Making Isinglass from the Swimming Bladder 

 Used to Clarify Wine and Beer, to Make China 



Drying the Bladders 



Sounds from hake being dried 

 before they are converted into 

 isinglass. The sounds are tlie 

 Bwimming bladders of the fish. 

 They regulate its weight so 

 that it can maintain its posi- 

 tion at whatever water level it 

 chooses. One ton of hake will 

 yield from 300 to 500 sounds 

 weighing from 40 to 50 pounds. 



From Bladder to Isinglass 



R(jllitiR hake sounds for isin- 

 glass. The dried sounds an- 

 softened by soaking them in 

 water. They are then cut into 

 small pieces. The material is 

 mixed again and run between 

 iron rollers. It is then passed 

 through hollow, wator-coolcd 

 rollers and comes out in Hhects. 

 Finally the sheets arc passed 

 through Bmall ribbon rollers. 



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