sealed glass bottle of alazarine indigo g paste
Date: circa 1900
Inventory Number: 4563
Classification: Chemical
Subject:
Maker: Friedrich Bayer & Company (founded 1863)
User: Chemistry Laboratory, Harvard College (founded 1850)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
City of Use:
Dimensions:
11 x 4 x 4 x 4 cm (4 5/16 x 1 9/16 x 1 9/16 x 1 9/16 in.)
Material:
Description:
Class B chemical. Glass bottle containing the dessicated remains of Alazarine Indigo G Paste, an artifical mordant dyestuff used for cotton, wool, and silk. This bottle is cylindrical, with a neck and wax stopper sealed in paper.
Signedprinted in blue on white label: FARBENFABRIKEN / VORM. FR. BAYER & CO. / ELBERFORD. / Alizarin Indigo G Paste
Inscribedstamped in black across the label: Manufactured in Germany
printed in white on red label near base of bottle: 0973
printed in black on beige label on back of bottle: Vor dem Gebrauch umzuschütten. / Shake the bottle before using. / Bien rumuer avant l'emploi.
printed in white on red label near base of bottle: 0973
printed in black on beige label on back of bottle: Vor dem Gebrauch umzuschütten. / Shake the bottle before using. / Bien rumuer avant l'emploi.
FunctionFor the dying of textiles.
Webster's 1913 Unabridged: "Alizarin n. (Chem.) A coloring principle, C14H6O2(OH)2, found in madder, and now produced artificially from anthracene." Alizarin was the first natural dyestuff (originally from madder root) prepared artifically from the coal-tar product anthracene (1868). Friedrich Bayer & Co. was founded by Friedrich Bayer in 1863. In 1881 the company became public and had its name registered as "Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co." An in-depth reference on dyes and dyeing, entitled "Dyeing" can be found in the CHSI's 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Vol. 8, pp. 743-754.
Webster's 1913 Unabridged: "Alizarin n. (Chem.) A coloring principle, C14H6O2(OH)2, found in madder, and now produced artificially from anthracene." Alizarin was the first natural dyestuff (originally from madder root) prepared artifically from the coal-tar product anthracene (1868). Friedrich Bayer & Co. was founded by Friedrich Bayer in 1863. In 1881 the company became public and had its name registered as "Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co." An in-depth reference on dyes and dyeing, entitled "Dyeing" can be found in the CHSI's 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Vol. 8, pp. 743-754.
Curatorial RemarksThe bottle bears the label used by the Chemical Laboratory of Harvard University.