Handwritten copy of most of John Rauch's "Receipts on Dyeing, A Series of Letters to a Friend Containing Correct and Exact Copies of all his Best Receipts on Dyeing Cotton & Wollen Goods, Obtained and Improved by Him during Twelve Years of Practice at Different Manufactories in Switzerland, France, Germany & America: Also a True Description of his Invented Substitute for Woad, Being a Cheap and Preferable Material, and Produce of this Country..." Rauch's treatise was originally published in New Haven, Ct. and New York City in 1815. This copy contains 64 of the letters detailing the production of commercial dyes for a number of colors used in the production of wool and cotton fabrics as well as yarn. One of the recipes requires 16 days to complete. The recipes pertaining to woad are excluded from this version, which was copied by William Pierpont II of Burlington who signed one page with the date March 25, 1817. The letter that was supposed to describe the secret substitute for woad never appeared in the published version of Rauch's work. Instead, it was sent to those interested on request and upon the collection of a large sum of money. It is apparent that Pierpont was interested as the manuscript contains a copy of the letter with the secret revealed.
