Thicker inks, in paste form, are used extensively in letterpress and lithographic printing ink can be a complex medium, composed of solvents, pigments, dyes, resins, lubricants, solubilizers, surfactants. The black ink that was used in medieval europe is called irongall ink. I had been thinking for a couple of years that i would like to try to make ink the early modern way. See more ideas about ink, iron and medieval manuscript. Iron gall ink is one of the most frequently found inks in manuscripts from the middle ages to the 19th century. Archival qualities of iron gall inks inky thoughts the. New insights into irongall inks through the use of historically. Our work follows previous investigations of the origins of printing with advanced analytical techniques. To make good ink for writing, particularly for books.
Mar 10, 2015 by sakura tohma recently we tried making iron gall inks iron gall ink is produced by the reaction of tannic acid extracted from galls, a type of growth on trees especially oak, with ferrous sulphate feso4. The black ink that was used in medieval europe is called iron gall ink. Iron ions are watersoluable and will migrate into a dampened test paper in contact with the ink. Its the darkest black color ive ever seen it looks like black soot on paper. Iron gall ink was in popular use from about the 12th century up until new technologies made it obsolete in the 19th century. Ive been a fountain pen user since 1986 and recently acquired a dip pen a couple of weeks ago.
It beats all my fountain pen inks in terms of quality. There are also instructions for etching in metal and coloring quill. Developing guidelines for irongall ink treatment at the. This advanced professional development apd workshop will incorporate 20 years of international research in the chemistry, degradation and treatment of metallogallic inks and use this research as the basis for. This ink has been the most common type in the western world from the 9th century until the 20th. The book and paper group wiki is a publication of the book and paper specialty group of the american institute for conservation. Ig is a permanent ink made from combining iron salts with tannic acid often extracted from oak galls.
In 2005, when the irongall ink corrosion group had completed its work, a second group was formed to develop a uni. The protocols for irongall ink treatment pit group developed a set of written guidelines for the examination, documentation and treatment of. Varga, lauren, jennifer herrmann, and kathleen ludwig. So there must be, and are, several factors coming together to cause the problem, it isnt just the ink. However, iron gall ink is corrosive and damages paper over time waters 1940.
In brother hugo and the bear, medievalist katy beebe walks young readers through the painstaking process of book making in the middle. When the larva is a fully developed wasp, it bores a hole in the gallnut and flies away. To assess this working hypothesis, we have prepared medieval inks using ingredients and methods appropriate to the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries. The iron sulphate used was either roman vitriol which had a grassgreen colour or german vitriol which was imported from venice and was yellowish green, writes wheeler. Instructables, repair on iron gall ink with remoistenable tissue. This ink has been the most common type in the western world from the 9 th century until the 20 th century, but a lot of historical manuscripts written with this ink suffered terrible damage. The five historical inks studied were selected based upon research into iberian written sources of. May 08, 2014 irongall ink was used for about 1400 years and only lost favor in the mid 1800s when india ink replaced it because it was cheaper and easier to make and produced a more consistent, longer lasting black. Iron gall ink is essentially created by the chemical reaction between tannic acid and ironii sulfate in an. Iron gall ink was made from, well, oak galls galls being, according to uni of kentucky entomologists, irregular plant growths which are stimulated by the reaction between plant hormones and powerful growth regulating chemicals produced by some insects. New insights into irongall inks through the use of. Franklins ink from june 17, 1731, joseph breitnalls ink and ink of. Once these areas develop cracks, they become highly sensitive to further mechanical damage. I used a 1770 recipe that calls for two ounces of crushed oak galls.
Instructions for using the tissue prepared above to mend iron gall ink. Ultimately, this leads to loss of valuable fragments. It helps the ink flow onto the paper in a controlled fashion and binds the ink with the paper. With iron ii sulfate, these tannic acids produce a black pigment, called ferrogallotannate or ferrotannate, upon exposure to oxygen. Making iron gall ink september 27, 2018 by sara charles 1 comment many thanks to sara charles, an editor at the institute of historical research and researcher of medieval manuscripts, for this guest post, which is based on a twitter thread originally published here. Making iron gall ink recent work from students in the book. Also, check out the open ink wiki, a wiki for ink makers. How to make iron gall ink inky recipes the fountain. The primary active components in tannin are gallotannic and gallic acid. Items containing this ink can become brittle and the writing fades to brown. Iron gall ink is essentially created by the chemical reaction between tannic acid and iron ii sulfate in an aqueous solution.
Also, if an iron gall ink is continued to be used after it has dropped sediment, this will also be a compromised ink and affect longevitystability. Jul 29, 2012 ive also made the jane austen iron gall ink recipe, and within a year it started to show signs of browning and her manuscripts are all brown, too. Oak galls are large, round growths commonly found on many species of oak trees. I loosely followed the recipe from patricia lovetts book tools and materials for calligraphy but there are plenty of other recipes the iron gall. Konrad constantly improves his inks and systematically introduces minor changes to their recipe, but the basics of it has not changed significantly. Printing materials and technologies in the 15th17th.
