Seccotine (adhesive)

Seccotine is a brand of refined liquid fish glue used for gluing paper and card and as a binder in gesso, which remains flexible after drying.

Seccotine originated in Germany in the late 19th century, where it was patented by John Stevenson. The original manufacturers were McCaw, Stevenson & Orr of Belfast (founded 1878), but the product and its name later passed on to the English Royal Sovereign Pencil Co.

It is one of the few tradenames to have its entry and etymology recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary (1933 edition) where the name is explained as "apparently suggested by Italian "secco", dry", though it is possible that the French "sec" (dry) may also have been an influence.

Popular culture

The recurring character Seccotine of the Franco-Belgian comics series "Spirou et Fantasio" is named after the glue.

References

*cite book | last = Room | first = Adrian | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Dictionary of Trade Name Origins | publisher = Routledge | date = 1982 | location = | pages = p. 156 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0710201745