CHESTNUT BROWN. 
 
 Scour and rinse the feathers well ; natural grays may 
 be used unbleached. Prepare a decoction of one and 
 one quarter pound cudbear, and six ounces turmeric in 
 
134 OSTUILll FEATIIEK l>VEIXO. 
 
 two gallons of water, strain through a cloth and enter 
 the leathers at hand heat (about 90-100° F.) ; work 
 them for twenty or thirty minutes, or until they have 
 attained a nourished garnet color. Then take them out, 
 rinse, lay thcin down for five minutes in a cold solution 
 of about six ounces copperas in one-half gallon of water, 
 take tbem up and rinse in cold water. Then return to 
 the first bath, operate for fifteen minutes at hand heat, 
 enter again, after rinsing, the iron bath, and continue 
 alternately dj'eing upon the two baths until the recjuired 
 shade is obtained. Rinse every time on shifting from 
 one bath to the other, in clean water, and finally rinse 
 well, starch and dry. 
 
 HAYANNA. 
 
 I. For this color it is advisable to use naturally 
 white or bleached feathers, scour or wash them clean in 
 soap and warm water and remove the soap b}- thor- 
 oughly rinsing in two warm and one cold waters. Pre- 
 pare a bath slightly acidulated with sulphuric acid, to 
 which add eighty per cent., of the weight of feathers, 
 tartaric acid, eight per cent, azo yellow, six per cent 
 fast brown, and three and a quarter per cent, acid green. 
 Enter the feathers nt 100-120° F.. and manipulate at 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 135 
 
 that temperature for ten or fifteen minutes. Then 
 raise the temperature to the boiling point (but do not 
 boil), lay the feathers down in the bath for one-half to 
 one hour, while the bath cools down, lift, starch and 
 finish as usual. 
 
 II. Prepare a bath slightly acidulated with sulphuric 
 acid, bring to nearly boiling, add a concentrated solu- 
 tion of orange S. and some acid green, enter the feathers 
 and dye to shade ; then pass them through a week oil- 
 bath, and dry them, placed straight between several 
 laps of clean muslin. 
 
 Ill Prepare a bath of the decoction of twelve and a 
 half per cent., of the weight of feathers, alum and 
 twenty five per cent, turmeric ; strain, enter the feathers 
 at 170-190° F., and let them lie in the bath over night. 
 On the following day dye, at 100'' F., with decoction of 
 fustet, tone with decoction of logwood or of brazil, ac- 
 cording to sample, starch and dry. 
 
 MUSHROOM. 
 
 I. For this elegant color take naturally white or 
 bleached gray feathers, scour and rinse them well. 
 Prepare a hot bath with five per cent., of the weight of 
 feathers, bisulphate of soda, to which add, as required, 
 
136 OSTKICII FKATHER DYEINO. 
 
 Oltered solutions of fast yellow, iiKligo carmine and jjon- 
 ceau Q. Enter the feathers at 170" F., work them for 
 ten or Gfleen minutes and raise the temi>emture slowl}' 
 to near the boiling point. Add the dyesluffs in small 
 quantities griiduuily, making the ailditions only when 
 tlie dyestuffof the bath has been completely absorbed, 
 and then by drops so as to l>e able to correct the color 
 without waste of dyestud Bear in mind, that the in- 
 digo carmine d3'es up 8lowl3' and requires a high 
 tiniperature. An easier process is, therefore, the fol- 
 lowing: 
 
 II. After cleaning and rinsing well, prepare a iMith 
 at no** F., with four per cent, bisulpnate of soda, to 
 which add gradually in small quantities, as required, 
 some nigrosine, azo orange and a little mandarin or ni- 
 grosine, alkaline blue and fuchsinc S., rinse, starch and 
 dry. 
 
 LIGHT DRAB. 
 
 Scour and rinse the feathers as usual ; bleached 
 grays may be used. Prepare a bath with five per cent., 
 of the weight of feathers, bisulphate of soda and the 
 clear solutions of acid violet, azo orange and fuchsine 
 S. ; add the dyestuff in small portions and Gnally by 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 137 
 
 drops, until the bath has the desired shade of color; 
 then enter the feathers and dye at ITO-^ F. to sample, 
 squeeze or centrifugate, starch and dry. 
 
 BEIGE. 
 
 I. For this color take either naturally white or well- 
 bleached gray feathers, scour or wash and rinse them 
 clean. Prepare pretty thin solutions of aniline orange 
 (chrysaniline) and violet, add very little of them at a 
 lime and finally by drops to the dyestuffs containing 
 either five per cent, bisulphate of soda or a small dose 
 of sulphuric acid ; enter the feathers at 145° F. and dye 
 to shade at the same temperature, which will require 
 about twenty or thirty minutes ; lift, rinse, squeeze and 
 starch. 
 
 II. Have the feathers well cleaned, respectively 
 bleached, and rinsed. Prepare a hot bath (170-190° 
 F.), with a little sulphuric acid, just enough to give it a 
 slightly sour taste, add a few drops of solution of fast 
 brown and a little more solution of acid green (both 
 dyestuffs of the Farbwerke, formerly Meister, Lucius & 
 Bruening, Hoechst-on-Main) ; take of them one or 
 two drops, respectively two or three drops per gallon of 
 water for a light shade and increase quantities propor- 
 
1S8 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 tionally for darker shatles. llinse after dying, starch 
 and dr}'. 
 
 III. Take white feathers or grays very well bleached 
 to nearly white, scour and rinse them well. Prepare a 
 bath of warm water, 100-120" F. and some vinegar so 
 as to give it a distinct sour taste ; adtl to a basin full, or 
 about one-half gallon of the l)ath a little solution of fast 
 brown, one or two drops of indigo carmine, and a trace 
 of turmeric. Lay the feathers down in the bath for fif- 
 teen or twent}' minutes and agitate them repeatedly in 
 the liquid to make them level. 
 
 For a Gray Beige, add a little nigrosine to the bath 
 and proceed as above. 
 
 MODES. 
 
 For the modes it is impossible to give generally ap 
 plicable directions, as these colors are of an indefinitely 
 varying character, consisting in mo<1ifications of other 
 com|>ound or mixed colors which are affected by somi- 
 times very trifling, unmcasureable additions of a toning 
 dyestufl, and coloring effects are produced which cannot 
 be described nor defined by names, but must be judged 
 by the exi)erienced eye of the dyer. Most o( these 
 colors are derived from grays or browns as above re- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 139 
 
 marked, aud the safest way for the dyer is, to begin 
 dyeing with light shades of the prevalent characterisUc 
 color and give them the peculiar tone by the addition of 
 other colors by drops. The proportions of dyestuffs 
 thus ascertained for light shades, are then easy to in- 
 crease for deeper shades. It needs not to be remarked, 
 that for these colors the feathers must be bleached, es- 
 pecially for light and medium shades, and that, if un- 
 bleached, grays are to be dyed in dark shades, the effect 
 of the natural color must be considered in composin<. 
 the dye. ^^ 
 
 In general all modes are dyed npon a bath which is 
 acidulated with bisulphate of soda, with azo orange, azo 
 yellow, azo brown, acid violet, indigo carmine" solid 
 blue or cloth blue, induline or nigrosine, archil or acid 
 fuchsine For brown modes, solution of Bismarck 
 brown may be added at the beginning, in which case the 
 other dyestuffs serve only for giving the peculiar 
 tone. 
 
 For a yellowish green mode take orange 0, azo 
 yellow, and solid blue (fast blue) ; for darker shades 
 add a little violet 6B., ora few drops sulphate of in- 
 digo. If alizarine dyestuffs are to be employed, use 
 tartaric acid as mordant, but for neutral dyestuffs' add 
 also a little alum to the dyebath. 
 
140 06TBICn FEATUEK DYEING. 
 
 For gray modes use the same dyestuffs as above, 
 excepting the orange, instead of which a blue-red dye- 
 stuff is to be employed, such as azo rubine, bordeaux, 
 fuchsine, etc., with the addition of a little acid green. 
 The bath must be acidulateil with a little sulphuric acid, 
 or better with tartaric acid, or tartaric acid and alum, 
 and after dyeing the feathers must be rinsed, starched 
 and dried as usual. 
 
 For particularly fast modes add only tartaric acid 
 to the dycbath and no alum, and a few drops of solution 
 of thio-scarlet, thio-rubinc, and thio-brown ; for graj'S 
 add a little azo 3'ellow and sadden with solid blue. 
 Alum does not agree with the thio dyestuffs which are 
 manufactured by D.-ihl & Co., Barmin, and are fast 
 against soap and light. Feathers dyed with these dye- 
 stuffs Vhich have become soiled, can be washed, there- 
 fore, with neutral soap without injury to the color, but 
 must naturally be dressed anew. 
 
 RESEDA. 
 
 Scour the white, respectively bleached feathers and 
 rinse well. Prepare a bath with five per cent., of the 
 weight of feathers, bisulphate of soda, to which add 
 gradually and carefully the filtered solution of acid 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 141 
 
 Violet, fast yellow and fuchsine S., making the additions 
 from the beginning in small quantities only, until the 
 desired tone and shade are obtained ; then enter and 
 work the feathers to sample at 173° F. 
 
 It is for this dye particularly important that the bi- 
 sulphate of soda used be crystallized, that is, pure bi- 
 sulphate free from surplus sulphuric acid, while the 
 commercial article is often nothing but a mixture of 
 Glauber salt (sulphate of soda) into sulphuric acid, 
 answer for this dye. 
 
 A good reseda is also easily obtained by adding to 
 the acidulated bath small quantities of decoction of log- 
 wood and turmeric, so as to give a feeble bath. Enter 
 the scoured and bleached feathers, after rinsing, at 170° 
 F., work them for about fifteen minutes, until level, and 
 sadden with a little solution of blue stone. Rinse, 
 starch and drv as usual. 
 
 ORDINARY GREEK 
 
 For two and one-half pounds of feathers boil two 
 and one-half pounds of fustic for one-half hour with 
 three quarts of water, pour the decoction off and boil 
 the chips again for one half hour with three quarts of 
 water, mix the two decoctions and strain. Add three 
 
142 OSTKICU FEATUEU DYEING. 
 
 ounces alum and one anil one-half ounces tartar, enter 
 the feathers well scoured and rinsed, and dye to shade 
 at no*' F. Or, prepare the dyestuffs of decoction of 
 lustic or turmeric, and indigo carmine, according to 
 shade, enter at 170° F., work for one-half hour while 
 slowly raising the temperature to near the boiling 
 point, and dye to sample ; lift, rinse, squeeze and starch 
 as usual. 
 
