A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v1.c18.s3.9

v1.c18.s3.9

The process of colouring, so recently as 20 years ago, was universally carried out by the goldsmiths themselves, and in the villages and smaller towns the state of affairs is still the same. But in the metropolis and at the bigger stations of the province, the advantages of the principle of division of labour have lately begun to be felt in every branch of art and manufacture, and the result, so far as this particular subject is concerned, has been the springing up of a class of people whose sole business is to colour ornaments and other articles of gold. These men are known among our goldsmiths as the rungwalas. They do not charge any remuneration for their labour, but retain the fluid in which, during the process of colouring, a quantity of gold is dissolved.