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Attempts to Follow Hugh Plat's 1594 Recipe for Acid-Etching Eggs |
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How to acid etch eggs from "The Jewel-house of Art & Nature" by Hugh Plat 1594:
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-The higher the acidity of the vinegar the faster the etching. -Use Red Wine of Cider Vinegar to get the reddish colour Hugh speaks of. -Use farm eggs that haven't been washed (typically farmers are required to wash their eggs in a weak bleach if they are going to sell them for food). The residual bleach on the egg has two effects on the process it causes the vinegar to act as if it's a weaker strength - so it takes longer. It also seem to affect the deposition of the red colour slightly. Farm eggs have thicker shells so produce deeper etchings.
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Suet Type | Approximate Heat | Result | ||
Beef Suet | Suet Heated until molten | Whole egg turns red | ||
Beef Suet | Suet Warmed in the sun ~ the consistency of butter. | Blotches of red but no 'graven images' | ||
Beef Suet | Suet Warmed, Put on egg then placed in the fridge (4C) | Blotches of red but no 'graven images' | ||
Beef Suet | Suet Warmed, Put on egg then placed out in the winter (-5C) | Blotches of red but no 'graven images' | ||
Lamb Suet | Suet Heated until molten | Whole egg turns red | ||
Lamb Suet | Suet Warmed, Put on egg then placed out in the winter (-5C) | Blotches of red but no 'graven images' | ||
Lamb Suet from beneath the tail, High wax content | Suet Warmed, Put on egg then placed in fridge (4C) | Better then the others but not images, Still blotchy. (Egg destroyed in transit) | ||
Beeswax
Red Wine Vinegar |
Heated until molten, Put on egg allowed to cool. |
Does not melt off in warm water |
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70
Beeswax/ 30 Suet Mix Red Wine Vinegar |
Heated until molten, Put on egg allowed to cool. |
Does not melt off in warm water |
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