New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-04-12
Meeting NJ the American photographic Sse"V
Mr. Osborne's Photo.Lithogrsphic Proce"
-Experiments BY Mr. Rutherford-Boi'ied


The American Photographic Society held its regular
monthly meeting last evening Mr. Lewis NJ Rutherford,
President, in the chair.
Mr. w Osborne exhibited large collection OF lithc-
rapbs executed from drawings of japanese scenery and
explained the new process in detail The saving both in
time and Money which its introduction has effected is
very great and bids fair TO dspace other methods IN
certain class Of Work. 49,,
The phoo>lithocphc process is designed Tor the re,
production of existing originals only such as maps anu
nlans cnrrayings Ven-and-ink drawings, MSS, printed
documents and not for producing portraits or views
directly from nature. II is necessary TO have black ana
white drawing-half tones cannot be Initiated Inc Woh
o he ropied must be stipped in lines not shaded as IN
wacr colors or india ink drawing. There must be the
perspective which photograph from nature does mol
The first step in this process is the production Of mega
tive which shall be- the size of the original or reduced
copy but in all sharp negative norder 10 secure
perfect copy many four negatives OF different parts
of drawing or print are sometimes takcn the posyes
om which arc skilfully united by cutting them WIN
knife and joining the pieces with care thus an absolutely
correct picture obtained on which the joints OF e sec
tons visible. The negative pcturels TAKEN III inc
ordinary way on cOlodion, by placing the drawing TO be
copied upon upright plan-board and the camera oppo
site to IT, taking that the pan-board ana the grouh
glass slide OF the instrument perfectly parallel, and
that the distance between them Is sucn rs TO give copy
of the desired Dimensions. IL will be seen that IN this
way perfect fac smile of the original can be obtained
Nolitlographcr however sklful he may be- can mako
copy equally Every touch and personal eharac
tefistc of the artist is here faithfully reproduced Al
engraving by Steina Muller, or Raphael Morghen, can
be photographed with every detail ana decate Inc OF th'
master rendered IN fac simile.
Having secured a good negative, the next step is &c
produce positive in photographic ink adapted for inc
purpose capable Of being transferred to stone by well
known photographic operation, and printed III the ordinary
way This is tie important part of Nh Osbornes lnyen
ton The positive paper is sensltIed noahe II qPo
solution OF bi-chromate Of potash in water TO which
quantity of abnmen has been added, and carefully ded
in the dark print is taken in the usual manner pac
ticed by photographers brown picture IN make, us e
tical with the original which was copied
The action of light upon bichromate of potash IN the
presence of organic NATTER changes the physical property
Of the senstized paper and enables it to take the hho
graphic ink in manner suitable for transerTence upon
stone. The various steps Of "blaekng,' swimming,
and "washing off are technical to be repeated here
Suffice it say after the first steps are taken the picture
can be handed to the ordinary workman OF tho
graphic process and is only in the cary stages oil the
operation that skiul ana expert phoographlc opiaoi
is required.
M Korn in Berlin has acquired the process with acl
y and now executes maps and drawings for the Prussan
Government.
A marked advantage claimed for photography is the
great saving Of time superior accuracy and cheapness
map or drawing can be handed into the Office in the
morning and any number of Autographed copies can be
furnished tho following day. IL costs no more trouble
for the TO reproduce the most complicated drawing
than il does the most simple but II makes very consd-
cradle difference 10 the photographer, who would require
week accomplish what be finished in two or three
hours by this process The only drawback appears TO be
" sutry weather and O cloudy sky when neither the
positive the negative impression can be taken unless
the artist has recourse TO the magnesium light.
Mr. Osborne had the honor Of exhibiting his prints at
the last monthly meeting Of the Century where they were
greatly admired by the artists and amateurs Of the Club.
The method merits the attention Of our publishers
Mr.. Rutherford exhibited seven Photographic negatives
II the solar spectrum taken upon coodion prepared with
different proportions Of iOddes and bromldes with refer
ence to asceraining what formula would produce the
finest effects in the coors of the spectrum. The results
derived from his experiments appear 10 be:
l. That bromine is not necessary in order 10 reach the
less rcrangbe end Of the acnic beam but, the
trGry, iodine alone Produces the best results.
That collodions containing odde of sodium or odde
Of cadmium best for obtaining pictures of objects
of other colos than violet and blue. Mr.. Rutherford
offered 10 examine any ccodon the members would send
10 him in further calculation Of this important subject
Some bottles filed with preparations Of oyster shells
salts Of s,ronts, lime, etc, exhibited which, after
having been illuminated appeared to absorb so much
light that they continued TO phOspboresee in the dark like
so many glow worms. Light was literally bottled up and
given out IL the dark yaqous exquisite colos pro-
ducei In this way, and the experiments attracted the
Htmos, attention Of the members.