95 - [Two] Turquoise Enamels
[Greenish]
Take 6 lbs of enamel base material. Put it into a crucible glazed with white glass, and leave it to melt and to clarify. When it is well fused and clarified, throw it into water again, return it to the crucible, and Ieave it to melt and clarify. Now give it 3 oz of thrice cooked copper, made in the furnace, as described in its place [chapter 28], and 4 pwt of prepared zaffer. Mix these two powders well.
You should add the material in four doses, stirring [the melt] thoroughly each time, and leaving the glass to incorporate the powder. The way to check that the colour pleases you is by proofing it, and watching to see if it is sufficiently loaded. Stop adding powder and proceed to make a goldsmith's proof [on metal]; always examine the colours to get to know them by eye, as I have always done, because in this matter, I cannot give specific doses. Sometimes the powder will tint more, other times less, therefore you must practice with your eyes to understand the colours.
The way to learn about a color, when you need to make extra, is to add more enamel base material, which will quickly clarify and reduce the color. Then after reducing the color, add more powder, which tints. Thus, you will reduce and increase it such that it returns to the same color. At this point, take the turquoise [enamel] from the furnace, and out of the crucible. As is usual for enamels, make dollops of about 65 oz each.
This will produce very beautiful and sightly enamel for goldsmiths.
[Bluish]
Into a crucible glazed with white glass, in a glassmaking furnace, put 6 lbs of enamel base material. To this, add a thorough mixture of 3 oz of prepared zaffer, blended with 2 pwt of prepared Piedmont manganese. Mix and unify these two powders thoroughly with the above [base] material. Once mixed, throw them into the crucible, where it will soon clarify. Clean this material by pouring it into water, and then reheat it; watch to see if the color appeals to you, and if the tint is sufficient.
Now you can either intensify, or lighten the material by concentrating, or diluting the colors. When the color is too strong, add to the fused [base] material. Too much of this material will make enamels without enough color. So reduce the excess coloration in small
amounts, little by little, until it reaches the desired tint.
When the color is too weak, give it more of the powder, coaxing [the color] little by little to fruition. Always make sure to test it from time to time. This is the way to add all the colors, because this way you will never fail. In Pisa, I made them without [measuring] weights, but by rough estimate.
I have colored every type of glass for every job, enough to elucidate this method; I leave the rest to the curious observer, the ingenious worker, and the artist. Leave this material alone in the crucible until it is well cooked, and the color is thoroughly incorporated. Then take it out of the furnace as usual. This azure blue enamel will be one of the goldsmiths' most beautiful.