A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF CANING AND OPEN-WORK FOR SEATS OF CHAIRS, STOOLS, SCREENS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF CANING AND OPEN-WORK FOR SEATS
OF CHAIRS, STOOLS, SCREENS, AND OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from
abroad by Joséphine Lacroix, Widow, and Eugénie Bardin, Spinster, both of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1878.
"
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF CANING
AND OPEN-WORK FOR SEATS OF CHAIRS, STOOLS, SCREENS, AND OTHER ARTICLES.”
A communication from abroad by Joséphine Lacroix, Widow, and Eugénie Bardin,
Spinster, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
Hitherto the frames of chairs, stools, and screens have been caned without other
modifications than variation of the plaiting, braiding, or twisting, in consequence
of the difficulty, amounting almost to impossibility, of dyeing rush or cane.
The object of this Invention is to remedy this defect, which prevents the
decoration of the chairs being made to correspond with the color of the hangings and
other decorations of dining rooms, halls, ante-chambers, and other apartments, by
employing the following means :-
By substituting for the ordinary caning, wholly or in part, plaits, galloons, or
laces of spool, silk, cloth, velvet, or gold and silver colored wire, gilt and silvered;
or again, dyed straw; finally, leather straps.
When caning is entirely dispensed with, being replaced by these galloons or laces,
metallic threads, or wire, copper, lead, brass, or other, are plaited with them to give
sufficient strength,
The plaiting, braiding, or twisting, is executed precisely as in ordinary caning.

page_text: The patterns vary according to the combinations of plaiting, braiding, or
twisting, and may be particularized as follows:-
1°. "Cannage do Luxe" or rich caning for articles in which the caning is only
partially replaced by straw or the other means above indicated.
"s
2º Nattage Oriental" or Oriental plaiting for all the articles in which no cane
is used.
The wooden frame is arranged in the ordinary manner; it has a rabbet or groove,
in which the work lies level with the frame. Holes are made equidistant in this
rabbet for the passage of the several strips or blades, which are there fixed.
For the piercing of these holes a flat plate of metal may be used, mathematically
divided and pierced with holes; this plate is applied on the frame, two or more ties
or fastenings of any suitable kind keeping it fixed, and it is then only necessary
by the aid of a boring bit or a gimblet to drill or bore the holes in the spots
marked by the above described guide, which greatly lessens the joinery work of
the frame.
The variations of pattern, which may be obtained, 1°, by the number of bands or
ties, straw, canes, plaits, galloons, laces, and so on; 2°, by the mixture of the colors;
3°, by the mode of caning, are too numerous to be detailed.
It may be sufficient to state that they form geometrical figures methodically
repeated.
By the application of the means above set forth the lightness of the articles of
furniture is preserved while giving to them the advantage of a decoration similar
to the hangings and other surroundings; horse hair stuffing and elastic springs are
saved, and also the covering with expensive stuffs, contact with which presents
many inconveniences, amongst others, that of great heat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th June 1879.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF CANING
AND OPEN-WORK FOR SEATS OF CHAIRS, STOOLS, SCREENS, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
A communication from abroad by Joséphine Lacroix, Widow, and Eugénie Bardin,
Spinster, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
Hitherto the frames of chairs, stools, and screens have been caned without other
modifications than variation of the plaiting, braiding, or twisting, in consequence
of the difficulty, amounting almost to impossibility, of dyeing rush or cane.
The object of this Invention is to remedy this defect, which prevents tho
decoration of the chairs being made to correspond with the color of the hangings
and other decorations of dining rooms, halls, ante-chambers, and other apartments,
by employing the following means.