It was made in batches by hand until the 18th century, when it was produced on a commercial scale. These galls are produced when the gall wasp lays an egg on a branch, budding leaf, or budding acorn. The quill pen, my favorite tool for ink drawing, was the standard tool for writing and drawing in europe until the 19th century. How to make iron gall ink inky recipes the fountain pen. Secreta, or books of secrets, have been a mainstay of scholarship and research for a very long time. Jane austen iron gall ink recipe also uses beer instead of distilled water i recommend reading david carvalhos 40 centuries of ink, and the iron gall ink website formerly called the ink corrosion website. Iron gall ink is a purpleblack ink, that turns a rustybrown colour over time notice how the ink in the image below looks brown. Jun 04, 2018 during the period of the american revolution, a formula for making iron gall ink appeared in the letter book of william allason, falmouth, virginia, dated 17701787. When first applied the ink is a light brown or sepia color, but as it dries it turns purplishblack. Iron gall ink contains three ingredients, plus water. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, or quill.
A booke of secrets is a 1596 translation of a dutch book which itself may have been translated from a 1531 german text that contains a collection of ink recipes, including iron gall ink recipes formulated for paper and parchment and recipes for making different colored inks. But theres something to be said for the artistic variety and richness of the shades of irongall ink and how it has oxidized with time. With the wasp gone, the gallnut is harvested for making ink. This website is an effort to continue this dialogue, by sharing information about iron gall ink and promoting an appreciation for its unique place. Making iron gall ink sca college of arms on the web.
Jul 30, 20 jane austen iron gall ink recipe also uses beer instead of distilled water i recommend reading david carvalhos 40 centuries of ink, and the iron gall ink website formerly called the ink corrosion website. Iron gall ink also known as common ink, standard ink, oak gall ink or iron gall nut ink is a purpleblack or brownblack ink made from iron salts and tannic acids from vegetable sources. More often, we found handmade annotations like the one in fig. Mar 05, 2017 iron gall ig ink has been around in some form or fashion for about 2,000 years, and it has been widely used since about the fifth century. May 11, 2014 last week the graduate book students learned how to make iron gall ink, a common writing ink from the middle ages through the 20th century. It was used across europe until at least the nineteenth century and vast numbers of medieval and renaissance manuscripts were written with it. Goose quills, particularly large at least 10inch feathers taken from the edge of the wing, provide the ideal combin. I had run across several recipes for ink over the years in my research of seventeenthcentury receipt books and i had read amanda herberts blog in which she discusses making ink in an undergraduate class. A few weeks ago we had a pilot ink making tutorial here at the museum. This is used to help prevent mold from forming in the ink. Page 1 of 3 archival qualities of iron gall inks posted in inky thoughts. Sep 27, 2018 making iron gall ink september 27, 2018 by sara charles 1 comment many thanks to sara charles, an editor at the institute of historical research and researcher of medieval manuscripts, for this guest post, which is based on a twitter thread originally published here. In general, a positive reaction of the iron test is a distinct identification of the presence of iron gall ink.
Recently we tried making iron gall inks iron gall ink is produced by the reaction of tannic acid extracted from galls, a type of growth on trees especially oak, with ferrous sulphate feso 4 this ink has been the most common type in the western world from the 9 th century until the 20 th century, but a lot of historical manuscripts written with this ink. This ink has been the most common type in the western world from the 9 th century until the 20 th century, but a lot of historical manuscripts. Writing ink is a liquid containing a coloring matter mainly black when not specified otherwise used for writing on paper, parchment, and similar substances. Around the larva a round spherethe gallnutbegins to form. It was the standard ink formulation used in europe for the fourteenhundredyear period between the 5th and 19th centuries, remained in widespread use well into the 20th century, and is still sold today. There are hundreds of recipes for making iron gall ink, but they have a few things in common. Dec 03, 2009 the renaissance secret recipe was not so secret as the formula for making iron gall ink was more or less common knowledge from the 12th century. However, it has to be realized that other inks and colorants, e. With ironii sulfate, these tannic acids produce a black pigment, called ferrogallotannate or ferrotannate, upon exposure to oxygen. Recently we tried making iron gall inks iron gall ink is produced by the reaction of tannic acid extracted from galls, a type of growth on trees especially oak, with ferrous sulphate feso 4. Also, check out the openink wiki, a wiki for ink makers.
Oak galls form when the gall wasp lays eggs by infesting the leaf or twig of an oak tree. Irongall inks have been described as complexes of iron ions with. When making iron gall ink, gall nuts are used as a source of tannin. It was the standard writing and drawing ink in europe, from about the 5th century to the 19th century, and remained in use well into the 20th century. I have tried using the search function but i wasnt able to find an answer to this question, so bear with me if its been repeated before. It was easily made at home and it was permanent, which explains its popularity. Interest in making historic inks has increased in the last several years, due in large part to the efforts of a few ink enthusiasts who have shared their vast knowledge and experience on the subject.
