Gum anima

Gum anima also called anima, anime, or animé, is a kind of gum or resin.^[1][2] According to an 1897 dictionary, the term could be used to refer to "several resins" known as elemi; copal produced by Hymenaea verrucosa;^{[nb 1]} a product of Hymenaera courbaril; or "Indian copal" produced by Vateria indica.^[2] The 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, in contrast, mentions only that it can be used to refer to products of H. courbaril and H. verrucosa.^[3]

As of 1804 it was divided into two kinds, western and eastern.^[1][4] According to an 1897 dictionary, the eastern gum came first, and the western gum was called by the same name because of its similarity to the western.^[2] The western gum anima flows from an incision in a tree called courbaril;^[1][4] it is transparent,^[1][3] and of a pale brown color color^[3] similar to frankincense.^[1] It has a sweeter smell than the eastern gun anima.^[4] As of 1804 it was notably sourced from Brazil.^[4]

The eastern gum anima was distinguished in 1728 into three kinds: the first white; the second blackish, in some respects like myrrh; the third pale, resinous, and dry.^[1] At some time before 1804 it was commonly brought to Europe from Ethiopia.^[4]

All kinds of anima were used in perfumes around 1728, because of their agreeable smell; they were also been applied externally against colds.^[1] The 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica notes that the product of H. courbaril was used in perfumes at that time.^[3]

As of 2017, gum anima is often added to sandarac-based alcohol varnishes to prevent brittleness caused by the sandarac.^[5] Shellac and elemi are also often used for this purpose.^[5]

Notes

1. Then known as Trachylobium hornemannianum

References

1.  Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "ANIMA". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.
2. Whitney, William Dwight; Smith, Benjamin Eli (1897). The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: A Work of Universal Reference in All Departments of Knowledge, with a New Atlas of the World. Century Company. p. 220.
3. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Animé" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
4. Tingry, Pierre François (1804). The Painter and Varnisher's Guide: Or, A Treatise, Both in Theory and Practice, on the Art of Making and Applying Varnishes, on the Different Kinds of Painting; and on the Method of Preparing Colours Both Simple and Compound ... G. Kearsley.
5. Azémard, Clara; Ménager, Matthieu; Vieillescazes, Cathy (2017-12-01). "On the tracks of sandarac, review and chemical analysis". Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 24 (36): 27746–27754. doi:10.1007/s11356-017-0522-0. ISSN 1614-7499.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Gum anima". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.