page_text: By substituting for the ordinary caning, wholly or in part, plaits, galloons, or
laces of wool, silk, cloth, velvet, or gold and silver colored wire, gilt and silvered;
or again, dyed straw; finally, leather straps.
When caning is entirely dispensed with, being replaced by these galloons or laces,
metallic threads, or wire, copper, lead, brass, or other are plaited with them to give
sufficient strength.
The plaiting, braiding, or twisting is executed precisely as in ordinary caning.
The patterns vary according to the combinations of plaiting, braiding, or
twisting, and may be particularized as follows:-
1°. "Cannage de Luxe" or rich caning for articles in which the caning is only
partially replaced by straw or the other means above indicated.
2°. "Nattage Oriental" or Oriental plaiting for all the articles in which no cane
is used.
The wooden frame is arranged in the ordinary manner; it has a rabbet or groove,
in which the work lies level with the frame. Holes are made equidistant in this
rabbet for the passage of the several strips or blades, which are there fixed.
For the piercing of these holes a flat plate of metal may be used, mathematically
divided and pierced with holes; this plate is applied on the frame, two or more ties
or fastenings of any suitable kind keeping it fixed, and it is then only necessary by
the aid of a boring bit or a gimblet to drill or bore the holes in the spots marked
by the above described guide, which greatly lessens the joinery work of the
frame.
The variations of pattern which may be obtained, 1°, by the number of bands or
ties, straw, canes, plaits, galloons, laces, and so on; 2°, by the mixture of the colors;
3°, by the mode of caning, are too numerous to be detailed.
It may be sufficient to state that they form geometrical figures methodically
repeated.
By the application of the means above set forth the lightness of the articles of
furniture is preserved, while giving to them the advantage of a decoration similar
to the hangings and other surroundings; horse hair stuffing and elastic springs are
saved, and also the covering with expensive stuffs, contact with which presents
many inconveniences, amongst others, that of great heat.
This Invention substitutes nothing in lieu of ordinary caning, the proved strength
and durability of which have secured its long and universal success; it is wholly
retained in its usual dimensions, but the arrangement of the slips or strips of cane
may be modified, and they may be plaited into the form of stars, which has not
hitherto been done in wicker or cane work.
"
This caning, which may be particularized as cannage au point de l'etoile," may
be made entirely of ordinary or of decorated cane.
This decoration is obtained in two ways.
The first is intended to be used in localities where there is no lace or small-ware
manufacturer who can supply exactly what is required for the caning already
described.
This decoration consists in taking a strip of cane, upon which is superposed a
strip or edging of any of the materials mentioned in the first part of this Speci-
fication, and plaiting them as above described without glueing them together or
rolling one on the other, but plaiting with the superposed strips of cane and lace,
braid, or galloon.
The strength of the caning, which is wholly preserved, is increased by that of
the various matters superposed upon the strips of cane.
If a band or strap of one of the new materials first above mentioned, such as
leather, cloth, or other, be used alone without cane underneath it, care is taken to
use thicker caue at the parts where this material is introduced.
This mode will permit the adoption of this Invention where recourse cannot be
had to a lace-man to effect the superposition of the braid, galloon, or edging,
directly upon the bare cane with the whole of its strength preserved.
The decoration as regards straw, leather, or cloth, enters into the category of the

page_text: mode of manufacture first above described; it is the inserting, the superposition
always direct of these various bodies or materials upon the cane, arranged according
to star plaiting or any other kind of caning.
Where great strength is required the entire caning is supported by crosspieces of
wire, which are however completely independent of the cane work.
The second mode of decorating the cane relates also to the use of textile fabrics,
and consists in taking strips of cane of the strength and thickness ordinarily used
for canework and delivering them to the lace or small ware maker, who will make
the galloon, braid, or lace upon the said cane without using any intermediate
material ("ame"), warp, or core, and thus superpose a decorative layer, hiding from
view the cane, the appearance of which is not ornamental. This work, as above
stated, increases the ordinary strength and durability of the cane-work.
This lace-maker or small-ware manufacturer's work is effected in a similar way
to that of covering crinoline hoops; it is not obtained by twisting or by winding
'on, it needs no foreign warp or body, or metallic wire, which would affect its
strength. It is cane, or rather the strip or paring of cane usually used for cane-
work, fastened directly to the edging, galloon, or braid.
The matter known as "celluloid" may also be used for decorative caning.
The ordinary strip of cane is covered with a coating or layer of celluloid, colored
as may be desired; and the cane thus prepared may be used to plait cane work of
the old pattern, or in the star pattern above mentioned; this will give a polished
and very bright appearance, great strength, an infinite variety of colors, which will
not deteriorate from damp or heat, and which may be washed with a sponge and
clean water, as strips of ivory might be washed.
Using this latter means open or close wickerwork or canework may be made in
squares or other shapes, with strips of cane, more or less broad, but always coated
with "celluloid."
It is proposed to apply these various modes of caning to any articles for which
they may be found suitable.
This Invention, which aims at the matching of the caning or canework with the
colours of the hangings may also be carried out in the following manner:-
A ground of cloth or stuff similar in colour to the hangings or furniture may be
placed above, below, or between two arrangements of canework, which in these
several cases will serve as trimmings, do away with springs, and permit the article
of furniture, chair, or other, to retain all its lightness and freshness; this cloth
or stuff is fixed to the canework by a stitching of galloon or braid in the form
of a St. Andrew's cross or of an X, at each point where the strips of cane meet
each other, as might be done on a piece of tapestry canvas.
The various means above set forth constitute this Invention, the object of which
is by the aid of a new process of caning, which gives a new pattern, of the appli-
cation of new means, and of the use of new materials, to give a novel resource or
expedient to the decorative art in its application to furniture and for other
applications.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)