 LIGHT GREEN. 
 
 I. Scour, respectively bleach, and rinse the feathers 
 Prepare a hot bath with the solution of fort}* per cent., 
 of the weight of feathers, tannin, and treat the feathers 
 in it for 1 hour at 170°F. Prepare p bath with a filtered 
 solution of meth3'l green, according to shade, tone, if a 
 yellowish green is wanted, with the clear solution of 
 picric acid, ami dye to sample at 150^^ F. Lift, squeeze 
 and starch without rinsing. 
 
 n. A l)etter color is obtained upon a lightly acidu- 
 lated bath (with sul|)huric acid) with acid green, mala- 
 chite green, fast green, etc., that is, with the filtered solu- 
 tions of these dycstutl's, added to the bath in quantities 
 of from ten to twenty per cent, to suit the shade. 
 Enter at 170° F. ; dye for twenty or thirty minutes. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. I43 
 
 lift, rinse, squeeze and dry witli starch. If a yellowish 
 tone is wanted, add the clear solution of picric acid, or 
 of acid yellow. 
 
 MOSS GREEN. 
 
 Scour and rinse the feathers well ; for dark shades 
 Unbleached grays may be used. Prepare a feebly acid- 
 Ulated bath with sulphuric acid, at a temperature near 
 the boiling point ; add turmeric freely and Guinea green 
 G less. Enter the feathers and manipulate at the same 
 temperature for fifteen or twenty minutes, accordin<y to 
 the desired tone, re enter and dye to shade. 
 
 By varying the proportions of the three dyestuffs, a 
 great variety of green-brownish modes can be produced, 
 which approach medium and dark bronzes the more the 
 fast brown predominates in the composition of the 
 color. 
 
 BOG GREEN. 
 
 This color is preferably dyed upon unbleached gray 
 feathers. Scour and rinse them, prepare a decoction of 
 green walnut husks or of sumac ; lay the feathers down 
 in it for two hours, working them from time to time ; 
 
144 OSTKICII FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 then add some decoction of logwood and dye to ^Ijude 
 at 170° F., or indigo carmine and dye to shade wliile 
 slowly raising the temperature to near the boiling point. 
 Rinse, squeeze, starch and dry. 
 
 GRASS GREEN. 
 
 Scour, respectively bleach, and rinse the feathers. 
 Prepare a boiling bath with turmeric and indigo car- 
 mine ; chill, enter the feathers at 170° F., dye for one^ 
 half hour, raise the temperature slowly to near the boil- 
 ing point and d3'e to shade, take up, rinse and pass 
 through a handwarm bath of tartar; lift, squeeze, 
 starch and dry. 
 
 RUSSIA GREEN. 
 
 I. Scour the feathers as usual and rinse well. Pre- 
 pare a bath slightly* acidulated with sulphuric acid, add 
 two per cent., of the weight of feathers, acid green and 
 one per cent, aniline navy blue dissolved in warm water 
 and filtered acid, according to sample, some filtered de- 
 coction of turmeric or solution of fast yellow. Dye at 
 170° F. to shade, lift rinse and dry with starch. 
 
 II. Have the feathers well cleaned and rinsed. Pre- 
 pare a bath twenty per cent., of the weight of feathers, 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 145 
 
 new green, eight per cent, canarine, sixteen per cent. 
 aniline blue black, sixty per cent, alum, and one-quarter 
 litre sulphuric acid (for two and a half pounds of 
 feathers). Bring the bath to a brisk boil, then chill 
 with cold water, enter the feathers and work them for 
 one hour ; finally sadden and tone b}' adding some de- 
 coction of fustic and of logwood. Lift, rinse, squeeze, 
 starch and dry. 
 
 III. Prepare a sharp hot bath with a little sulphuric 
 acid; add Guinea green, according to shade, and tone 
 by the addition of indigo carmine and turmeric ; for 
 very deep shades add also some nigrosine or fast blue- 
 black, dissolved and filtered. Enter as hot as the 
 feathers can be handled, work for one half hour ; then 
 raise the temperature slowl}^ to near the boiling point 
 and dye to shade. 
 
 The bath for deeper shades being not exhausted can 
 be preserved for further use, refreshed by suitable addi- 
 tions of dyestuffs as required, but caution must be used 
 as regards the subsequent additions of sulphuric acid, 
 that not so much be added as to injui-e the feathers. 
 
 For Russia green, especially the darker shades of it, 
 natui-ally gray and even black feathers can be used un- 
 bleached. 
 
146 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIXO. 
 
 ROSE. 
 
 I. For this delicate color, as well as for the lightest 
 shades of blue and pure yellow, absolutely white feath- 
 ers must l>e used ; scour them carefully and rinse them 
 perfectU' clean from soap or soda, and have the dye- 
 stutls well distsolved and the solutions filtered. Prepare 
 a handwtirm biitb with a little tartaric acid or acetic 
 acid, to which some solution of eosine, rhodamine. azo- 
 eosine, safranine, coccine or ponceau G R. B. or ponceau 
 R, R. Be p.irticularly cautious in adding the dyestuff 
 solutions gradually in small quantities, even by drops, 
 to avoid over-<lyeing, as by partly 8tri|)ping of a too 
 dark shade, a fine color can never Ik? obtained, and the 
 nature of the material demands that all unnecessar}* 
 handling be avoided. After dyeing, rinse lightly, pass 
 through starch and dry. The dyes with the ponceaus 
 are faster than those with eosine or safranine. 
 
 II. Prepare a bath at hand heat with carthamine 
 (extract of safllower), well dissolved and filtered, which 
 add very gradually in small quantities, taking up the 
 feathers each time l>efore making a fresh addition, until 
 the desired shade is nearly obtained, then add a little 
 tartaric acid to the bath, re-enter the feathers and dye 
 to shade ; or d3'e first to shade upon the safllower bath. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 147 
 
 and then pass through a fresh, handwarm feeble bath of 
 tartaric acid, which in this case can be used again for 
 other colors, either as a fixing bath or in the composi- 
 tion of the dye bath. 
 
 RED. 
 
 Scour and rinse the feathers well; grays must be 
 bleached as near to white as possible, and these ought 
 only to be dyed dark shades of red. Prepare a bath 
 with twenty per cent., of the weight of feathers, bisul- 
 phate of soda, and see, as in all cases, that it is well 
 crystallized and dry. (Never use the article when it 
 looks decayed, forms lumps or is moist). Add four to 
 six per cent, azo red, according to the shade wanted, 
 raise the temperature to 1*70° F., enter the feathers and 
 work to shade ; take out, starch and dr}'. 
 
 FAST ALIZARINE RED. 
 
 I. Scour and rinse the white, respectively 
 bleached gray, feathers and prepare a bath of boiling 
 water with eight per cent., of the weight of feathers, 
 alum, four per cent, tartaric acid, two or three per cent, 
 oxalic acid, and three per cent, alizarine red ; let the 
 
148 OSTRICH FEATUER DYEIXO. 
 
 bath boil for fifteen minutes, then let the temperature 
 go down just below the boiling point. Lay down the 
 feathers in the bath, which keep at near the boiling 
 point for at least one hour before allowing it to go 
 down to hand-heat; then continue for two or three 
 hours longer, agitating the feathers from time to time; 
 lift, rinse, starch and dry. 
 
 By using alizarine acid 2 A. bl. bl., a pure red, simi- 
 lar to Turkey red is obtained. Alizarine 1 W. S. gives 
 scarlets. If the feathers are passed, before rinsing, 
 through a strong soap bath, pretty blue tones are pro- 
 duced. 
 
 II. For a fuller red, striking towards bordeau, pre- 
 pare a well concentrated boiling batli in the same manner 
 with three per cent, bichromate of potash, one and one- 
 half to two per cent, tartaric acid, one per cent, oxalic 
 acid, and eight per cent, alizarine red 2 A. bl. bl. When 
 all is dissolved, let the temperature go down l>elow the 
 boiling point, enter the feathers, and proceed as 
 above. 
 
 SCARLET. 
 
 I. For this color naturally white feathers are prefer- 
 ably used, but well bleached grays nmy also be cm- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEINO. 
 
 149 
 
 ployed; scour and rinse well. Then fill your pan with 
 boiling water, add a few handfuls of bran, let it well 
 boil up, remove the bran from the bath and rub the 
 feathers in the bath as in washing; then pass them 
 three times through clean, cold water. While the 
 feathers are draining, prepare another fresh bath of 
 lukewarm water, to which add a little chloride of tin 
 and, for one pound of feathers, about two pinches of 
 starch and ninety grammes cochineal; then bring the 
 bath to boil and let it gently boil for eight or ten min- 
 utes, shut off the steam or remove the pan from the fire 
 let It stand for a few minutes. Then lay the feathers' 
 down in the bath, taking care that thev are well kept 
 down in the liquid, work for twenty minutes diligently 
 then let them lodge in the bath for six to eight hourV 
 As the combination of cochineal and the chloride is 
 readily oxydized and changed to violet by the oxygen 
 of the air, it is advisable to dye in a tinned pan with 
 cover to shut out the air. 
 
 Then pass through three lukewarm waters, the last 
 of which contains a little chloride of tin and about a 
 pinch of cream of tartar. 
 
 11. Prepare a hot bath with twenty per cent, (of the 
 weight of feathers) bisulphate of soda, well crystallized 
 and dry, and four to six per cent, azo red, according to 
 
150 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEINO. 
 
 shade. Enter the feathers at 170° F., dye to sample in 
 fifteen or twenty minutes, lift, starch and dry. 
 
 According to the brand of azo red which is used, 
 either scarlet or ponceau is obtained. By mixing the 
 various brands of azo red, a very fine ponceau is pro. 
 duced. If a very blue tone is desired, add to the bath 
 some solution of coccinine (azo red blue touch). 
 
 PONCEAU. 
 
