IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING COLOURS ON PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS, AND IN PREPARING SURFACES TO RECEIVE COLOUR
Year: 1874

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to William Elliott Debenham, of No. 158, Regent p
Street, London, for the Invention of, "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING
COLOURS ON PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS, AND IN PREPARING SURFACES TO
RECEIVE COLOUR."
Sealed, the 15th January 1875, and dated the 16th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Elliott
Debenham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 16th July 1874.
"
ン
I, WILLIAM ELLIOTT DEBENHAM, of No. 158, Regent Street, London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIXING COLOURS ON PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS, AND IN PREPARING SURFACEB
TO RECEIVE COLOUP," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in means for fixing colours on photographs
and drawings, and in the method of preparing the paper or other
material to receive the colour. The photograph being coloured; or the
drawing made with crayon powder liquid or water colour I immerse it

page_text: in a bath or flow over it a solution of gluten in alcohol, the alcohol to
be at a strength of about sixty or eighty per cent., or a solution of
gelatine or metagelatine, or kindred substance (the word gelatine will be
used hereafter to include kindred substances) in water, with as much
alcohol added as the solution will bear without precipitating the gelatine.
If the solution be warm it will bear a large addition of alcohol. It is
necessary that the solution be very alcohòlic, otherwise the colours may
run, as they would in a solution of gelatine made with water only. The
gelatine coating may be rendered insoluble by treatment with tannin or
chrome alum; the chrome alum solution being added to the gelatine
solution itself or applied separately, and then exposed to light.
To prepare a photograph or surface that colour may adhere I apply
either of the alcoholic solutions already mentioned or a solution of
glycerine or sugar, or a mixture of any of these; and in any case this
preparation liquid should contain fifty per cent, or more of alcohol in
order that it may penetrate evenly. If the work is to be colored before
being mounted I apply the preparation liquid to the back of the paper.
The alcohol makes it penetrate to the front, and the colour is taken in
a very even and fine manner.
The fixing solution is also applicable to water colour, pencil, and
crayon drawings, and in the process called enamelling, to fix touching
and colour applied to the photograph before placing it upon the
collodionized glass.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Elliott Debenham in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COMF, I, WILLIAM
ELLIOTT DEBENHAM, of No. 158, Regent Street, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto him, the said William Elliott Debenham, Her
_ special licence, that he, the said William Elliott Debenham, his exe-

page_text: ON
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as he, the said
William Elliott Debenham, his 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING COLOURS
PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS, AND IN THE METHOD 07 PREPARING THE PAPER OR
OTHER MATERIAL TO RECEIVE COLOUR," upon the condition (amongst others)
that he, the said William Elliott Debenham, his executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under his, 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 Elliott Debenham, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
=
A photograph being coloured, or a drawing made with crayon powder
liquid or water colour, I immerse it in or flow over it a solution of
freshly prepared moist gluten in alcohol, the alcohol to be at a strength
of about seventy or eighty per cent., or a solution of gelatine or meta-
gelatine, or kindred substance (the word gelatine will be used hereafter
to include kindred substances) in water, with as much alcohol added as
the solution will bear without precipitating the gelatine. If the solution
be hot it will bear a large addition of alcohol. It is necessary that the
solution be very alcoholic, or the colours may run, as they would in an
ordinary aqueous solution. The gelatine coating may be rendered
insoluble by treatment with tannin or chrome alum; the chrome alum
is either added to the gelatine solution itself or applied seperately, and
afterwards exposed to light.
.
To prepare a photograph or drawing that colour may adhere I apply
either of the alcoholic solutions already mentioned or a solution of
glycerine or sugar, or a mixture of any of these; and this preparation
liquid should contain fifty per cent. or more of alcohol in order that it

page_text: may penetrate evenly.
If the work can be coloured before being
mounted, as in the case of a photograph to be enamelled, I apply the
preparation liquid to the back of the paper. The alcohol makes it
penetrate to the front, and the colour is taken in a very even and fine
manner.
The fixing solutions are also applicable to water colour, pencil, and
crayon drawings; and I prefer to employ gluten solution as the fixing
agent, and the picture will after this bear coating with an aqueous
solution of gelatine if desired as an additional coat, or for the purpose of
attaching it to the collodionized glass in enamelling. The fixing solution
itself may also be used for this latter purpose and the colouring or
touching not be disturbed.
86
When it is required that the gluten solution should contain more
gluten than the alcohol will take up I evaporate rapidly, but not to
precipitation, a portion of the solution and mix with the remainder.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would
have it understood that what I claim is,-
The use of an alcoholic solution of gelatinous substances for fixing
drawings or colour substantially as described.
The use of an alcoholic solution of gluten or glutenous substances for
fixing drawings or colour, substantially as described.
The distinctive method of rendering the surface of a paper photograph
adhesive to dry colour by the application of a liquid, as described, to the
back of the print.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Elliott Debenham, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five.
W. E. DEBENHAM. (L.S.)