Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1884-12-29
Frauds in Black Lead.

days" remarked an artists supply
warehouse proprietor yesterday.
care there many counterfeitsP"
Come now-but how is the general
public to know, to be sureP" resumed
the gentleman. "Of course, there are
frauds practiced in crayon portraits.
There is fine picture. That is gen
uine crayon, and is worth $40. Its
size is 30x50 inches. The high lights
are the pure whiteness of the paper,
and every bit of the shading is done
only with crayon."
"How are the limitations madeP"
''By what is known as solar prints.
Some twelve years ago twas discover
ed that small card photograph could
be enlarged to any size by any applica-
ton of the same scientific principles as
were used in taking the likeness of any
person. The difference was, instead of
reducing life-size by mathematical and
accurate proportions to the object re-
produced on a small card, this dimin-
ished object could be enlarged by re-
versal of the lenses. You look through
the telescope and by one way it en-
larges and by the other diminishes the
object toward which it is directed.
Solar prints are the enlargement of
card photographs, and they are made
by a reversal of the contracting lenses.
The artist, or more likely canvasser,
gets an order for n crayon, and the
photograph from which the picture is
to be taken is sent to New York or
some other point where this work Is
done, and 1t returns inside of a week
or SO enlarged and ready to be touched
up with crayon. The solar print is a
photog raph and the high lights of the
picture are therefore of BLUSH
tint. The first thing to be done
is to destroy the tell-tale work. 1t is
done by taking quantity of pulverized
crayon and rubbing it thinly and in
dustrously over the tinted places with
piece Of kid or soft cloth. Possibly
the background is shaded, or tinted
with India ink or water-colors. Three
minutes work with brush does that,
and then comes the shading of the like
ness. The photograph may have been
sufficiently shaded already, so the first
process of rubbing the picture with
| fine crayon dust has finished that part
of it, The clothing and dark lines are
heavily marked with crayon where
needed, and toned down here and
there until very little bit of work has
converted the photograph into so neat
crayOn portrait that | defy any one
but an expert to detect the fraud. Not
one out of twenty of these pictures are
genuine crayons. There are two pro-
cesses for the manufacture of solar
prints. The old way is on silver, but
the newest and better process is the
platinum. They are said to last lon
ger and will not turn yellow SO readi-
ly."
"Then the solar print is an inferior
articleP"
while the likeness may be better,
very frequently they do not keep their
color, and are sure to fade after being
in use about ten years or so. But they
are so cleverly made that few can tell
tie deception. They do not cost as
much, and there is a larger profit in
them. We get them made for So a
piece, the size being 3OX50 inches, but
when we order a number together they
cost much less. Counting the work OF
the artist and then rating the sale OF
the article at $35 and up to $50, there
is liberal margin. A number OF the
ladies who are art students do a great
deal of this work, but the artists and
photographers are the ones who make
fine profits out of them. The genuine
crayon sells for no more and the prof
is much greater on account of the saw
ing of time, painstakiDg, and labor
The eastern prints are much better
and are clearer than those made here
and for that reason are preferred
! The NeO York Mail and Express.