 I. Scour and rinse the white, respective!}* bleached 
 feathers well. Prepare a nearly boiling bath, acidulated 
 with sulphuric acid, to which simply add ponceau R. R. 
 extra. Enter the feathers, operate at boiling heat one- 
 half hour, then lay down the feathers and let them 
 lodge until level ; lift, rinse, starch and dry. 
 
 II. Prepare a sharp hnndwarra bath with one per 
 cent, tartaric acid (of the weight of leathers), or with 
 one per cent. Glauber salt and one-fourth per cent, sul- 
 phuric acid, to which add the filtered solutions of pon- 
 ceau H. B., ponceau G R. B., and eosine S. extra B. 
 Enter the feathers and agitate for twenty to tliirty min- 
 utes, or until the desired shade is obtained ; lift, rinse, 
 starch and dry. 
 
OSTKICII FBATUEK DYEING. 151 
 
 III. La3' down the feathers for four hours is a cold 
 bath in which sonae chloride of tin has been dissolved- 
 then dye for one-half hour in a hand warm bath of cochi- 
 neal, lift and dry. 
 
 IV. Prepare a bath with one and one-half per cent 
 of the weight of feathers, saccharic acid, one-quarter 
 per cent, tin salt, and six to seven per cent, cochineal 
 bring the bath t-o boil for one minute; then chill' 
 Enter the scoured and rinsed feathers at hand heat dye 
 for three-quarters of an hour, take up and expose them 
 for two hours to the air, rinse, starch and dry. 
 
 BORDEAUX. 
 
 Scour and rinse the feathers well. Prepare a boilin.. 
 hot bath slightly acidulated with sulphuric acid ta 
 which add a liberal quantity of ponceau 6 R. B a few 
 drops solution of aniline blue, and some yellow dyestuff 
 such as turmeric, fast yellow, or quinoline yellow, and 
 brmg the bath to boil for a few minutes. Then chill to 
 sharp hand-heat, enter the feathers and work until 
 level, and sample; if still too light, add some more of 
 all these dyestuffs. As the bath shows from the begin- 
 ning the color it will produce, it can be corrected before 
 entering the feathers. 
 
102 OSTIllCU FEATIIEII DYEING. 
 
 GARNET (RED). 
 
 I. Scour and rinse the featliers well clean, grays 
 ought to be bleached. Prepare the dyebath as for pon- 
 ceau (I.), or use an old ponceau bath, and add to it some 
 aniline cerise (clierry red) and ver}- little extract of in- 
 digo, or solution of fust blue-black. Enter feathers as 
 hot us possible to handle, work for fifteen to twent}' 
 minutes while raising the temperature to boiling 
 heat ; then stop heating, lay down the feathers, and let 
 them lodge until level ; lift, rinse and dry. 
 
 II. Prepare a boiling hot, not boiling, bath of anot- 
 to, according to shade, enter the feathers, work them 
 well through, then lay them down in the bath for twelve 
 hours. Take them up, rinse, pass through a moderately 
 strong alum bath, rinse again, and dye at 170°F.", with 
 either decoction of red wood (brazil, camwood, etc.,) or 
 fuchsine ; lift and dry. 
 
 GARNET (BROWN). 
 
 For very deep shades naturally gra^- feathers may be 
 used unbleached with proper consideration of the lone 
 of the bottom color. Have the feathers well cleaned 
 and rinsed, and add to a bath of two gallons of water, 
 one and one^juarter pounds cudl)ear and five ounces tur- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 153 
 
 meric. Bring the bath to boil, boil for five or ten min- 
 utes, let cool down to 100° F., enter the feathers and 
 dye to shade. Lift, starch and dry. ' 
 
 Or, utilize a used ruby bath (following) and add to 
 it five ounces turmeric. 
 
 RTJBY. 
 
 For a good color the feathers must be white, natur- 
 ally or bleached ; scour and rinse them well. Add to 
 two gallons of water one and one-half pounds good cud- 
 bear, stir well, enter the feathers and work them, while 
 slowly heating, as long as the hands can stand it. Then 
 lay them down until colored to shade, lift, rinse well, 
 starch and dry. 
 
 SALMON. 
 
 I. Salmon or " flesh " may be dyed upon bleached 
 naturally gray feathers, in which case the creamy tint 
 of the feathers must be taken into consideration and can 
 be utilized for certain broken tones of the color. Have 
 the feathers well washed in soap or soda, and rinsed 
 perfectly clean. For dyeing prepare a bath as for rose, 
 preferably with ponceau B. R., or utilize an old bath for 
 
154 OSTRICH FEATIIEK DYEING. 
 
 rose, according to its strength nnd the shade to be pro- 
 duced, and add in either case a suitable, small quantity 
 of filtered decoction of turmeric. Proceed as stated for 
 dyeing rose, with the difference only, that the acid may 
 be added to the dyebath at once, if the bath is made 
 fresh. Particularly fine shades are obtained with rlio- 
 damine and turmeric, in a bath slightly acidulated with 
 acetic acid, upon bleached grays. 
 
 II. Prepare a bath as for rose, with some solution of 
 eosinc, a little quinoline yellow , according to tone, and 
 a little acetic acid, just enough to give the bath a 
 slightly sour taste. Enter the well cleaned, or bleacht<l 
 feathers after rinsing, at hand heat and agitate them 
 until the bath is well exhausted, or a level color, accord- 
 ing to sample, obtained, rinse lightly, starch and dry. 
 
 AMARANTH. 
 
 After scouring and rinsing, prepare a bath with one 
 and one-half ounces alum per gallon of water, at 75-80° 
 F., and lay the feathers down in it over night. On the 
 next morning rinse them in cold water; then dye them 
 at hand-heat to nearly boiling heat in a strained decoc- 
 tion of Brazil wood (or camwood, hypernic, etc.) until 
 the required shade is obtained, and rinse in warm water 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. I55 
 
 to Which some tartar has been added; starch and 
 dry. 
 
 BRONZE. 
 
 For this color naturally gray feathers may be used 
 if a deep shade is to be dyed; for light shades they 
 ought to be bleached. Scour and rinse the feathers 
 well; then prepare a bath with five per cent., of the 
 weight of feathers, bisulphate of soda, to which add azo 
 orange, acid violet and extract of archil. Dissolve the 
 dyestutfs, each separately in water, filter, add the clear 
 solutions gradually in small quantities until the shade is 
 nearly reached, then, in order to correct, by drops, until 
 the exact depth and tone are obtained. Enter the 
 feathers and dye to shade at 170° F. Instead of acid 
 violet indigo carmine may be used ; in this case, how- 
 ever, as the dyestuff runs up slowly and difl3cultly, 
 work at nO° F., for twenty to thirty minutes, then 
 raise the temperature slowly to near the boiling point 
 and continue at that temperature, without actull boil- 
 ing, until the required color is obtained. Then rinse, 
 squeeze, starch and dry. 
 
 Bronze is also produced like drab, that is, with azo 
 orange, acid violet and fuchsine S., but with greater 
 
150 OSTRICH FEATIIEK DVEIXO. 
 
 quantities of dyestuff. Bronze is also obtained with 
 the recipe for any dark brown, by making the yellow in 
 it predominant ; particularly good bronzes are in this 
 manner obtained from dark chestnut brown. 
 
 OLITE. 
 
 I. Clean the feathers by laying them down for six 
 hours, or over night, in a weak warm solution of soda 
 crystals (1° B.) to which add so much ammonia as to 
 give it a faint odor ; take up when completely ungreascd 
 and rinse well in lukewarm and cold waters. Prepare 
 the dyebath with five per cent., of the woij^ht of feath- 
 ers, bisulphate of soda, to which add filtered solutions 
 of indigo carmine, archil and fast yellow as required for 
 the sample. As the indigo carmine is slow to dye up 
 and requires boiling heat or a temperature near it, dye 
 first the feathers blue with indigo carmine, then let the 
 bath cool down to 170° F., and add the solutions of ar- 
 chil and fast 3'ellow in small successive quantities, so as 
 to be able to give the accurate tone. 
 
 Instead of extract of archil, fast red or bordeaux 
 may be employed. 
 
 To avoid any possible injury to the feathers by the 
 high temperature necessary for indigo carmine to run 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 157 
 
 up, in its stead a solution of alkaline blue or of acid 
 Victoria blue. Take up and dry the feathers without 
 rinsing. 
 
 II. Scour well and rinse the feathers, and prepare a 
 bath with three per cent, alum (of the weight of feath- 
 ers), to which add azo orange and some indigo carmine ; 
 enter at 170° F., dye for fifteen or twenty minutes, then 
 raise the temperature slowly to near the boiling point 
 and dye to shade. Lift and dry. 
 
 By beginning with small quantities of the dyestuflfs 
 and successively increasing them and varying their pro- 
 portions, a series of fine shades from light old gold to 
 the deepest olive, near black can be produced. 
 
 III. Prepare a boiling bath, in which dissolve 
 one per cent., of the weight of feathers, alum, one per 
 cent. Glauber salt, and add a little sulphuric acid ; let 
 cool down to no- F., add some fast yellow, a littll so- 
 lution of archil and of sulphate of indigo, work for fif 
 teen minutes while raising the temperature to the boil- 
 ing point, and sadden with blue black, lift, rinse and dry 
 with starch. 
 
 IV. Prepare a sharp handwarm bath with a little 
 sulphuric acid, to which add the clear sohition of a little 
 quinoline yellow or turmeric, and acid green ; enter the 
 feathers and work for fifteen minutes, or until they have 
 
158 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 taken a sufTicioitly noiirislictl j'cllow-green color ; then 
 take them up, add to the bath some solution of fast 
 brown, as required b}' the sample and <\ye at 170° F. to 
 shade ; rinse, squeeze, starch and dry. The brown dye- 
 stuff must be added ver}- carefully in small doses, best 
 by drops, in order to obtain with certainty any of the 
 great varieties of shades, from olive green to olive 
 brown, as required. 
 
 VIOLET. 
 
