Gold Reds
:
ON THE PRIMARY, RED.
Many organic substances added to gold solutions throw down either the
metallic gold or the red oxide, which then unites with the organic
compound more or less decomposed and forms a red precipitate. Sugar,
gum, the decoctions of cochineal, gamboge, fustic, turmeric, sumach,
catechu, and Brazil wood, all afford red pulverulent colours. Boiled
with sugar, gold solution gives first a light and then a dark red.
Whatever their merits, the excessive costliness of these preparations
renders them inadmissible as pigments. At one time, indeed, a gold
compound known as purple of Cassius was so employed, but this soon
became obsolete on the introduction of madder purple.