AbstractA simple method of preparing a stable alkaline iron‐tartrate complex solvent (FeTNa (NaCl)) solvent starting from anhydrous ferric chloride was developed. The solvent having the composition: 300 g/l complex, 2N free alkali and 37.5 g/l sodium tartrate as stabiliser, dissolves cotton samples of a high degree of polymerization under higher ambient temperature conditions like those in India. In contrast to solutions in other solvents, cellulose solutions in FeTNa (NaCl) solvents are practically non‐sensitive to air exposure. Intrinsic viscosity values were determined for a large number of cellulosic samples. The influence of the viscosity gradient on several viscosity functions was found to be of the same order as in other FeTNa solvents of similar compositions. Fractional precipitation of cellulose dissolved in this solvent was investigated by adding different quantities of aqueous solutions of manni