 Naturally gra}' feathers may be used unbleached, 
 but only for very deep shades as the bottom color acts 
 dulling upon the d3c, and brilliant colors can only lie 
 obtained upon a pure white bottom. Scour, respectively 
 bleach well, and rinse clean. Prepare a hot bath to 
 which add some filtered solution of methyl violet, ac- 
 cording to tone, that is, more or less blue, enter the 
 feathers and work until cool, then add gradually more 
 dyestuff solution according to shade while raising the 
 tt'raperature to near the boiling point and continue at 
 tliis temperature until the desired shade is nearly ob- 
 tained. If too blue, tone with a little solution of fuch- 
 sine S. Towards the end of the operation take up the 
 feathers, add some alum to the bath, and when it is dis- 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEINlgt. 159 
 
 solved, shut ofi the steam, re-enter the feathers and 
 work to shade for about ten minutes. Then lift, rinse 
 and dry. ^ 
 
 HELIOTROPE AND LILAC. 
 
 I. These colors being simply medium and light 
 shades of violet, proceed as for the latter color, select- 
 ing for Jieliotrope the bluish brands of methyl violet, 
 and for lilac the red touch mark. The dyebath is acid- 
 ified with a little tartaric acid, so as to give it a feeble 
 sourish taste and dyeing done at hand-heat until a level 
 color is obtained with very little solution of the dye- 
 stuff, and more of it gradually added, while the tempera- 
 ture is raised to nearly boiling, as required for the 
 shade to be produced. Or, 
 
 II. Prepare the dyebath simply of cold water acidu- 
 lated with a little sulphuric acid, add a few drops of 
 the filtered solution of methyl violet (4 B. for helio- 
 trope), and dye to shade without heating. In both 
 cases rinse after dj'eing, pass through a bath of raw 
 starch and dye as usual. 
 
100 OSTUICU KEATllEli DVEIXO. 
 
 CREAM. 
 
 I. The lightest shade of this delicate color can be 
 produced upon naturally gray ostrich feathers by simply 
 bleaching them ; this color, however, is extremely sen- 
 sitive, probably because tne action of peroxyd of hydro- 
 gen continues under the influence ol the oxygen of the air. 
 Bleached grays require, therefore, dying as well as 
 naturally white feathers. The feathers being well 
 scoured and rinsed, prepare in a white basin (preferable 
 to the copper pans, because the coloring of the dyebath 
 is easier and more correctly discerned over the white 
 bottom) a bath of prett}- hot water, to which add a 
 pinch of tartaric acid, and a little decoction of turmeric 
 or solution of fast aniline yellow or of azo yellow, but 
 only enough to give the water a light tint ; work the 
 feathers in it for four to six minutes. Then sample and 
 correct, if necessary, by adding more dyestuff solution. 
 The Rhade being obtained, pass through cold water, 
 starch and dry as usual. 
 
 II. Prepare in a white basin a handwarm bath with 
 three or four drops of sulphuric acid and a few drops 
 of the filtered solutions of picric acid, fast aniline yel- 
 low, quinoline yellow, or mandaric yellow extra, but 
 preferably turmeric which dyes up more evenly than the 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 161 
 
 Other dj'estuffs. Enter the feathers and agitate them 
 for fifteen or twenty minutes ; then lay them down in 
 the bath for one-half hour longer to insure a level dye ; 
 lift, draw through lukewarm water, starch and dry. 
 
 WHITE AND BLACK. 
 
 Science teaches that white is the source of light or 
 the product of combination of all other colors, because 
 the light of the sun, which is assumed to be white, when 
 broken up by means of a prism, shows in its image re- 
 flected upon a white plain, the three primary, and tliree 
 secondary colors with the uncounted number of inter- 
 mediaiy products of combinations of fractions of the 
 primary colors forming the transition from one to the 
 other, which can be perceived by the eye but not ex- 
 actly separated from one another, but may quantita- 
 tively determined to an approximate degree of accuracy. 
 Black, on the other hand, is described as the absence of 
 all light, and it is denied, therefore, by theory a place 
 among the colors. 
 
 Practice asserts the direct contrary of the theory 
 developed by science by way of conclusion. While 
 philosophers assert that they have succeeded in pro- 
 ducinty white light by the combination of lights of the 
 
102 OSTRICH FKATHKK DYEING. 
 
 various colors, for which combination, however, they 
 give no formula, no dyer with the greatest patience and 
 with the most subtile proportioning of dyestufls, giving 
 pure reproductions of the primary colors as seen in the 
 spectrum or image of the broken sunbeam, can ever be 
 able to i)rodnce aii\thing of a color approaching white. 
 But every dyi-r knows how to produce white by bleach- 
 ing, that is, by the destruction of all color. And this 
 operation is comparatively simple and easy to jjerform, 
 since the great achievements of modem chemistry have 
 placed into the hand of the dyer the most energetic and 
 and effectious color destroying agents. The ostrich 
 feather dyer of to-day is able to convert naturally gray 
 and even black feathers into nearly pure white, which 
 undertaking his father would have called the boast of a 
 deranged mind and an absolute physical impossibility. 
 And with the aid of a complementary color dyed upon 
 the bleached feathers the tint remaining upon them is 
 obliterate«l, or neutralized, which operation is generally 
 called '' white dyeing," although certainly white cannot 
 Ik5 "dyed" with a blue or violet dyesluJf as little as 
 blue or violet can bo produced with a yellow dyestufl. 
 
 Black, on the other haiul, although the name and 
 rank of a color is denii-d it by the <loctrine8 of theory is, 
 for the dyer, most essentially a color requiring for its 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEUSTG. 163 
 
 production the contribution of all colors, as can be 
 shown by a simple experiment. If, for instance, within 
 a circle, three equal circles, whose diameters are greater 
 than half the diameter of the surrounding circle, are 
 printed, one blue, one red and one yellow, so that the 
 points of contact with the periphery of the outer circle 
 are equidistant from one another, or form a regular tri 
 angle, their segments overlapping one another form four 
 spherical triangles, one violet where red and blue cover 
 one another, one orange where red and yellow come to- 
 gether, one green where yellow and blue are mixed, but 
 the fourth is the centre, where parts of the three diner- 
 ently colored segments cover one another, is black, but 
 toned by the color of the greatest intensity. In fact, 
 black requires for its production more color, and is 
 more difficult to dye than any color of the spectrum. 
 It is not strange, therefore, that many more methods 
 have been proposed and have been tried and adopted to 
 dye black than for the production of any other color. 
 Yet all these blacks are more or less tinted and are noth- 
 ing more than the deepest shade, which can be produced 
 with the aid of metallic salts, of blue, brown, gray, vio- 
 let, green and even red. The only black upon ostrich 
 feathers which may be justly called an absolute black is 
 that produced aftc r the method of Mr. Taul, as described 
 
164 OSTKICII KEATHEU DYEING. 
 
 in the front part of this book (page 53-56). It pre- 
 sents, besides, the advantage, that it can be completely 
 done in eighteen minutes, while there arc older methods 
 which require not less than three days. Such, of 
 course, will find no room here, but only the most relia- 
 ble and expeditious, and safest of the older methods 
 will be selected with due regard both to beauty of color 
 and preservation of the precious material. 
 
 WHITE. 
 
 Naturally white ostrich feathers and bleached grays, 
 like all material taken from the animal realm, retains 
 even after scouring and bleaching a more or less notice- 
 able yellowish tint, which becomes visible after some 
 time even upon such as appear snow-white immediately 
 after scouring. The cause is, probably, that the fat 
 which is contained in feathers, as well as in wool and 
 hair, and a part of which remains after the cleaning pro- 
 ccFS, is oxj'dized by the ncliou of the air. To perfectly 
 and completely extract this remaining small amount of 
 fat which does not hinder the subseciuent dyeing opera- 
 tions, is not advisnl)le; for, it has been observed that in 
 that case, the feathers become brittle, and for this 
 reason, scouring wiili soap is prcferaV)le to scouring 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 165 
 
 With soda. It has been observed that colored matter 
 taken from the animal body in the course of time loses 
 Its brilliancy of color and becomes dull ; white feathers 
 turn yellowish, even if perfectly protected against dust. 
 To prevent this alteration, the bleached feathers are 
 "dyed white," or rather blued or tinted; that is, the 
 brilliancy of the white is heightened and the faint yel- 
 lowish tinge neutralized by the application of a very 
 light, scarcely perceptible tint of a complementary 
 color. 
 
 For this purpose, for instance, indigo carmine 
 (greenish white), indigo carmine with a very small addi- 
 tion of ammoniacal cochineal (reddish white), induline 
 or extract of indigo (bluish white), or methvl violet 6 B. 
 (direct white), are employed, and a few drops of acid 
 added to the bath, either sulphuric, acetic or oxalic 
 acid. The acid, however, can be dispensed with, as it 
 scarcely has anything to act upon, and as only a diminu- 
 tive amount of it is employed, the blued feathers are not 
 rinsed but immediately dried from the blue-bath. The 
 additions of dyestuff to baths must be made so small 
 that they do not affect a coloring of the feathers but 
 only a faint tinting, leather too little dyestuff may be 
 added, which defect can at all times be corrected by 
 adding a few drops more of the coloring solution, than 
 
IGO OSTUICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 too much. In the latter case it would become necessary 
 to bleach the feathers again and go over the whole pro> 
 cess of preparing the raw material for dyeing. 
 
 BLACK. 
 
 I. Chrome Black. — Black being the most difficult 
 color to produce, as above remarked, the feathers re- 
 quire a specially careful preparatory treatment in order 
 to remove everything that might interfere with the 
 purity, uniformity and brilliancy' of the color, or cause 
 less dyed, dull spots and streaks. Naturally gray 
 feathers, however, need not to be bleached or decolor- 
 ized but only careful treatment and attention. The 
 feathers are for twenty-four hours laid down in a solu- 
 tion of twice their weight of calcined soda, ammonia 
 soda being prcfernble for this purpose to Lablanc soda 
 (old process soda), then taken up and carefully rinsed 
 clean from the alkaline in warm water, or better, in two 
 warm waters. In tlu' case of particularly valuable 
 feathers it is roeonimendable, before laying them down 
 in the soda solution, to rub the stains of the feathers off 
 with a piece of carbonate of ammonia or with a large 
 soda crystal. After rinsing, the feathers are entered 
 for one hour, at 170° F., in a bath containing forty per 
 
OSTRICH FEATUEU DYEING. 16T 
 
 cent., of the weight of feathers, cbromate of potash^ 
 forty per cent, copperas, and twenty per cent, tartar, 
 and several times turned and agitated during the speci- 
 fied period while the entering temperature is maintained. 
 Then the feathers are taken up, and the adhering liquid 
 squeezed out by hand or by rolling them through a 
 clothes wringer with rubber roller. In the meantime a 
 logwood bath of medium concentration is prepared 
 either with a fresh decoction or with extract of logwood 
 and twenty per cent. Marsailles soap dissolved in it. 
 The feathers are entered in this bath at hand-heat, dili- 
 gently agitated for twenty or thirty minutes and, if 
 necessary, while the temperature is raised to 200° F., 
 laid down in the bath until the correct shade and a level 
 dye are obtained. The feathers are then lifted, 
 squeezed, very thoroughly rinsed in cold water, passed 
 through starch and dried with frequent shaking, respec- 
 tively beating upon the board or between the hands. 
 
