14 replies to this topic

[maxman]

Has anyone ever heard of prunella powder?

Many years ago my interest in pyro was "sparked" by a book of my fathers called home games and amusements. After browsing eBay this morning I find that this old book is for sale and it brought back many memories for me.

I remember there is a section under useful things to make, making fireworks!
Some of the formulas and ingredients to me as a child were quite intriguing. I had no idea what meal powder was, I thought it was bone meal since other chemicals I used to get at the garden centre.

There is a formula for as it is put in the book Blue candle: 12 parts prunella powder, 4 parts pure sulphur, 3 parts regulus of antimony. I have never heard this mentioned since.

Anyone any ideas please?

[Mortartube]

I can only assume it's this, available as a powder about a quarter down the page.

http://www.viable-he.../herbs/s718.htm

Edited by Mortartube, 28 November 2006 - 11:00 AM.

[maxman]

I cant see that somehow mortartube. But I'm open to ideas. I guess its some old fashioned word for something. To make blue out of prunella powder , pure sulphur and regulus of antimony. By the way I'm unsure what regulus of antimony is either as apposed to another formula for white fire listed in the book which is 8oz nitre 4oz pure sulphur 2oz black sulphide of antimony. I guess that will be antimony trisulphide but what is regulus?

Just as a matter of interest now I've dug my dads old copy out, there are other strange chemicals made reference to in other parts of the book under scientific tricks. I wont bore everyone with the details but here are a few.

Ice making recipe uses nitre (potassium nitrate) muriate of ammonia it says commonly termed sal-ammoniac?????

turning water into wine trick using a teaspoon of liquor potassae? three drops of phenol phthalein?? and tartaric acid bizarre!!

[paul]

I don´t think that the prunella powder from the link given is the stuff the old book mentions.

There would be no oxidizing agent in there. So it has to be a other word for an oxidizing agent...

[Creepin_pyro]

Ice making recipe uses nitre (potassium nitrate) muriate of ammonia it says commonly termed sal-ammoniac?????

I'm pretty sure sal-ammoniac is Ammonium Chloride - used in some old white smoke mixtures.

[maxman]

Yeah I googled that one and found it. No mention of prunella powder though other than the herb and I'm sure its not that. Not that I want it you understand it's just out of curiosity. I haven't looked at that book in 25 years. Just reading a small section on making catherine wheels too. It just shows how times have changed. If the book is from the 1930's as it seems I guess it's contents would still be under the 1875 act, yet this is a Daily Express publication! Yet it is in a section of usefull things to make! The only disclaimer reads: In making any kind of firework very great care should be that no abrasive substance is allowed to come into contact with the chemicals and naturally, nothing that might produce a spark should be used. Where possible, avoid using a pestle and mortar.

[Mortartube]

This could be it. This is an extract

Mineral Crystal

Sal prunella = potassium nitrate with a small admixture of potassium sulfate (HNO3; K2SO4).

from this site

http://dbhs.wvusd.k1...hem-Terms2.html


also an interesting read here

http://www.cabi-publ...667Chapter1.pdf

Edited by Mortartube, 28 November 2006 - 05:59 PM.

[maxman]

Interesting. Not sure what would make the blue colour though.

[Mortartube]

It's probably like old fashioned Bengal fire. A very light bluish tint and not what might be considered a blue today.

[maxman]

Thanks for looking that up mortartube. It seems you're probably onto it there. Sal prunella seems to be another name for potassium nitrate although I've never heard it called that before. So I assume that prunella powder is the same. I just didn't think it would be as other references to potassium nitrate in the book refer to it as nitre which I knew. Maybe the comp if from another source and it was copied or maybe its a nitre mix or maybe something completely different.

Maybe I can sleep tonight. I thought I'd never find out

[BrightStar]

Interesting. Not sure what would make the blue colour though.

Spotted this in Weingart and was also interested in the blue colour:

[Asteroid]

Ice making recipe uses nitre (potassium nitrate) muriate of ammonia it says commonly termed sal-ammoniac?????

turning water into wine trick using a teaspoon of liquor potassae? three drops of phenol phthalein?? and tartaric acid bizarre!!

I can't remeber where but i've seen the ice one before, I have seen a similar thing done with ammonium nitrate and water.
Muriate means chloride (Muriatic acid = HCl)
and phenol phthalein is a highly sensitive indicator. It is also a very powerful laxative (although it is no longer used due to concern of it being a carcinogen) and in forensics for detection of blood.

[Frozentech]

Antimony Regulus or Regulus of Antimony is metallic antimony.

[EnigmaticBiker]

Many years ago my interest in pyro was "sparked" by a book of my fathers called home games and amusements. After browsing eBay this morning I find that this old book is for sale and it brought back many memories for me.

Liquor potassae - most likely K2CO3 and or KOH (the soluble parts of pot-ash).

Sounds like a fascinating old book, did you buy it?
Was it this one:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...1QQcmdZViewItem

I find the old terms for chemicals and especially alchemical symbols have a certain magical quality, IUPAC chemical naming system just doesn't have the same feel.

[maxman]

Yep thats the book, My father has a copy already