Improvements in Palettes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Palettes.
J, EZRA HOYLE, of 15 Manor Street, Bradford, in the County of York, Decorative
Artist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in palettes for artists whereby they
are enabled to discriminate colours with greater facility than hitherto the palette
when constructed according to my improvement is kept cleaner and can be cleaned
with greater ease.
Hitherto palettes have for the most part been constructed of wood, principally of
mahogany, and by the same being of a distinctive colour it conflicts with the mixing of
the colours, more especially where great delicacy is requisite: in order to overcome
this difficulty, palettes have been constructed of porcelain which are liable to
break.
My improvement consists in constructing the palette of mahogany or other suitable
wood as hitherto, and enamelling the surface of the same, preferably with a neutral
tint and as nearly white as possible.
By this means I am enabled to construct palettes upon which the artist can mix the
colours with ease and discrimination, and which allows of being cleaned with greater
facility than hitherto.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1889.
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Palettes.
I, EZRA HOYLE, of 15 Manor Street, Bradford, in the County of York, Decorative
Artist, do hereby delare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
1
This invention relates to certain improvements in palettes for artists whereby they
are enabled to discriminate colours with greater facility than hitherto the palette
when constructed according to my improvement may be kept cleaner and can be
cleaned with greater ease.
Hitherto palettes have for the most part been constructed of wood, principally of
mahogany, and by the same being of a distinctive colour it conflicts with the mixing
of the colours, more especially where great delicacy and cleanliness is requisite ; in
order to overcome these difficulties, palettes have been constructed of porcelain which.
are liable to break.
My improvement consists in constructing the palette of mahogany or other suitable
wood as hitherto, and enamelling the surface of the same, preferably with a neutral
tint as nearly white as possible.
By this means I am enabled to construct palettes upon which an artist can mix
colours with ease and discrimination, and which allow of being cleaned with greater
facility than hitherto.
In carrying out my object, I use a heavy bodied white pigment such as cremnitz
white or flake white ground in water, to which is added and thoroughly incorporated!
a quantity of gelatine: with this composition the palettes are coated and the
composition well rubbed into the pores of the wood with pumice stone or the like,.
and worked up to a smooth surface whilst soft. When dry the surfaces of the palettes
are rubbed down and coated a second time with the composition and again rubbed
D

page_text: down to a smooth surface; then coated with white shellac or other varnish as a
means of protection to the water colour composition with which the palettes are
coated.
The palettes are then covered with cremnitz or other heavy bodied white pigment
mixed with gelatine and a small quantity of glycerine and methylated spirit to the
consistency of thick cream, and diluted with about one sixth of water; this forms a
base for the polishing coats, composed of white shellac or other suitable varnish
previously washed of its impurities by methylated spirits of 60 to 64 degrees over
proof; after which is added a small quantity of cremnitz or other heavy bodied
white the varnish compound is then applied to the palettes in the same manner as
ordinary French polish, by which a hard, smooth and nearly white enamelled surface
is obtained that will resist turpentine, oils or water colours, and one more easily
cleaned than ordinary wood palettes.
When palettes are made of very fine grained wood, I prefer to first wash the
surface of the palettes with the liquid of newly slacked lime, which to some extent
opens the pores or grain of the wood, thereby affording better facilities for the
cremnitz or other white compound to adhere to the wood.
My object may be also accomplished by first coating the surface of the wood palettes
with a composition of cremnitz or other white, mixed in a similar manner and rubbed
to a surface whilst soft as before described, then when dry, the palettes are covered
with two or three coats of a composition of cremnitz or other heavy bodied white
ground in white shellac varnish mixed with methylated spirit, to which is added
sandarach varnish or other gums soluble in methylated spirit, until the compound has
a consistency of a creamy varnish which gives the palettes a white and porcelain
appearance, and are finished by rubbing the enamelled surface with fluor-pumice
stone and oil applied with a little soft felt, by which a hard and nearly white surface
is obtained and one unaffected by turpentine, oils or water colours.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The hereinbefore described method of enamelling the surfaces of palettes by coating
them with compounds prepared and applied substantially in the inanner as herein-
before set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1890
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.