 It occurs sometimes, that the stems of the feathers 
 are imperfectly died and present light brown or gray 
 places. This is attributable to insufficient scouring. 
 In this case the defective portions of the stems must be 
 scraped with a sharp penknife and dyed over. This 
 operation, however, is difficult and requires much prac- 
 tice and a light hand, as too much scraping removes 
 
108 OSTRICH FEATUKK DYEIXO. 
 
 the horny glossy surlace of the stem and, when dyed 
 over, the only change effected is, that a dull black mark 
 takes the place of the discolored or brown spot. Often, 
 however, the defect can be remedied by touching the 
 imperfect portions up with a feeble alcoholic solution of 
 ^shellac, in which some nigrosine is dissolved. With 
 properly scoured feathers this mishap does not occur. 
 
 Another trouble, however, which is not unfrequent 
 with blacks, is that the feathers are over-dyed and 
 become brownish black instead of black. But in this 
 case the remed}' is as simple as its occurence is fre- 
 quent ; a quick passage through sulphuric acid diluted 
 with water to 2° B. strips off the excessive dye and pro- 
 duces a good color. Besides, this o|)eration gives the 
 feathers a brilliant lustre. Many dyers, therefore, 
 methodically avail themselves of this effect of sul- 
 phuric acid and deliberately overdye their feathers (See 
 IV below) and then apply the sulphuric acid passage 
 for the purpose of imparting the feathers that peculiar 
 lustre. A passage through a solution of sodium chlo- 
 ride, of 2*^ B. strength, has the same effect as a ])assage 
 in sulphuric acid 2** B. 
 
 For this purpose lay the feathers down in the warm 
 sodium chloride solution, until the black cotton strings 
 with which the feathers have l>een tied together, as in 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 169 
 
 the beginning described, begin to turn gray. Then 
 take up the feathers, rinse them very thoroughly in cold 
 water, drain, starch and dry. 
 
 Sodium chloride can be prepared in a simple way as 
 follows: rub one-half pound fresh chloride of lime in a 
 porcelain mortar with a little water into a smooth milk, 
 which pour into a bucket, dilute with cold water, and 
 add, under stirring, the solution of one pound Glauber 
 salt; let settle and use the clear liquid. Instead of 
 Glauber salt (sodium sulphate), soda crystals (sodium 
 carbonate) may be used ; the latter, however, is a little 
 higher in price and renders the solution strongly 
 alkaline. 
 
 II. Iron Black. — Lay down the feathers over night 
 in a warm bath, in which one hundred per cent., of the 
 weight of feathers, soda crystals have been dissolved. 
 On the following day take them up, squeeze them out 
 and lay them down for two hours in a proportionally 
 strong solution of carbonate of ammonia, take them up 
 and rinse well in warm water. La}- down for six hours 
 upon a bath of nitrate of iron 10° B. ; take up, rinse, 
 and dye at 170° F. with tlie decoction of ten per cent. 
 logwood in which five per cent. Marseilles soap has been 
 dissolved. If a dead black is wanted, add some decoc- 
 tion of quercitron or turmeric to the bath. The de- 
 
170 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 sired depth being obtained, lift, rinse, starch and dry. 
 In case the color is over-dyed, strip with sodium 
 chloride (or siilphuric acid) 2° B., as above described, 
 drain, squfeze and dry. 
 
 111. LoowooD Hlack. — Scour and rinse the feathers 
 well. Prepare a bath with tbree per cent., of the 
 weight of feathers, carbonate of lime, six per cent, blue- 
 stone, and five per cent, tartar. Enter the feathers at 
 170° F., maintain this temperature for one hour ; then 
 let it go down, but leave the leathers in the bath for six 
 hours longer, agitating them frequently during that 
 time. Take them up, drain and squeeze, or centrifu- 
 gate, and enter a handwarm bath containing some de- 
 coction of logwood, to which some decoction of fustic 
 is added. Work for fifteen or twenty minutes, then 
 raise the temperature to nearly boili)ig heat. Continue 
 adding decoction of logwood, until a nourished black is 
 obtained. This dye being hard to correct by the ordin- 
 ary means, the additions of logwood decoction must be 
 made with caution towards the end of the operation, in 
 order to prevent over-dyeing. If a brownish touch is 
 desired, add some more decoction of fustic wlioii the 
 black is nearly done. Tlu-ii lift, rinse, starch and dry 
 as usual under continual agitation, Wating and shaking 
 of the feathers. This chrome black is superior to iron 
 
OSTRICH FAETHER DYEING. 171 
 
 black, because it imparts, to the ostrich feathers, more 
 lustre. 
 
 IV. Whatever kind of feathers are to be dyed, 
 white, grays or old blacks, wash them perfectly clean in 
 two or three warm soap baths and remove the soap by 
 rinsing in two or three warm and several cold waters. 
 Colored feathers which are to be redyed blacks must be 
 stripped of their color as much as possible by washing 
 in hot soap to which some ammonia is added, where- 
 upon this must be rinsed in several waters absolutely 
 clear from soap and alkali ; it is an erroneous notion to 
 neutralize the last trace of alkali which ma}'- remain, by 
 a passage through a feeble acid bath. The feathers 
 thus pi'epared for dyeing, make a bath of two parts ni- 
 trate of iron to one part hot water at 170° F., enter the 
 feathers, work them through a few times, and then lay 
 them down in the bath for twelve hours (over night). 
 Then lift and rinse the feathers in several (three or 
 four) cold waters Prepare a pretty strong decoction of 
 logwood and fustic, for which take two parts of the 
 former to one part of the latter ; let the temperature go 
 down to about 208-210^ F.,when enter the feathers and 
 maintain that temperature for fifteen or twenty min- 
 utes. Then shut off the steam or remove the dye-vessel 
 from the fire, as the case may be, and let the feathers 
 
172 OSTRICH FEATHER DVBINO. 
 
 cool in the bath. When cold t&ke them out, prepare & 
 fresh bath of logwood and fustic like the first, enter the 
 feathers at 208-210" F., after fifteen or twenty minutes 
 add about a teaspoonlul of copperas for one gallon of 
 water, and leave the feathers in the bath for six or eight 
 hours longer ; then lift and rinse in several cold waters. 
 The feathers are at this stage black with a strong brown 
 touch which is removed by a cleaning bath of Eau dc 
 Javelle (sodium chloride). The latter is prepared by 
 rubbing one-quarter pound chloride of lime to a smooth 
 milk with a little cold water (in a porcelain or a marble 
 mortar) and adding this milk to the solution of one-half 
 pound Glauber salt in three parts water. After good 
 stirrinjr the mixture is then allowed to settle, when the 
 clear solution is poured off and put up for use in well 
 stoppered bottles. Of this liquid so much is added to 
 a basin or pan full of warm water that itgi^'cs a slippery 
 feel between the fingers, similar to that of a solution of 
 soda. 
 
 In this bath the feathers are agitated for six or 
 eight minutes, or until the licjuid has assumed a yellow- 
 ish color. Then the feathers are taken out, rinse in two 
 or three warm waters, passed through raw starch, 
 prcssetl out between several lajis of a clean piece of 
 muslin, and dried either by rubbing them in pulverized 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEIKG. 173 
 
 and sifted potato starch or by shaking them before an 
 open fire or gas- flame. 
 
 The nitrate of iron bath can be preserved and used 
 for the same purpose for eiglit or ten days, but the first 
 logwood bath becomes useless and is let out. As above 
 observed (I) sulphuric acid can also be employed for 
 correcting the over-dyed feathers and reducing that 
 brownish color to a pure lustrous black, but a much 
 shorter passage is given : the feathers are entered by 
 single strings, well opened, agitated in the sulphuric 
 acid bath for a few seconds, and immediately rinsed. 
 Where week work is done, it is advisable to have two 
 men employed at this operation, one of whom passes the 
 feathers in the acid bath and hand them over to the 
 other man for rinsing. 
 
 CONTRASTS AND SHADINGS, OR OMBREES. 
 
 Fashion and fancy sometimes requires the d3'er of 
 ostrich feathers to dye upon one feather two, or even 
 three contrasting colors, or different shades of the same 
 color, that is, the tips of the feathers in another color or 
 shade than that of the lower part of the feather. Gen- 
 erally in these combinations the tip is dyed the lighter 
 color or shade, and the lower part considerably deeper 
 
174 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 or in a lieavier color. Very popular combinations are : 
 the tip light blue and the bottom brown, the tip rose 
 and the lower part bordeaux, the tip light orange or 
 dark yellow and the lower part garnet brown, tip rose 
 with olive bottom part, or even three colors, such as the 
 tip rose, the part below it medium olive green, and the 
 lowest part deep violet That such combinations are 
 very handsome cannot be asserted ; but fashion dictates, 
 and fanc}' sometimes prefers oddity to beauty. More 
 rational are at an}- rate the ombr^es, or combinations of 
 two or three shades of the same color upon one feather. 
 The operation is the same for both styles ; but contrasts 
 are generally dyed only upon single feathers, while 
 ombrdes, being in greater demand, are dyed by strings 
 or even in greater lots. The feathers being scoured and 
 rinsed as usual, are first dyed wholly in the lightest 
 color or shade to be produced, according to recipe, say 
 light blue for the tip, and dried. Then wrap the top, as 
 far as it is to be light blue, in paper (some dyers use 
 for this purpose oiled or waxed paper) and tie the paper 
 firmly, but not so hard as to injure the feather, with a 
 string, not so loosely as to allow the paper envelope to 
 slip out of place during the manipulation. Then, hold- 
 ing the feathers by the top, dip them into the boiling 
 Lot bath for the otlier color, or shade, to be dye<l, but 
 
