CERTAIN IM- PROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thistlethwaite, of 2, Verulam Buildings,
Gray's Inn, London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY."-A communication from Louis Angamarre,
T
Sealed the 14th November 1856, and dated the 16th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thistlethwaite
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th May 1856.
I, WILLIAM THISTLETHWAITE, of 2, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY," a communication from Louis Angamarre, of
Paris, in the Empire of France, to be as follows, and consists in producing
and fixing photographic pictures upon all kinds of fabrics and materials :-I
compose a collodion very thick, consisting of sulphuric ether, alcohol, gun
cotton, and iodide of ammoniac; and to make the collodion more sensible,
I mix with it, in certain proportions, a solution of alcohol, iodide of ammoniac,
bromide of ammoniac, and chloride of ammoniac. This composition is what is
termed the pedicle, and which I pour upon a glass and afterwards plunge into
a solution of distilled water and crystallized nitrate of silver. The plate is then
ready to receive the photographic likeness or image; and afterwards, to obtain
the negative likeness or image, it is introduced into a bath composed of dis-

page_text: tilled water, protosulphate of iron, acetic acid crystallized, and sulphuric acid.
To fix the positive likeness or image, I plunge it into a bath of distilled water
and cyanide of potassium. The proof is then dried, and may be seperated from
the glass with a piece of blotting paper, and placed upon the necessary material,
which is then passed under a roller or rollers so as to well fix it upon the
material. The blotting paper is then removed, and I pour on the likeness or
image spirits of wine, which gives to it the required tone and brilliancy. The
likeness or image may be coloured in the usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Thistlethwaite in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
THISTLETHWAITE, of 2, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, London, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Thistlethwaite, Her special licence that I, the said William Thistle-
thwaite, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Thistlethwaite, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY," a communication from Louis
Angamarre, of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Thistlethwaite, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Thistlethwaite, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This Invention consists in producing and fixing photographic pictures upon
all kinds of fabrics and materials. I compose a collodion very thick, consisting.
of sulphuric ether (of 60 degrees centigrade) 100 parts; alcohol (of 30 degrees.
centigrade) 25 parts; gun cotton, 3 parts; iodide of ammoniac, 2 parts; and:
to make the collodion more sensible I mix with it a solution of alcohol (of 40:
degrees centigrade) 6000 parts; iodide of ammoniac, 325 parts; bromide of
ammoniac, 80 parts. This composition is what is termed the pedicle; and
which I pour upon a glass and afterwards plunge into a solution of distilled
water, 100 parts, and crystallized nitrate of silver, 8 parts. The plate is then
ready to receive the photographic likeness or image, and after it is obtained it
is introduced into a bath composed of distilled water, 1000 parts; protosulphate
of iron, 150 parts; acetic acid crystallized, 20 parts; and sulphuric acid,
4 parts. To fix the positive likeness or image it is plunged into a bath
of distilled water, 500 parts, and cyanide of potassium, 8 parts. The proof is
then dried, and the pedicle may be seperated. from the glass with a piece
of blotting paper and placed upon the necessary material, and passed under a
roller or rollers so as to well fix it upon the material; and after the blotting
paper is removed, spirits of wine (of 60 degrees centigrade) is poured upon the
likeness or image to give it the required tone and brilliancy.
The above mode of seperating the pedicle gives an inverted likeness or
image, but to non-invert the picture I can use the above or any other
collodion thickened by a little gun cotton; and after obtaining the negative and
positive proofs, I plunge the glass into a bath composed of 100 grammes dis-
tilled water and 20 drops hydrochloric acid. This bath will detach the pedicle
from the glass by raising one corner of the collodion with the finger to allow
the solution to penetrate gradually between the pedicle and the glass. The
pedicle by this means floats upon the top of the glass and is ready to be trans-
ferred, and which is accomplished in the following manner:-The image
is taken carefully out of the bath (still upon the glass), taking care to keep the
thumb on a corner of the pedicle, after which a little water is poured over it.
The glass is then laid down on a flat surface and the fabric or material
is placed upon it. The three objects (the glass, the pedicle, and the fabric or
material) are taken up, the glass uppermost, and I press the fabric underneath
it with the fingers to force out all air bubbles. The fabric or material, with
the pedicle thereon, is then removed from the glass, and I pour water over it,
and dry the picture over a spirit lamp or before a fire. When completely dry
I moisten the surface with spittle or water, and rub it well with the fingers or

page_text: a handkerchief, cleansing the image of all imperfections and fogs. The colouring
may in either operation be accomplished in the usual manner with moist
or dry colors. This last mode of removing the pedicle from the glass I
recommend, and which I prefer.
Having thus fully described the particulars and nature of the said Invention,
it must be understood that I do not confine myself to any peculiar collodion;
but what I claim is producing and fixing photographic pictures upon all
kinds of fabrics and materials substantially, in the manner herein fully
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thistlethwaite, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six.
WN THISTLETHWAITE. (L.B.)
Witness,
CII VASSEROT,
Patent Agent,
45, Essex Street, Strand.