The chemicals produced by laying the egg cause the tree to form a growth around the egg. I discovered my favorite part of the ledger when i turned to one of the pages at the very back of the book. Iron gall inks became prominent in the early 12th century. By abigail bainbridge last week the graduate book students learned how to make iron gall ink, a common writing ink from the middle ages through the 20th century. Iron gall ink is a purpleblack or brownblack ink made from iron salts and tannic acids from vegetable sources. To make irongall ink, the gallnut from the gall wasp is used. Iron gall ink also known as iron gall nut ink, oak gall ink, and common ink is a purpleblack or brownblack ink made from iron salts and tannic acids from vegetable sources.
The protocols for irongall ink treatment group, or pit group, had a twoyear mandate to develop a consistent approach for treatment of irongall inkinscribed materials in the librarys collections. Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Below, youll find recipes for several different colors of ink, but the process of making each one is basically the same. We think there is mention of it from ancient greece, but that is argued. Iron gall ink is produced by the reaction of tannic acid extracted from galls, a type of growth on trees especially oak, with ferrous sulphate feso 4. Here are some images and explanations of the process, which resulted in useable ink.
There are hundreds of recipes for making irongall ink, but they have a few things in common. Printing materials and technologies in the 15th17th century. Jan 29, 2014 iron gall ink is a purpleblack ink, that turns a rustybrown colour over time notice how the ink in the image below looks brown. Using a dip pen, paint brush, or quill pen and some paper perhaps in your handsewn book. Its only made from a few relatively inexpensive ingredients but if made in the wrong proportions it can cause a lot of damage to paper or parchment substrates. The recipe kwz pronounced ka veh zeh ink uses to produce iron gall was developed in the first half of 20. Here, franklin had recorded the results of six iron gall ink recipes, including benj. Developing guidelines for irongall ink treatment at the library of congress s y lv i a a l b r o, j u l i e l. Recently we tried making iron gall inks iron gall ink is produced by the reaction of tannic acid extracted from galls, a type of growth on trees especially oak, with ferrous sulphate feso 4 this ink has been the most common type in the western world from the 9 th century until the 20 th century, but a lot of historical manuscripts written with this ink suffered. The bpg wiki is a forum for members and conservation practitioners to learn about topics in book and paper conservation and share their expertise and emerging trends in the field with colleagues. The entire corpus was printed using black carbonbased inks in section 2. Iron gall ink project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
Iron gall inks earliest recipe on record is about 300 ad. Iron gall ink is essentially created by the chemical reaction between tannic acid and ironii sulfate in an aqueous solution. Iron gall ink from the middle ages to the 19th century, iron gall ink was one of the most frequently made and used inks in europe so much so that it was often referred to as common ink. With a color ranging from blueblack when freshly made to a rusty brown when degraded, it is omnipresent in libraries and archives, and was often referred to as common ink. It was the standard ink formulation used in europe for the fourteenhundredyear period between the 5th and 19th centuries, remained in widespread use well. Arirang prime ep230c04 top quality ink sticks require a. Ferrous sulphate, historically known as vitriol or copperas, is produced by passing iron through a bath of sulfuric acid. As defined by david diringer in the book before printing.
Irongall inks have been described as complexes of iron ions with gallic or tannic acids, available in gall extracts. Once applied to paper, the iron in the ink begins to oxidize, making the ink darker and impossible to. Historic manuscripts and drawings made with iron gall ink on paper often contain weak areas caused by local corrosive action of the ink. Irongall ink was used for about 1400 years and only lost favor in the mid 1800s when india ink replaced it because it was cheaper and easier to make and produced a more consistent, longer lasting black. It was used across europe until at least the nineteenth century and vast numbers of medieval and. Last week the graduate book students learned how to make iron gall ink, a common writing ink from the middle ages through the 20th century. The canadian conservation institute is pleased to host the iron gall ink. At the iron gall ink workshop, participants will discuss the properties of iron gall ink, techniques for assessment and analysis, and options for conservation treatment. It was shown that no gall and logwood ink was equal to the pure gall ink in so far as durability in the writings was concerned.
It was the standard ink formulation used in europe for the fourteenhundred year period between the 5th and 19th centuries, remained in widespread use well. I dont do calligraphy and is my first and only iron gall ink. During the period of the american revolution, a formula for making iron gall ink appeared in the letter book of william allason, falmouth, virginia, dated 17701787. There are many reenactment and recreation groups that would love to purchase your ink from you. It was the standard ink formulation used in europe for the fourteenhundred year period between the 5th and 19th centuries, remained in widespread use well into the 20th.
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