OSTKICH FEATHER DYEESTG. 175 
 
 only so deep that the paper just touches the surface of 
 the dye-liquid. This method is the safest for learners 
 or new-beginners. For more experienced workers it is 
 unnecessary to use the paper wrapping ; they simply 
 first dye the light bottom shade, dry or not, according 
 to the characters of the two colors (for shadings, half- 
 dry feathers, that is, drained and squeezed out, are 
 rather preferable), and loosely hold them in the bath for 
 the second color, or deeper shade. They have it 
 thereby in their power to effect a more gradual transi- 
 tion from one color or shade to the other. As the color 
 becomes deeper, the longer the feather is immersed iu 
 the bath, it is plain that the dyer can easily produce 
 upon one feather a complete graduated scale of shades. 
 Each time, after a shade has been d^-ed to the required 
 aepth, the feathers are rinsed in cold water and some 
 more dyestuff solution added to the bath. These addi- 
 tions require good judgment, because too much dj'estuff 
 added would cause an abrupt, dull contrast instead of a 
 desirable gradual shaking off, or transition from one 
 shade to the other. There ought only a little more dye- 
 stuff be added each time, than has been absorbed from 
 the bath by dyeing the preceding shade. If paper 
 wrappings are used, they must naturally be untied for 
 rinsing and replaced by longer pieces before entering 
 
170 OSTRICH FKATTIKTi DYF.rS'O. 
 
 the bath for the following darker shade. After rinsing 
 the feathers mast alwaj's be well squeezed out. If two 
 colors are to be dyed, for inst.ince light blue tip with 
 brown lower part, d} e first the whole feather light blue, 
 rinse, dry, tie up the tip in paper, and d^-e the lower 
 half brown. 
 
 It needs not to be mentioned that for dyeing 
 two or three contrasting colors upon one feather 
 only such dyes must be chosen as can serve for bottom- 
 ing and topping one another without materially altering 
 the character of the topping color. 
 
 EDGINGS OR BORDERS. 
 
 For this style of feather dyeing, use feathers of 
 good quality, with wide and well developed vanes. 
 They are dyed in two colors and shades only, presenting 
 one color, mostly of a light shade, or a white " black " 
 on both sides along the stems, while the outer edges lor 
 the vanes, or ends of the fibres, are dyed in a diflerent 
 color or darker shade. They make a particularly hand- 
 some effect when curled over the stem, setting off the 
 edges in a fine contrast against the black showing 
 throujih the curls. 
 
OSTRICH FEATIIEK DYEING. 177 
 
 To produce edgings an oval pan, as described in the 
 beginning, or otlier dye-vessel of greater length than 
 the feathers, and three or four inches deep must be used. 
 The well scoured, respectively bleached, and rinsed 
 feathers are first dyed the color for the middle part, as 
 usual on strings. After rinsing and drying they ai-e 
 taken oflf from the strings and " edged " singly. For 
 this purpose prepare the dye-bath for the edging color 
 heat to the proper temperature, take the tip and quill 
 respectively between the fore-finger and the thumb of 
 both hands, dip the feathers edgewise, that is, with the 
 ends of the fibres on one side of the stem, or the edge 
 of the vane only, into the dye-bath as deep as the edg- 
 ing is to be wide, and move the feather in this position 
 horizontally forward and backward in the bath until the 
 shade is obtained. Then place the feather between sev- 
 eral laps of clean dry muslin, squeeze it out by passing 
 the hand over it, and dye the other edge in the same 
 manner as the first. Finally rinse, starch and dry the 
 feather as usual. 
 
 In this connection a chemical reaction is worthy of 
 mention, which was discovered about two years ago by 
 an accident, and may be advantageously employed for 
 the production of edgings upon ostrich feathers, if fur- 
 ther developed by experiments. In a large feather- 
 
178 OSTRICU FEATUEK DYEING. 
 
 dyeing establishment, in Berlin, a sheet of paper which 
 had been wetted with ammonia, and had become dr\' 
 had been lelt on a work-table, when one of the em- 
 ployeeSjWUo was handling a lot of feathers freshly dyed 
 with methj 1 violet, inadvertently put one of the feath- 
 ers, which was still moist, upon the impregnated pajier. 
 After a while, when the feather was picked up, it was 
 found that the violet, all round the edge of the feather, 
 had turned brilliant green, producing a very pleasing 
 effect. It is rational to suppose that with mixed colors, 
 in whose composition methjl violet largely enters, simi- 
 lar effects can be produced by the action of ammonia; 
 and probably the same is the case with other aniline 
 dyestuffs. 
 
 GILDING AND SILVERING. 
 
 Gilded and silvered ostrich feathers are but seldom 
 in demand, and then only for grand evening dresses or 
 stage effects, and for short seasons, which generally re- 
 turn far between. Their production is by no means a 
 dyeing process, but rather an operation of surface orna- 
 mentation, still the dyer is sometimes requested to per- 
 form it. Wliile goose feathers and other feathers of 
 small value are wholly gilded or silvered, the gilding of 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. - 179 
 
 ostrich feathers consists chiefly in a sprinkling with 
 metallic dots, or sometimes in an edging, or is only ap- 
 plied to the tip of the feathers, which, from the nature 
 of the operation, are treated singly. Such ornamented 
 feathers, white as well as dyed, being only used for 
 short periods, a permanent fixation of the gold or silver 
 upon them is not required, but rather undesirable, as 
 they will soon be redyed for other uses. 
 
 For gilding, respectively silvering, a sufficiently ad- 
 hesive solution of possibly colorless gum arable is pre- 
 pared and distributed by hana, and by means of a fine 
 hair-brush, in smaller or larger dots, as required, over 
 the upper side of the feather or along the edges, and 
 before the gum solution becomes dry, sprinkled over 
 with finely divided gold-leaf or silver-leaf. The feather 
 is then turned over, given a few light taps with the 
 hand to remove the loose dust of metal, and vigorously 
 shaken, partly to prevent the fibres from sticking to- 
 gether, partly to remove the remaining loosely adhering 
 particles of metal. The operation must be performed 
 as rapidly as possible to prevent the gum solution from 
 drying before the metallic dust is shaken oflf. The 
 smaller the gum-dots are made, the quicker must the 
 work be done, but the less is the danger of the fibres 
 being pasted together, and the more elegant the ap. 
 
180 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 pearance of the feather. The dots or spangles are 
 made of different shapes, in little circles or squares, 
 and sometimes arranged so as to form angular designs, 
 according to taste and skill of the operator. 
 
 Anotber very pretty, scarcely more permanent, but 
 more frequently applied ornamentation of ostrich feath- 
 ers, is the following. 
 
 FROSTING. 
 
 For this purpose the feathers are first d^ed in a 
 lijiht or medium sbade of any color, the effect of frost- 
 ing feathers of a dark color being rather unfavorable. 
 The feathers are then, after drying, covered on the uj)- 
 per side with a solution of clear gum arabic, as for gild- 
 ing, but more closely, or may even be entirel}- brushed 
 over with the gum solution, and are then, before the 
 gum dries, sprinkled over with finely ground white 
 glass, or mica, the hitter giving the appearance of 
 frosted silver. The glass powder or mica powder is 
 then quickly and vigorously shaken off, to open the 
 fibres and Hues as much as possible, while drying. 
 Finally, to complete the opening of the fibres, the feath 
 ers are steamed at the under side, and shaken in the air 
 until ©iKjn and dr}'. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 181 
 
 Great care is required in curling gilded or frosted 
 feathers, that the metal or glass powder is not rubbed 
 off in passing the fibres of the vane over the curling- 
 knife. This operation being extremely difficult and 
 dangerous, the use of a curling-iron, like that used by 
 hair-dressers, is preferable to that of the knife. The 
 iron is moderately heated, so as not to singe the feath- 
 ers; then, beginning at the lower end of the feather, 
 a part of the fibres on one side of the stem are taken by 
 their ends between the shanks of the iron, the latter 
 closed and the fibres wound downwards around it, the iron 
 being carried on the under side of the feather towards 
 the stem. Then first one side of the vane is success- 
 ively curled from the quill up to the tip, when the same 
 operation is repeated upon the other half of the feather. 
 If, in this manner, the feather should be curled too 
 strongl}^, the fibres are taken between the shanks of the 
 warm curling-iron at the stem and simplj^ drawn 
 through the iron. 
 
 Numerous ostrich feather dyers and dressers use the 
 curling-iron altogether, instead of the knife ; the only 
 difficulty for the beginner is to get the proper heat, 
 which, however, is soon learned. 
 
 Very pretty eflTects are also obtained by dj-eing the 
 feathers a light shade of color, drying, gumming and 
 
162 OSTKICII FEATHER DYEINO. 
 
 sprinkling them with either powdered black glass or 
 jet. • 
 
 RENOVATING FEATHERS. 
 
 White ostrich feathers which, by long exposure to 
 the show-wiudow, or by lying in store for a protracted 
 time, have lost their whiteness and turned yellow, and 
 dyed feathers which, from the same causes, have become 
 dirty, pale and discolored, can be restored to their 
 former beauty by washing, respectively redyeing, as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 I. A washing process, which is ordinarily only ap- 
 plied to white feathers which have become yellow, is as 
 follows : Prepare a bath of two gallons of water at 
 145°F., to which add half a gallon of liquid ammonia 
 (spirits o( sal ammoniac, ammonia water) ; enter the 
 feathers, work them once well through with the hands, 
 and lay them down in the bath over night. On the fol- 
 lowing day take thom up, wash them once through a 
 soap-bath at IIS'^F., pass them again through the tirst 
 ammoniacal bath, and rinse well and let them drain. 
 Then prepare a bath of cold water, to which add so 
 much of a clear solution of methyl violet C B., that a 
 white china plate held about a foot below the surface of 
 
OSTRICH FEATIIEK DYEESTG. 183 
 
 the water, appears with a faint bluish tint, or such a 
 blue tone as is desired ; and add to the bath so muck 
 sulphurous acid, that it gives the liquid a well defined 
 odor. When the sulphurous acid mixes with the tinted 
 liquid, the violet color of the latter disappears and 
 changes to a greenish tint, which, however, turns again 
 to blue upon the feathers when they are afterwards ex- 
 posed to the action of the air. The feathers are then 
 passed, singly, if possible, through the blue-bath, well 
 drained, centrifugated or whizzed, starched and dried 
 as usual. 
 
