Rabbit hair

Furthermore, the types of yam structures that Willoughby (5) described in the Seip textiles as vegetal core with red-stained rabbit hair wrapped around if can only be achieved in coloring the fibers before spinning. Therefore, the prehistoric artisans had to have specific knowledge about dyes and how to apply them. 

Commercially sold rabbit hair (Joseph Galler Inc.) and milkweed fibers that had been collected by the researcher in 2004 were each colored with aqueous solutions of lab grade hematite (Fe203) as a substitute for ochre and copper sulfate. Additionally, rabbit hair from a breeder (Jennings, T.), commercially produced rabbit yam, and milkweed fibers were also colored in an aqueous bloodroot dye bath that did not contain any dyeing aids. 

Bloodroot dyed rabbit hair yam None None Bright pale yellow... 

Fe203 dyed rabbit hair None None None... 

Elemental analysis by mass spectrometiy was performed using a Perkin-Elmer Sciex ELAN 6000 Inductively Coupled Plasma—Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) and a ThermoFinnigan Element 2 Inductively Coupled Plasma Sector Field Mass Spectrometer. The iron oxide colored fibers (Table III, 16, 17) were weighed into the following aliquots (1) 1 mg rabbit hair (RH), (2) 5 mg RH, (3) 1 mg of milkweed (MW), (4) 5 mg MW and (5) a mixture of 2.5 mg RH and MW each. These samples were combined with concentrated nitric acid. Wanning the mixture to just below boiling temperature for 5 to 7 minutes did not result in total digestion. Hence, the incubation time in the water bath was increased to 30 minutes. Afterward, these samples were analyzed in the spectrometer. 

Under ultraviolet light milkweed and rabbit hair fibers that had been dyed with bloodroot fluoresced in a pale yellow/orange and a bright yellow/orange respectively. Because the commercially obtained undyed rabbit hair yam fluoresced intensely, untreated rabbit hair obtained directly from a breeder was used for testing and to use as control (Table III). 

Lab grade hematite (Fe203) and copper sulfate (anhydrous and hydrated) were mounted on slides and used as controls to compare to mineral deposits that might have been found adhering to foe fibers. Rabbit hair and milkweed that had been colored with an aqueous hematite solution and with an aqueous copper sulfate (blue vitriol) solution were also used for comparison. Fibers removed from each simulated material were mounted in water (Refractive Index (Rl) of 1.0), and in Permount (Fisher Scientific) (RI of 1.55). The collected particulate matter and fibers removed from foe yam samples were similarly mounted and examined using optical microscopy. 

In this work an infrared spectral database of comparative materials was initiated. Spectra of plant fibers from the Comparative Plant Fiber Collection (CPFC) and of rabbit hair and wool were studied to evaluate whether they could... 

While some of the Mississippian textiles are of similar structure to the Middle Woodland textiles, others are very complex materials and are lace-like in appearance. Many of the materials from Etowah are preserved by mineralization, and display green-colored deposits on their surfaces. Bast fiber, rabbit hair, and feathers have been identified (2, 11). The textiles from these two sites selected for analysis are representative of the complexity of structure and fineness of yarns seen in the materials they provide evidence of the sophisticated technology of prehistoric people in all phases of fiber collection, processing, yarn spinning, fabric manufacture and, when present, coloration. 

Iron oxide painted common milkweed with beef tallow binder Rabbit hair, charred 10,20, 35 and 45 min. Cuprite Seip 5, charred bast, red deposits... 

Iron oxide painted rabbit hair with albumin binder Bedstraw dyed common milkweed, charred 20 min Malachite (spectrum from IRUG) Seip 36, charred bast, red cast, Fe... 

Iron oxide painted rabbit hair with beef tallow binder Iron oxide painted common milkweed, Charred 20 min. Copper hydroxide Seip 32, copper painted , green stains, composite layers... 

The infrared spectrum of rabbit hair was similar to that of the wool fibers with readily apparent amide bands in the regions of 1650 cm-1 and 1530 cm-1 (Figure 6). 

Figure 6. Infrared spectra of rabbit hair and sheep s wool.

In charring rabbit hair, some compositional features of the infrared spectra were lost (Figure 11). It should be noted that the 35 and 45 minute charred samples were still black and fibrous, yet their IR spectra were considerably different from the materials charred for a lesser period of time. This means that some charred protein fibers might not provide much infrared information. The 1650 cm-1 was reduced and shifted a bit to 1664 cm-1, a new C=0 band occurs at 1716 cm-1, the N-H amide II band was completely gone after 35 minutes of charring, but was still present in the 10 and 20 minute samples. 

Figure 11. Infrared spectra of rabbit hair charred 10, 20, 35, and 45 minutes compared to uncharred rabbit hair.

The infrared spectrum of the iron oxide (Figure 19) used to simulate ocher displays distinctive absorbance bands in the region of 537 cm-1 and 465 cm-1. Not only are the bands obvious in fibers pigmented with iron oxide, but the rabbit hair which had been colored with the pigment retained evidence of that pigmentation even when it was charred (Figure 20). 

Figure 20. Infrared spectrum of charred rabbit hair with iron oxide compared to charred rabbit hair with no iron oxide.

Rabbit hair is also collected by combing and is usually mixed with other fibers in yam and fabric. It can add smoothness and luster to other lower-quality materials. The Angora rabbit is the most favored for its long, soft hair. 

Speakman, Chamberlain, and Fairhead (J. Text, hist., 1941,32t, 98) drew attention to the fact that carroting is exceptionally elective with rabbit hairs because they have a bulbous swelling near the tip, w hich must be softened before there is freedom fr.r the D.F.F. to promote irreversible movement in the root direction. 

Ammayappan, L., and Moses, J. J. (2009). Study of antimicrobial activity of aloe vera, chltosan, and curcmln on cotton, wool, and rabbit hair. Fiber Polvm.. 10,161-166. 

By law, the fiber must be described as Angora rabbit hair. 

Animal fibers consist largely of proteins. Examples are silkworm silk, spider silk, sinew, catgut, wool, animal hairs such as cashmere, mohair, and rabbit hair, etc. 

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