Saturday, July 25, 2009

Wool Export Colours in 1747

Only coloured Cloths are fent to the Levant; but they are different, according as they are defined for Perfia or Smyrna.

The Colours for Smyrna are, Scarlet, or red Crimfon, Violet, Purple, Green, Prince Colour, and Cinamon. Thofe for Perfia are, Ifa belle, Feuille morte, Yellow, Citron, Orange, Flefh Colour, Celadon, clear Purple, Rofe Colour, Carnation, Amarante, grey Pearl, Blue, Lead Grey, and Scarlet.

Memoirs of Wool, &c., 1747

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Color of the Day - Coralline

Coralline – (Peonine). A deep red coloring matter … In tone it is perfectly distinct from magenta, being a red, as its name intimates, resembling that of the peony and of coral. … An outcry is at present raised against its use, on the ground of alleged poisonous properties, which are probably much overstated.
Manual of Colour and Dye Wares, 1870

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

In the reign of Elizabeth I

A runaway page was thus defcribed in the reign of Elizabeth

These are to pray you, &c. to make hew and cry for a yonge stripling aged twenty-two years, with one doblet of yellow million fuftion, the one half buttoned with peche coloured buttons, the other half laced downwards. One payer of peche coloured hofe, laced with fmall tawney lace. A graye hat, with a copper edge round it; a pair of watched ftockings. He hath two clokes, the one of veffey collor, garded with two yards of black cloth and twifted lace of carnacyon collor, and lined with crimfone bayes; the other is a red fhipp ruffet colour, ftriped about the cape; and gown the fore face twifted with two rows of twifted lace; ruffet and gold buttons afore and upon the fholdier, being of the clothe itfelf, fet with the faid twifted lace, and the buttons of ruffet filk and gold.”

Antiqu. Repertory, Vol. II.
The British Critic, October 1797

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Friday, July 10, 2009

Color of the Day - Popinjay

Popinjay, 1735 – To dye a Popinjay-Green. Make a weak lixivium of pot-afhes, fuch as the country people wafh their clothes with, put into it Indigo a fufficient quantity; then put in your things to be dyed (being firft dyed yellow), let it boil, the longer the better, fo will the colour be good.
Dictionarium Polygraphicum, 1735

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Color of the Day - Scarlet

Scarlet, 1607 – Scarlet cloth was supposed to be endued with medicinal virtues, of which an instance is given by Dr. Gaddesden, who is said to have cured a patient of the small-pox by wrapping him in a scarlet cloth. “And these applied with a right scarlet cloth.” B. Jonson’s Volpone.
Glossary and Etymological Dictionary, 1834

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Should You Consider Submitting to a Micro-Publisher?

I wrote a short article for Vision, an e-resource for writers, offering a bit of advice on finding and working with a micro-publisher. I happened to be lucky in my choice - my publisher works harder at promotion than I do. But there are many things to think about when you try to choose a micro-publisher.

You can read my article here:

http://lazette.net/vision/Vision52/micro.htm