Paints and Varnishes.

Manufacturer and builder 9, 1877

We often receive inquiries in regard to paints and varnishes, where to procure good qualities, and how to use them. We will here devote a few lines in answering such questions.

One of the prominent firms in New York city where such articles can be obtained of good quality, is that of C. T. Reynolds dr Co., 106 and 108 Fulton street, who always have articles of this kind ready on hand. The dry colors, except blue, may be had in 6-pound tin cases, and for the wholesale trade they are packed in cases of 12 cans each, or 12 pounds. Then these same colors can be had ground in oil, and also packed in cans, which may be opened without using a knife.

The catalogue of this firm, which is before us, surprises us by its extent; thus, among the dry colors, we notice 12 different kinds of blues, 10 of red, 7 of green, 7 of brown, 30 of black, etc. Then these colors may all be had thoroughly ground in oil, packed in tin cans of various sizes, and these in boxes, so as to furnish them in quantity to the trade. Here let us add a piece of advice: The grinding of dry colors in oil costs great deal of labor; as the color while dry can never be so finely pulverized that a mere mixing with oil will be sufficient, the thorough grinding in oil makes it a homogeneous mixture without grit, and covering better in proportion as it has been more thoroughly ground; so for the sake of economy, our advice is to buy the colors ground in oil, as this is done by the above firm on a large scale by the aid of machinery, with which hand-labor cannot compete. It may be claimed that when you buy the color dry you are sure of what you have; this we reply that all you have to do is to buy from a reliable firm, and they will not sell anything that is not what it is represented to be. This is the reason why persons who understand their business always prefer to deal with large, reliable firms.

Messrs. Reynolds do Co. mark as "genuine" all colors, whether dry or in oil, which they guarantee as absolutely pure and equal to the best goods in the market, whether imported or domestic. The genuine oil colors are equal in fineness of grinding and material to the best English tube paint, used by artists, and sui-able for the best class of ornamental or decorative painting. The next quality is called "Kings County;" it is lower in price, and claimed to be equal to much that is sold for pure. The next in quality is called "Montauk," and intended for such wants in the trade where cheapness is required. All the brands, however, are equal in fineness of grinding, and differ only in the quality of material used.