 Colored feathers which have lost their freshness, and 
 are to be redyed, are simply washed clean with soap 
 and rinsed, or they are stripped of their color, as much 
 as possible, with soap and oxalic acid, or bleached with 
 peroxj'd of hydrogen, as described in the beginning; 
 whereupon they are dyed and treated like bleached new 
 feathers, always taking into consideration, however, 
 what of the old color may remain upon the feathers, 
 may be utilizable as a bottom for the new color, or 
 even as a component of it, for instance, in the case of 
 many modes and several browns. 
 
 11. Another method of renovating ostrich feathers 
 presents the advantages that it is executed without the 
 application of heat, that it is a simple cleaning process 
 
184 OSTKICII FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 which attacks no color, unci lliJil it leaves the curling of 
 the feathers intact, which is unavoidal)ly taken out of 
 them by washing with warm water and soap, or an}- 
 other alkaline detergent substance. It is, therefore, 
 only applied to feathers which have lost their purity of 
 color by exposuie, and whose curling is to be preserved, 
 or is worthy of preserving. It is, in part, the same 
 process which is known as "dry washing" among 
 scourers and dyers of garments, and can be applied to 
 feathers of an}- color and shade, white and even black, 
 without exception. 
 
 For this operation fill a basin or small wooden hand- 
 tub with benzene, add a handful or two of potato Hour 
 (sifted potato starch), enter the feathers and rub them 
 well through with the starch until clean ; then squeeze 
 then out by hand and press between muslin, finally' whiz 
 or shake them in the air until dry. 
 
 This process is partly chemical, in so fai* as the ben- 
 zene loosens the dust and other impurities which have 
 settled upon the feathers, partly mechanical, as the 
 numerous fine particles of the potato starch, which do 
 not dissolve in benzene as soap does in water, rub these 
 impurities oft from the feather. By the combined ac- 
 tion of the benzene and starch, and the friction applied, 
 the feathers are not only cleaned, but the flues com- 
 
OSTRICH FAETHER DYEIXG. 185 
 
 pletely opened, so that the feather thus treated looks 
 perfectly like new. 
 
 A remarkable feature of this process is that the 
 starch carries nearly all the impurities down with itself 
 to the bottom of the wash-basin, and becomes soiled, 
 while the benzene takes up every little of them, and 
 can, therefore, after settling, be poured off from the 
 starch sediment, and can be used several times before 
 it needs to be purified or eventually becomes unfit for 
 use. 
 
 In using benzene, which is a highl}^ combustible sub- 
 stance, the utmost precaution must be ol)served that 
 no open flame or fire be in the work-room, neither 
 open lamps nor a fire in the stove burning. Even 
 doors leading to adjoining rooms, where lights or fires 
 are burning, ought to be kept closed while working 
 with benzene, because the benzene vapors, which may 
 be carried to the flame by a draft of air, would inev- 
 itably ignite and cause an explosion and fire. Occur- 
 rences of this kind have been not unfrequently ob- 
 served. 
 
 Feathers which have been cleaned by this process, 
 as well as new feathers, may be dyed by the follow- 
 ing process. 
 
186 OSTRICU FEATIIEU DVEIXO. 
 
 DYEING IN THE COLD WAY. 
 
 This process is a real dyeing process, as well as a 
 renovating process, bolb, however, to a limited extent, 
 inasmucb as it can be applied only to white feathers or 
 to such as arc dyed with light and medium shades of 
 certain colors which are to be freshened up ; but it does 
 not answer lor dark colors. It is, however, extremel3' 
 simple and easy to execute; besides, almost instanta- 
 neous, and therefore of great utility where rapid work 
 is required, because it leaves the feathers perfectly in 
 shape, like the benzene washing process, aud does not 
 aflect the curling of the feather, if there is such. Old 
 feathers which were already dyed cream, rose, salmon, 
 light blue, light gra}*, light green, sea green, golden 
 yellow, heliotrope or l)eige, can be redyed in the same 
 colors, but must previously be washed with benzene; 
 new white feathers do not require such washing. 
 
 For this method of dyeing, aniline dyestuffs soluble 
 in alcohol are used, viz. : for 
 
 Cream, . . . Curcumine or Aniline Orange, 
 
 Rose, .... Eosine or Ponceau, 
 
 Salmon, . . . Curcumine and Eo^inc, 
 
 Light Blue, . . Wati r IJlue and Methylene Blue, 
 
 Gray, .... Nigrosine, 
 
OSTRICH FEATIIKR DYEENG. 187 
 
 Sea-green, . . Malachite Green, 
 Golden Yellow,. Orange and Fast Brown, 
 Heliotrope, . . Methyl violet 6 B., 
 Beige, .... Methylene Blue, Curcumine and 
 Fast Brown, 
 mixed according to tone and shade. 
 
 Operate of follows : Fill a white basin with a suffi- 
 cient quantity of alcohol to completely wet the feathers 
 in it; add, according to shade, a smaller or greater 
 quantity of the clear alcoholic solution of the required 
 dyestuff, or mixture of dyestuffs, pass the feathers 
 singly, without previously wetting them, three or four 
 times through the alcohol bath ; then press them out 
 between clean muslin, put a few handfuls of sifted po. 
 tato starch upon a clean sheet of pajjer, and rub the 
 feathers with it until thoroughly dry ; finally, shake out 
 the starch. 
 
 RECAPITULATION OF GENERAL RFLES. 
 
 At all times have the feathers, which are to be dyed, 
 scoured well, that is, washed clean from all externally 
 adhering impurities, fat, etc. ; naturally colored feath- 
 ers bleached for all light and medium shades to be dyed 
 upon them, and rinsed perfectly clean from the scour- 
 
188 OSTKICn FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 ing or bleaching bath, first in two or three warm waters 
 and then in cold water. 
 
 On taking the feathers from any bath, always squeeze 
 the liquid out first by drawing the feathers through the 
 hand closed upon them, then b}' placing them straight 
 between several laps of clean dry muslin and repeatedly 
 passing the hand with quite a smart pressure over it. 
 Never transfer the feathers, in any case, from one bath 
 to another in a wet, but in a moist condition, or nearly 
 dry. 
 
 Never allow the feathers to become dry in the 
 course of operations. If it is necessary to interrupt 
 work, or to put feathers one side for further treatment, 
 dry them properly by first passing them through a bath 
 of raw starch, in order to have the flues at all times as 
 well opened as possilile. 
 
 In no case let the temperature of a batli, in which 
 feathers are treated, rise to actual l)oiling, although for 
 some dvestuffs a temperature near the boiling point is 
 required to make them d^e up, to become level or to fix 
 them. 
 
 In every instance, where an acid or acid salt is em- 
 ployed, either in a separate mordanting or fixing bath, 
 or as a component of the dyebath, rinse well before 
 drying. 
 
OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 189 
 
 When sulphuric acid is used in the composion of a 
 bath, add only so much of it as to give the water a very 
 slight, scarcely perceptible acid taste. 
 
 Although some artificial dyestufls dye up without an 
 addition of acid to the dye bath (basic dyestufis), the 
 addition of sulphuric acid, in a very small quantity, to 
 the dye-bath is advantageous, rendering the colors 
 brighter and also faster. 
 
 When bisulphate of soda is employed, it is not nec- 
 essary to also add sulphuric acid to the dye-bath ; if it 
 is added, however, it must only be in a very small quan- 
 tity ; careful rinsing in several warm and cold waters 
 after dyeing is required. 
 
 When alum alone is used without any other addition 
 as mordant, sulphuric acid may be added, but only in 
 the proportion of one tenth or, at the most, up to one 
 fifth of the weight of alum, and careful rinsing in sev- 
 eral warm and cold waters is the more indispensably re- 
 quired the more acid has been employed. 
 
 All solutions of dyestuffs, as well as of chemicals, 
 ought to be carefully filtered, and decoctions of woods, 
 etc., strained before adding them to the bath ; never add 
 dyestuffs, drugs or chemicals in substance to any bath, 
 in order to prevent solid particles from settling upon 
 the feathers. 
 
190 OSTRICH FEATHER DYEING. 
 
 Never add all the dyestuff probably required or pre- 
 scribed by a recipe to the dye-bath at one time, but in 
 several small quantities, each time after taking up the 
 feathers, stir the bath after making the addition, re-en- 
 ter the feathers and watch the progress of the dyeing 
 carefully ; when approaching the desired shade, add the 
 dyestuff very cautiously , by drops if necessary, partic- 
 ularly with mixed colors, such as modes. 
 
 Sample in proper time, and take not a whole feather 
 for it, but pull off two or three fibres from the lower 
 part of a feather, dr}- them quickly by squeezing be- 
 tween dry muslin, match, correct the bath and finish 
 dyeing. 
 
 While drying keep the feathers as much as possible 
 in constant motion, shake and beat them. 
 
 Do not interrupt operations, if it can be avoided, 
 but do the work rapidly and continuousl}', without 
 pausing. 
 
 Keep every utensil scrupulously clean. 
 
 THE END. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 FAGB. 
 
 Preface i 
 
 Growth of the Ostrich Feather Trade, etc 1 
 
 The Bird, Its Plumage and Habits 3 
 
 Sketch of Dyestuffs, etc 5 
 
 logavood 5 
 
 Turmeric 7 
 
 Bichromate of Potash 7 
 
 Archil 8 
 
 SafRxVnixe 10 
 
 Oxalic Acid 11 
 
 IxDiGO Blue 11 
 
 Sulphuric Acid 12 
 
 Copperas 13 
 
 Bismarck Brown 14 
 
 Concentrated Cotton Blue 14 
 
 roceline 15 
 
 Recipes for Dyeing 16 
 
 Hints about the Dye-house 85 
 
 Miscellaneous Information 88 
 
 Washing Kaav Stock 91 
 
 Shading 94 
 
 Paring, Steaming and Curling 95 
 
 Note of the Publisher 99 
 
INDEX TO RECIPES. 
 
