Page:Japanese Wood Engravings.djvu/87

Rh Size Solution prepared from gelatine extracted from oxhide by boiling, and mixed with a proportion (1 to 3) of powdered alum.

Mother of Pearl Powder, Dutch Metal, and Copper, Silver, and Gold Leaf are occasionally met with. The copper and Dutch metal are most commonly found in broadsides of the Osaka school; the silver and gold leaf on the New Year cards of the present century.

were as simple and inexpensive as those of the engraver, but the clever fingers and careful habits almost characteristic of the race enabled the men to secure results that could hardly be excelled. All that was required were boards for pressing the wet paper, a printing table, two sets of brushes for charging the cut planks with the printing colours and for wetting the paper, a rubber or baren, knife and chisels to correct the register marks if necessary, an agitator for mixing the colours in a cup, and pads of cloth to be placed under the four corners of the block while printing. The Baren, or rubber, is a little shield which replaces the European press, and is used to rub the sheet laid upon the inked block so as to take the impressions. It is made of twisted paper rolled spirally into the form of a circular mat having several layers of paper pasted on its under side to make it smooth and durable, and over these is strained a piece of the dried sheath of a bamboo sprout. The face of the baren is occasionally rubbed with oil of Sesamum orientale in order to make it glide smoothly; but if, as rarely happens, too much is used, a greasy mark is left on the reverse side of the paper. No press is required, but the block is laid on a board, the further end of which is slightly elevated, with its corners resting on four small damp cotton cloth cushions to prevent it from slipping. These are placed on the floor mats on which the printer sits.