?1881 (?1885) 58 Dye, Paint manufacture... Black Maker.
1921 (1927) §158 Black maker, a colour mixer..preparing black pigments or paints from charcoal, graphite, calcined ivory or horn, carbon black, drop black, etc.
1995 (Nexis) 16 Jan. 13 Black makers were plagued by growing raw material prices and a tight supply in 1994.