Thread: The London Journal, October 21, 1727.

Even if it wasn't chromium oxide, I wonder if it wasn't some sort of oxide. What was used for green dyes & green paint/pigments at that time? Cobalt oxide? Zinc oxide?

Oxide of copper forms a green powder.

Ancient Egyptians used malachite (copper carbonate) for green paint.
Ancient Greece used Verdigris which is copper acetate and if not mixed with lead it turns brown within a year.
Ancient Italy used Verona Green which is also called Green Earth. It's a mixture of hydrosilicates of Iron, Magnesium, Aluminum, and Potassium.
Middle Ages Europe saw a brief use of copper resonate which were copper salts dissolved in vinegar.
The 1700s had cobalt green (cobalt chloride and zinc)
1814 had emerald green (copper acetate and arsenic) - people kept dying from using it.
Then in 1859 we finally got viridian (CrOx)

I was going to say they used Malachite for green and Azurite for blue but those minerals aren't exactly commonplace nor found in large quantities.

In Martin's above article, it is interesting how strops were sold in coffee-houses.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

In Martin's above article, it is interesting how strops were sold in coffee-houses.

Apparently a common practice back then. This one from 1717.