IMPROVEMENTS IN PRO- DUCING ORNAMENTAL PATTERNS IN GOLD AND COLOR ON PORCELAIN, EARTHENWARE, GLASS AND ENAMEL
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Leigh Hughes, of Droitwich Road, in the
County of Worcester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRO-
DUCING ORNAMENTAL PATTERNS IN GOLD AND COLOR ON PORCELAIN,
EARTHENWARE, GLASS AND ENAMEL."
Sealed the 11th March 1863, and dated the 30th September 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Leigh Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th September 1862.
I, JAMES LEIGH ПгGHES, of Droitwich Road, in the County of Worcester,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRODUCING ORNAMENTAL PATTERNS IN GOLD AND COLOR ON PORCELAIN, EARTHEN-
WARE, GLASS AND ENAMEL," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in producing ornamental
patterns in gold and color on porcelain, earthenware, glass, and enamel.
When the pattern is to be produced in gold, I cover the surface of the article of
porcelain, earthenware, glass, or enamel, or the portion of the surface on
which the pattern is to be produced with gold, which I apply in the manner
ordinarily practised by china and glass painters and burn it on, I then take on
piece of paper an impression from an engraved plate or block of the pattern
I desire to produce; this impression is taken in a bituminous or other varnish
which will harden and resist the action of acids. From the paper I transfer
the impression on to the surface of gold on the article to be ornamented and

page_text: when the paper has been removed and the impression is sufficiently set, I apply
to the surface a liquid which will dissolve or loosen the gold where it is
unprotected by the varnish,-aqua-regia and fluoric acids answer the purpose;
and in this manner the effect desired is obtained, the protecting varnish is
removed and the remaining gold is burnished.
To produce a pattern in color, I first cover the surface to be brnamented
with a uniform coating, of enamel color by preference, in the manner known
to china and glass painters as "ground laying," and then I proceed in the
manner as when producing the pattern in gold except that with colors
I prefer always to employ fluoric acid and the burnishing is not required. In
⚫some cases in producing ornamental patterns in gold and color on porcelain,
earthenware, and enamel, I apply the resisting varnish by means of a pencil
as the pattern requires, in place of transferring it from a printed surface. Or
I cover the whole surface with a protecting coating and then with a tool
remove it from the parts where the pattern requires that the gold or color
should be removed, afterwards I dissolve or loosen the gold or color as before.
I also in some cases proceed similarly in producing on glass a pattern in
gold.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Leigh IIughes, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th March 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LEIGH HUGHES, of Droitwich Road, in the County of Worcester, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Hor
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Leigh Hughes, Пer special licence that I, the said James Leigh
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Leigh Hughes, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING ORNAMENTAL PATTERNS IN GOLD AND COLOR ON

page_text: PORCELAIN, EARTHENWARE, GLASS AND ENAMEL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Leigh Hughes, 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 James Leigh Hughes, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, that is to say:―
When producing ornamental patterns in gold on porcelain, earthenware,
glass, or enamel, I cover the whole surface of the article or such part or parts
thereof as is or are intended to be ornamented with gold, which I apply in
the manner ordinarily practised by china and glass painters, and as is well
understood, and I burn it on to such surface or part or parts thereof, where the
ornamenting is to be produced. On to the surface or parts thereof so coated
with gold, I place a printed impression, taken by preference on paper from an
engraved plate or from other printing surface, such impression being taken in a
bituminous or other varnish which will resist the action of acid. The impies-
sion is to be transferred on to the surface of gold and the paper removed
therefrom, as is well understood in transferring impressions on to china and
glass. When the impression is set, I apply a liquid which will dissolve, or
loosen the gold where it is unprotected by the varnish of the impression.
For this purpose I use aqua regia or fluoric acid, the acid should be diluted,
about one of acid to one of water, and in this manner the ornamental device
or pattern is produced. It should be stated that where the gold only occupics
a part of the whole surface, or where the impression only extends partly over
the surface coated with gold then it is desirable that the parts of the surface
surrounding the impression should be coated by hand or otherwise with a
material which will prevent the action of the acid beyond the printed
impression, the coating for this purpose which I usually employ, consists of gas
tar and bee's-wax mixed in the proportions of three parts of gas tar to one part
by weight of bee's-wax. Or asphaltum, varnish, or other materials may be
employed for the purpose. If desired the character of the ornamental designs
in gold may be heightened and improved by applying platinum, in like
manner, to gold, and then removing parts of the same according to design by
acid, in order that the platinum may form parts of a pattern whilst the other
parts of the pattern are of gold.

page_text: In place of applying the varnish by an impression as above explained it may
be applied artistically by hand or it may be applied all over the surface to be
ornamented and then the parts to be acted on by the acids may be removed
by a graver or other suitable instrument. In producing ornamental patterns
in color on porcelain, earthenware, and enamel, the parts of the surface which
are to be ornamented, are to be uniformly coated with enamel color by prefer-
ence in the manner known to china painters as "ground laying," and this is
burnt on as is well understood. Then, in order to ornament such parts of an
article of porcelain, earthenware, or enamel, as are covered with colored enamel,
I apply an impression from an engraved or other plate or printing surface
taken in a bituminous or other suitable varnish which will resist acids; having
transferred such impression and removed the paper or fabric, as is well under-
stood, the varnish is allowed time to set, I then apply a suitable liquid for
dissolving or removing the colored enamel in those parts where the same is
not protected by the varnish of the impression; fluoric acid is the best for this
purpose. In place of applying the varnish by an impression from an engraved
or other plate or other printing surface, it may be applied artistically by hand
or by spreading it all over the parts to be ornamented, and then the ornamental
device or design produced by a graver or other suitable instrument by
removing those parts of the varnish where the acid is to act on the colored
enamel. When the acid has loosened the gold or color the article is to be
washed in water, then the impression is removed by a spirit, such as spirit
of tar, and afterwards the article is scoured with sand and burnished, if desired,
as is well understood in the ordinary china gilding.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First, the mode herein described of producing ornamental patterns in gold,
on porcelain, earthenware, glass, and enamel.
And, secondly, I claim the mode herein described of producing ornamental
patterns in color on porcelain, earthenware, and enamel.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Leigh Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JAMES LEIGH HUGHES. (L.S.)