 B. TAOB 
 
 BIEGE ei 
 
 IILACK « - M 
 
 BLEACUIXG LIGHT COLOKS WHITE- ™ W 
 
 BLEACHING NATURAL GRAYS OR BLACKS WHITE 8S 
 
 BLl E. AUMY SB 
 
 BLUE. ELECTRIC - - 65 
 
 BLUE, GENU ARM E _ 57 
 
 BLUE, LIGHT SI 
 
 BLUE, MEDIUM «7 
 
 BLUE, NAVY_ SI 
 
 BRONZE- 74 
 
 nUOWN, BISMARCK » 
 
 BROWN, MEDIUM 60 
 
 BROWN. OLIVE 81 
 
 BROWN. SEAL _. » 
 
 C. 
 
 CARDINAI SS 
 
 CHOCOLATE 7* 
 
 COFFEE 79 
 
 CORV 64 
 
 CREAM „ « 
 
 D. 
 
 DRAB, FELT 46 
 
 DRAB. PLAIN 78 
 
 E. 
 
 ECRU B 
 
 O. 
 
 GARNET 40 
 
 GRAY, SILVER _ « 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 GREEN, BOTTLE 43 
 
 GKEEN, MEDIUM 61 
 
 GREEN, PEA 80 
 
 LAVENDER 38 
 
 LEMON 52 
 
 LILAC 56 
 
 M. 
 
 MAGENTA 69 
 
 MAROON 51 
 
 MOSS : 76 
 
 O. 
 
 OLD-GOLD 39 
 
 OLIVE 36 
 
 ORANGE 48 
 
 P. 
 
 PINK, LIGHT 20 
 
 PLUM 35 
 
 PURPLE 60 
 
 S. 
 
 SALMON 71 
 
 SCARLET 50 
 
 SEA-FOAM 70 
 
 SLATE 47 
 
 STEEL ^'i 
 
 STONE 73 
 
 STRAWBERRT, CRUSHED 34 
 
 T. 
 
 TERRACOTTA 42 
 
 TRILUEL 58 
 
 \V. 
 
 WHITE 16 
 
INDEX TO SAMPLES. 
 
 B. PAOB 
 
 BIEGE _S4a 
 
 BLACK 70a 
 
 BLIE, ARMY 46a 
 
 BLUE, ELECTRIC _ 70a 
 
 BLUE, GEXDAKME _ 40a 
 
 BLUE, LIGHT 26* 
 
 BLUE, MEDIUM 34a 
 
 BLUE, NAVY C4a 
 
 BKOXZE_ «Sa 
 
 BKOWX, I5ISMAUCK 76a " 
 
 BKOWX, MEDIUM Sia 
 
 BUOWX, OLIVE 52& 
 
 BROWN, SEAL „. 76a 
 
 C. 
 
 CARDIXAL 8Sh 
 
 CHOCOLATE S4a 
 
 COFFEE _52a 
 
 CORN S4a 
 
 CUEAM _ 26a 
 
 D. 
 
 DKAU, FELT. „... 40a 
 
 DU.VB, PLAIN 58a 
 
 K. 
 
 ECRU 30tt 
 
 G. 
 
 GARNET 40a 
 
 GRAY, SILVER _... SOa 
 
 iii 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 GREEN, BOTTLE 52a 
 
 GREEN, MEDIUM 82a 
 
 GREEN, PEA 64a 
 
 LAVENDER 2Ga 
 
 LEMON 20a 
 
 LILAC 20a 
 
 M. 
 
 MAGENTA 64a 
 
 MAROON. 46a 
 
 MOSS 70a 
 
 O. 
 
 OLD-GOLD 82a 
 
 OLIVE o8a 
 
 ORANGE 76a 
 
 P. 
 
 PINK, LIGHT „ 20a 
 
 PLUM 58a 
 
 PURPLE 46a 
 
 S. 
 
 SALMON 26a 
 
 SCARLET 70a 
 
 SEA-FOAM 30a 
 
 SLATE *0a 
 
 STEEL *^ 
 
 STONE 52a 
 
 STRAWBERRY, CRUSHED 76a 
 
 ' T. 
 
 TERRACOTTA ^^ 
 
 TRILUEL 30a 
 
 xsr. 
 
 WHITE ••• 20a 
 
CONTENTS OF APPENDIX 
 
 r\OK. 
 
 General Remarks 103 
 
 Utensils 107 
 
 PUEI'AUATION OF FEATUEUS 107 
 
 Cleanincj, Bleaching, etc 109 
 
 Drying or Starching Ill 
 
 Bleaculno or Decolorizing Natural Grays.... 112 
 
 Pkroxyd of Hydrogen 114 
 
 J.iGHT Blue 115 
 
 Navy Blue 117 
 
 Gendaumk Blue 119 
 
 Plum ok Prune 119 
 
 Light Yellow 121 
 
 Medium Yellow 121 
 
 Dauk Yellow 122 
 
 Golden Yellow 123 
 
 Old-Gold 124 
 
 Gray- 125 
 
 Pk.\kl Gray 12(5 
 
 SiLVKu (JRAY 12r> 
 
 Bkown 127 
 
 Lkjht Brown 129 
 
CONTENTS OF APPENDIX. U 
 
 7AOB 
 
 KusT Brown 130 
 
 Bed Brown 130 
 
 Coffee Brown 131 
 
 Puce 132 
 
 Fawn 133 
 
 Chestnut Brown 133 
 
 Ha V ANNA 134 
 
 Mushroom 135 
 
 Light Drab 136 
 
 Beige 137 
 
 Modes 138 
 
 Keseda 140 
 
 Ordinary Green 141 
 
 Light Green 142 
 
 Moss Green 143 
 
 Bog Green 143 
 
 Grass Green 144 
 
 Russia Green 144 
 
 EosE 146 
 
 Red 147 
 
 Fast Alizarine Red 147 
 
 Scarlet 148 
 
 Ponceau 150 
 
 Bordeaux 151 
 
 Red Garnet 152 
 
 Brown Garnet 152 
 
Ul CONTENTS OF APPENDIX. 
 
 FAOB 
 
 Ruby 153 
 
 Salmon 153 
 
 Amaranth 154 
 
 Bronzk 155 
 
 Olive 156 
 
 Violet 158 
 
 Heliotrope and Lilac 159 
 
 Cream 100 
 
 "White and Black 101 
 
 White H»4 
 
 Black lOG 
 
 Contrasts, Shadings, etc 173 
 
 Edging or Borders 170 
 
 Gilding and Silvering 178 
 
 Frosting 180 
 
 Renovating Feathers 182 
 
 Dyeing in the Cold "Way ISO 
 
 Recapitulation ok General Rules 187 
 
s 
 
 PECIALTIES 
 
 FOR FEATHER AND SILK DYERS 
 
 PH. H. KARCHER & CO., 
 55 CEDAR ST., NEW YORK, 
 
 Sole Agent for GILLIARD, P. MONNET and CARTIER'S 
 
 FRENCH ANILINE DYES 
 
 IMPOBTERS OP 
 
 DYESTUFFS, EXTRACTS, CHEMICALS, &c. 
 
 -ESTABLISHED 1861- 
 
 HENRY A.GOULD & CO. 
 
 IMPORTERS AND JOBBERS OF 
 
 Indigo, Gutch, Dyewoods. 
 
 GENERAL AGENTS 
 
 Celebrated " Berlin Brand " Kon-Poisonons Aniline Colors, inclnding 
 Substantive Dyes, and many varieties Soloble in Oils, &c. 
 
 MANUFACTURED BY 
 
 Mm (^e^ellgcliaft to Anilin-FaLiiil^ation, 
 
 BERLIN, GERMANY. 
 
 B7 &. 19 Pearl Street, Boston. 78 William Street, New York. 
 71 North Front Street, Philadelphia. 
 
A. KLIPSTEIN, 
 
 52 Cedar Street, NEW YORK. 
 
 ANILINE COLORS, 
 
 And all Dyestuffs and Chemicals used in Feather Dyeing. 
 BRANCH OFFICES: {lis X',^L1.%*t:.^P°h^i*l^3e.ph.a. 
 
 WM. J. MATHESON 4& CO., 
 
 20 Cedar Street, New York. 
 
 BRANCH HniicFc • ) ^*1 '^l'>< St.. Botton. 18 N. Front St.. Philidelphia. 
 bKANCH HOUSES . J 22 S. Water Street. Providence, R. I. 
 
 IMPORTERS OF AND DEALERS IN 
 
 Coal Tar Colors and Dyestuffs 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 Dyewood, Sumac and Indigo Extracts, and Carmines. 
 
American - - 
 Ultramarine 
 and Globe - - 
 
 Aniline 
 
 Works 
 
 HELLER 
 MERZ, 
 
 PROPRIETORS, 
 
 55 Maiden Lane, 
 New York. 
 
 P.O. Box 3508. 
 
 Rose Bengal, Phloxine, 
 Erythrosine, Eosine, 
 
 Fuchsine, Violet, 
 
 of Superior Qaality. 
 
 John M. Sharpless & Co. 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 EXTRACTS-DYEWOODS 
 
 CUT A.Niy BOLTED 
 
 IMPORTERS OF 
 
 Cutch, indigo, Chemicals, &c. 
 
 Office: 20 & 22 N. Front St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
R. HOLLIDAY'S SONS, 
 
 128 MILK ST.. BOSTON. MASS. 45 N. FRONT ST., PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 7 PLATT ST., NEW YORK. 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF ALL 
 
 PATENTED OF ACID MAGENTA. 
 
 WORKS-Brooklyn, N. Y. : Huddersfield and Wakefield. England. 
 
 SCHOELLKOPF, 
 
 HARTFORD & 
 
 MACLACAN, l ,d 
 
 3 Cedar St., Z^'t^^s)^ I03 Milk St., 
 
 NEW YORK. ^^yff\^ BOSTON. 
 
 42 N. Water St., PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 SOLE AGENTS FOR 
 
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 BUFFALO, N. Y. 
 
TEXTILE GOLOI^I^T. 
 
 fi J^onlhly JouFnal 
 
 DEVOTED TO 
 
 PRACTICAL DYEING, BLEACHING, 
 PRINTING AND FINISHING, 
 
 DYES, DYESTUFFS, AND CHEMICALS AS 
 APPLIED TO DYEING, 
 
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 MANUFACTURING. 
 
 ESTABLISHED, JANUARY, 1879. 
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