pics: unio sulfur et sal de vinum

[solomon levi]

In this first image, the sulfur was added to the salt (fixed alkali), potassium carbonate. The white salt turned green.
I find it interesting that the matter took on the appearance of Ripley's "toad that gorged itself on grapes".


In the next image, more drops of sulfur are added and a reaction with color changes ensues.


The color change continues to a beautiful magenta.


This is repeated, stirred into the toad, until it swallows no more grapes (a reaction no longer ensues), which this is the sign:


Then I proceeded to evaporate down to a syrup the consistency of honey...


...and here, it really looks like stars in it.


I'm proceeding to evaporate it to a cake and powder it.
More to come.


This work is similar to one posted on alchemy illuminated, but potassium carbonate is the most "native" salt of the vine, though any fixed alkali will do. From what I know of m-state precipitations, I wouldn't add all that NaOH at once because it will cause a concentration of high pH that will precipitate Gilchrest elements and other impurities besides the mono-atomic iridium and rhodium.

http://www.philosophicalmercury.page.tl/Misc-.--Photos.htm
(go to bottom of page)

Another way that would be great is to deliquesce your potassium carbonate (or NaOH) and then add that solution (gradually) to the concentrated grape juice.

Another option for the sulfur of the vine would be red wine vinegar. I intend to experiment with this as well.

[Salazius]

Very interesting work and photos ! Thank you very much !

Regards,
Salazius

[deviadah]

Thanks... very nice... everyone should contribute more stuff like this!

Just a reminder: Image Size

[solomon levi]

I've been ingesting the stone from this work.
I definitely feel something.
I have a theory on this particular stone.
Two of its essentia are extremely hygroscopic: potassium carbonate and alcohol.
Now hygroscopic doesn't just mean it pulls water from the air - remember the Emerald Tablet:
"The wind (air) carries it in its belly."
So this stone is pulling the moisture, and hence the astral energy that it carries, into it;
like a magnet (you should be familiar with that term if you've read much alchemical literature).

So if you can fix this principle in you via ingestion, your every breath will accumulate this astral
materia whose father is the sun and mother the moon.
That's my theory.


sorry about the pic size. I'm new at this.

[BeautifulEvil]

Hi solomon levi. I like the process.

Did you use commercial potassium carbonate, or make your own from wood ash? Did you use alcohol from wine/grapes, or just commercial alcohol? I'm the type that likes to use the methods the old alchemists used to make their chemicals, i.e. everything from scratch/nature.

Now hygroscopic doesn't just mean it pulls water from the air - remember the Emerald Tablet:
"The wind (air) carries it in its belly."
So this stone is pulling the moisture, and hence the astral energy that it carries, into it;
like a magnet (you should be familiar with that term if you've read much alchemical literature).

I'm pretty familiar with this theory, however I have been wondering about a few things. If you set water out at night, it will absorb the spiritus mundi, the water that does not wet the hands, i.e. ammonium nitrate. I've heard stories, some say the nitre is the astral energy, but others say nitre occurs with the astral energy. Some also believe m-state elements are the explanation for this astral energy (i.e. m-state from the earth and space). If nitre touches the potassium carbonate, it will immediately decompose, but this does not happen with alcohol or water.

Of course, I think it maybe a little more complicated than I imagine. In all actuality, it's probably a combination of things, with ammonium nitrate and water vapor being two keys. If you think about it, the process of evaporation + precipitation matches our work with retorts and repeated cohobation. I've heard that the astral energy has a high affinity for water, so this may be another interesting path to consider. We should always refer to nature, and the processes of nature, to help better understand our alchemical work.

[solomon levi]

Hi Beautiful Evil

I used commercial potassium carbonate from a clay supplies store and Welch's 100% grape juice concentrate for the "sulfur"
and E&J XO brandy to dissolve it for ingestion.

My lab stuff was in storage for a while, so I've been experimenting with simple spagyric "ready-made" stuff.
Should have my lab area ready within the next two weeks.

[solomon levi]

oh - another thought about theory...

If H (hydrogen) = fire, N (nitrogen) = air, O (oxygen) = water, and C (carbon) = earth

then HNO3 Carbonate (hart's horn) would be the proper materia containing all four worlds.
But they always speak about the chloride and the nitrate.
I know the chloride is praised for its ability to sublimate and take others into volatile with it.
Maybe the carbonate does too. I think in the old days they probably confused the chloride and carbonate or
treated them alike anyways. ???

A funny story about ammonium carbonate. A few years ago I was in a nice herb shop and on a shelf was a jar labelled
"ammonium carbonate". I had recently read about hart's horn and I thought it odd that this would be in an herb store
(I guess it's used in baking or pickling or something...) Anyway, like an idiot, I unscrew the mason jar and
stick my nose in. Now I know why they call these things "spirits", because there was an invisible spirit in that jar
that punched me right between the eyes. It was really like "BAMM!", like getting hit in the face with a dodge ball.
I thought I might go unconscious, but I didn't. I guess I recovered later that evening. I will never stick my nose in anything again.
Always waft a little towards you if you want to smell something.
You probably know that.

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