both by skilled artisans and connoisseurs, to be an important decorative
art. French polish or varnish at the present time can easily be obtained
at most chemists or oil shops, or direct from the manufacturers, amongst
whom may be mentioned Mr. W. Urquhart, 327, Edgware-road, W.; Messrs.
Turner & Sons, 7 to 9, Broad-street, Bloomsbury, W.C.; Messrs. William
Fox & Son, Bethnal Green-road, E.; Mr. G. Purdom, 49, Commercial-road,
E.

The London prices are: Best French polish, 5s. 6d. per gallon; best
white polish, 9s. per gallon; brown or white hard varnish, 8s. per
gallon; patent glaze, 10s. per gallon; methylated spirits, 3s. 3d. per
gallon. For those who prefer to make their own, the following will be
found an excellent recipe:--

12 ounces of orange shellac.
1 ounce of benzoin.
1 ounce of sandarach.
1/2 gallon of methylated spirits.

Pound the gums well before mixing with the spirit, as this will hasten
their dissolution. White polish for white wood and marqueterie work
should be made with bleached shellac instead of the above. In making
polishes or varnishes, the mixture will frequently require shaking until
dissolved.


=Rubbers.=--In commencing to polish, the materials required are old
flannel for the rubbers and clean old linen or cotton rags for the
coverings, the softer the better; some polishers, however, prefer white
wadding for rubbers instead of flannel. Rubbers for large surfaces are