IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS OF GLASS SO ORNAMENTED
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS OF GLASS SO
ORNAMENTED." A communication from abroad by The Society Randal
Cresswell, Alfred Tavernier, and Edouard Dodé, of Paris, in the Empire
of France
Seated the 9th January 1866, and dated the 5th August 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION-left-by-the-said-John-Henry-Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th August 1865.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS OF
GLASS SO ORNAMENTED," a communication to me from abroad by The Society
Randal Cresswell, Alfred Tavernier, and Edouard Dodé, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the production of certain novel ornamental effects
on glass, whether in the form of sheets or otherwise, which has been rendered
reflecting by the application of a coating of platina thereon, as described in

page_text: the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on or about the 20th of
March 1865, No. 786.
According to this Invention certain portions of such platinized sheets of
glass are left perfectly transparent or free from platina, which transparent
parts may assume any shape or design. The sheets so produced may be
either used as they are or may have placed behind them colored transparencies
or designs of any kind, or any suitable ornamental material, such as will
produce, when seen on the platinized ground through the transparent portions
of the glass a highly ornamental effect. When the transparency or other
ornamental design or material is not employed the sheet will serve as an
excellent window screen which will enable all that passes outside to be readily
seen from the inside of the window, but will prevent the interior from being
seen from the outside. These sheets will also serve partly as mirrors, as the
ground or the ornamental design, being platinized, will form a reflecting
surface. Various means' may be adapted for producing the designs required
upon the platinized glass, but that which has given the best results consists in
painting with bitumen all those parts of the platinized surface which are
intended to remain platinized and reflecting, the outline being either traced
from a print or other copy laid upon the glass, which is to a certain extent
transparent, or drawn at once on the platinized surface. If the design is
intended to be platinized upon a transpareut ground, then such design is
painted with bitumen; but if, on the contrary, the design is required to be
transparent on a platinized ground, with the view either of using it in its
transparent condition or of placing behind it, so as to be seen on the platinized
face, colored paper or ornamental printed designs, drawings, or patterns, then
those parts of the platinized surface will be coated with bitumen which corre-
spond to the ground. A sheet of platinized glass is thus obtained having
certain parts protected by a coating of bitumen. In order to remove the
platina from the different parts where the glass is required to be perfectly
transparent fluorhydric acid is employed, which is allowed just to eat away
the flux by which the platina is made to adhere without, attacking the, glass
itself. On removing the bitumen those parts which had been so covered will
be found to be untouched and perfectly reflecting. An endless variety of
ornamental effects may thus be obtained, and the glass so ornamented may be
used in the decoration of buildings of all kinds, as window screens, and for
the decoration of articles of furniture.. Ornamental. Jooking glasses may also
be thus produced by having a bordering of any design made therein and
showing upon the reflecting surface. By reserving some portions of one side
of a piece or sheet of glass, the remaining being platinized, and platinizing

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the
3rd February 1866.,
5
:
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN'
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fieids, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the 29th year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry.
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the.
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times.there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-.
MENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF GLASS SO
ORNAMENTED," a communication from The Society Randal Cresswell, Alfred
Tavernier, and Edouard Dode, of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in aud. by
the following statement, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to the production of certain novel ornamental
effects on glass, whether in the form of sheets or otherwise, which has been
rendered reflecting by the application of a coating of platina thereon, as
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on or about
the 20th of March 1865, No. 786. .

page_text: This platinized glass having the property of transparency, by placing an,
ornamental design, print, photograph, or other like object against the non-
platinized face, such designs will become visible on adjusting the glass in such
a position as to bring its transparent property into play, and will disappear
when the glass is placed in the position requisite for its use as a mirror, that is
to say, against the light, or when a screen is placed behind it.
It is proposed, according to the present Invention, to leave certain portions
of such platinized sheets of glass perfectly transparent or free from platina,
which transparent parts may assume any shape or design. The sheets so
produced may be either used in that condition, or they may have placed behind
them a colored back ground or surface, transparency, or design of any kind, or
any suitable ornamental material, such as will produce,,when combined
with the platinized ground, and seen through the transparent, portions of the
glass, a highly ornamental effect. When the transparency or other ornamental
design or material is not employed the sheet will serve as an excellent window
screen which will enable all that passes outside to be readily seen from the
inside of the 'window, but will prevent the interior from being seen from the
outside. These sheets will also serve partly as mirrors, as the ground or the
ornamental design, being platinized, will form a reflecting surface. Various
means may be adopted for producing the designs required upon the platinized
glass, but that which has given the best results consists in painting with
bitumen all those parts of the platinized surface which are intended to remain
platinized and reflecting, the outline being either traced from a print or other
copy laid upon the glass, which is to a certain extent transparent, or the
design may be drawn at once on the platinized surface. If the design is
intended to be platinized upon a transparent ground then such design is
painted with bitumen; but if, on the contrary, the design is required to be
transparent on a platinized ground, with the view either of using it in its
transparent condition or of placing behind it, so as to be seen on the platinized
face, colored paper or ornamental printed designs, drawings, or patterns, then
those parts of the platinized surface will be coated with bitumen which corre
spond to the ground. A sheet of platinized glass is thus obtained having
certain parts protected by a coating of bitumen. In order to remove the
platina from the different parts where the glass is required to be perfectly
transparent, and which are not protected by a coating or layer of bitumen,
fluorhydric acid is employed, which is allowed just to eat away the flux by
which the platina is made to adhere without attacking the glass itself. On
removing the bitumen those parts which had been so covered will be found to
be untouched and perfectly reflecting. An endless variety of ornamental

page_text: effects may thus be obtained, and the glass so ornamented may be used in
the decoration of buildings of all kinds as window screens, and for the deco-
ration of articles of furniture. Ornamental looking glass may also be thus
produced by having a colored bordering of any design made therein, and
showing upon the reflecting surface. By reserving some portions of one side
of a pane or sheet of glass and platinizing entirely the other surface an elegant
effect is obtained resembling engraving on glass.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said.
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to be by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the manufacture of platinized mirrors having designs fixed upon the
non-reflecting surface, which designs become visible on placing the mirror in
such a position as to allow of the rays of light through it.
Second, the manufacture of platinized plates or sheets of glass having
reserved or non-platinized portions left therein, and the application to such
sheets or plates of colored fabrics or materials so as to be visible through the
non-platinized portions of the glass, substantially as herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar mode or method of obtaining or producing "reserves
or transparent portions on platinized glass, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Second day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)