Reducing a round form into a hollow one

You must firstly mold it with plaster as has been said before, and in the plaster throw in some wax from which will come a relief that you will repair very neatly, and will shape at your pleasure. Then you will moldthis wax relief once more in plaster, or even better with your tempered sand, #, as if for a noyau. And in the latter throw in some lead and from this you will have a very neat relief, and if it is not, repair it on cement or a similar material, and beware that it should always release well. And this one will always serve you as a model for making as many hollow molds as you would like. In this way, place half of your lead figure which you have oiled, and moisten it with spirits as we have seen above, on your clay base, then mold this half with a white plaster. Having taken hold, and having smoothed and flattened the plaster, take your black wax mixed with sulphur as we have seen before, because it leaves nothing in the mold and melts quicker. Dip it in hot urine, and once it is softened enough, make an imprint with it on your half figure in lead. And you will have a very neat hollow mold. Then adapt your wax hollow mold into a square shape, as it pleases you, as long as you have sufficient thickness, and make sure it is well even on all sides, and then mold this hollow wax; and having it imprinted on one side, and having it flat and even on the other, in the same way that you would mold a flat medal in wax or metal in a noyau. And the noyau mold will give you, whether in silver or any other metal you wish, a figure similar to the wax one, which is to say, flat and even on one side, and hollow on the other. And having cleaned this hollow, and having put it in the bleach, if it is made of silver, you can put into it some sugar work

at left top margin of folio 169v

Having made a hole in your clay base and having placed there your half figure in wax, oil it a bit so that it comes out more easily.

at left middle margin of folio 169v

Transparent wax is not good as opposed to one that has body, for making good imprints.

Figure at left bottom margin of folio 169v

at left bottom margin of folio 169v

Because you have molded one of your halves with plaster and wax, you can do the same thing to the other half.

perfume and similar things. But be sure that the black wax with which you cast is hard, so it will come off rapidly when dry so you can see if it has been stamped correctly. It can be made harder by adding more melted sulphur in the melted wax, and a bit of resin.