Improvements in or connected with Photographic Spotting and Re-touching.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Photographic Spotting and
Re-touching.
I FREDERICK CHARLES DAVIS BEACHAM, of 29 Litchfield Street Charing Cross
Road W.C. London, Middlesex, Lithographic Printer & Transferrer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
It is well known when photographs are printed & toned there are often white
spots, which have to be covered by spotting mediums.
To the present time, the photographer uses spotting mediums which usually
wash away when photographs are undergoing the process of enamelling, &
frequently rub off while being burnished.
The use of camel hair sable or other brushes & such inconvenience is also
avoided by the use of the crayon hereinafter described.
The
My invention mainly consists of a crayon, composed of the following ingredients,
wax, suet, soap, shellac, salts of nitre, calcined lamp black, aneline dyes or stains in
powder & pitch. The suet and wax are first melted (in a copper or iron vessel with
a lid) the soap is then added in small pieces, when dissolved allowed to burn until
reduced to the same volume before the soap was added. The flame put out.
When these three ingredients are dissolved, and the salts of nitre has been mixed
with water and warmed (in a separate vessel) it is added by small quantities to
prevent too much effervesence. The shellac and pitch are now added.
requisite colors in powder (dyes or stains) are mixed with a stiff varnish or such-
like suitable substance, is put in little by little and kept stirring to incorporate into
one mass, the temperature is then increased until the mixture will catch fire upon
touching the surface with a red-hot iron, and allowed to burn one minute and fifteen
seconds, the flame put out, the flame is set in again only to burn the scum formed
on the surface, when a little cool it is poured out on a marble slab, previously
rubbed with soap or suet, cut into small pieces and re-melted, then moulded into
suitable form. It will be understood that the exact process may be varied if
desired.
In spotting a photograph according to my invention, the point of the crayon may
be moistened by dipping it in clean water, and if the spots are very obstinate to
cover acetic acid must be added to the water, the acid must always be added to the
water when photographs are to be enamelled and when the film is thin on the
negative in spots. Other acids may be used to bring out & change the colors,
but I find acetic acid the best to retain the original colors.
If the photographs are spotted in quick succession after mounting, there will be
found sufficient moisture to dispense with the use of water, unless the spots are
difficult to cover when the acid & water must be used as aforesaid, blotting paper
will be found useful when using the acid & water. The crayon may also be
used dry for some purposes, for instance, in spotting unalbumenized photographs, or
where the surface is not required to be shiny. If the photographs are spotted after
burnishing & should shew dull spots when spotted, a slight rub with a piece of
clean rag or chamois leather over the finger dipped in French chalk will be
sufficient to remove the dullness.
For re-touching negatives I find the hard crayon most suitable. The degrees of
hardness may be obtained in two ways.
1st by increasing the salts of nitre.
2nd by cooking it longer, it is better to obtain the degrees of hardness by cooking,
as too much nitre will make the crayon too brittle. The crayon can be used on the
negative film, without negative varnish or re-touching medium, or on the negative

page_text: varnish without the re-touching medium, or can be used on the re-touching medium
without the negative varnish.
Should the re-toucher accidentally stipple too heavily the spots can be reduced
to the shade required by the point of a brass pin not to sharp, or can be removed by
rubbing with a piece of pointed ink eraser or a piece of chamois leather over the
finger, without removing the varnish or re-touching medium as in the usual way
with methylated spirit.
Thus, the process of manufacturing the aforesaid crayon for re-touching negatives,
and spotting photographs on any material to be enamelled or otherwise, consists
essentially in using dyes or stains in combination with the before mentioned
ingredients, in the form of a crayon, according to my invention; also the use of
acetic acid or the like in re-touching negatives where the film is thin in spots, and
in spotting photographs when the spots are obstinate to cover, & when photographs
are to be enamelled.
Dated this 9th day of February 1891.
FREDERICK CHARLES DAVIS BEACHAM.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Photographic Spotting and
Re-touching.
I FREDERICK CHARLES DAVIS BEACHAM of 29 Litchfield Street Charing Cross
Road, W.C. London, Middlesex, Lithographic Printer, do hereby declare 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 :-
It is well known when photographs are printed & toned, there are often white
spots which have to be covered with spotting mediums.
To the present time the photographer uses spotting mediums which usually wash
away when photographs are undergoing the process of enamelling & frequently rub
off while being burnished.
The use of camel hair sable or other brushes & such inconvenience is also avoided
by the use of the crayon hereinafter described. My invention mainly consists of a
crayon composed of the following ingredients & proportions, white wax 32 parts,
curd, yellow or castile soap 27 parts, mutton suet 4 parts, salts of nitre 1 part
dissolved in 8 times its weight of water, pitch 4 parts, shellac 6 parts, calcined
lamp black 4 parts, dyes or staines in powder brown 7 parts, scarlet 3 parts,
blue 3 parts, violet 3 parts, these colors produce a useful photo shade, but the
proportions can be varied according to the shade required, other colours can also
be produced if required.
As soap contains more or less moisture according to age, it must be cut into small
pieces & dried before using. The suet & wax are first melted (in a copper or iron
vessel with a lid) the soap having previously been cut into small pieces is then added
a small piece at a time, allowing each piece to dissolve before another is added,
when dissolved allowed to burn until reduced to the same volume as before the
soap was added, care must be taken not to allow them to burn too much or too
quickly (it may be necessary to take the vessel off the fire to prevent the contents
from boiling over). The flames is now put out: When these three ingredients are
dissolved and the salts of nitre has been mixed with eight times its weight of water
and warmed (in a separate vessel with a lid) it is added by small quantities to
prevent too much effervescence, the shellac and pitch are now added. The requisite
colors in powder dyes or staines and calcined lamp black are mixed with a stiff
varnish or such like suitable substance (one varnish may be made, thus:-by
heating linseed oil until it will ignite by touching the surface with a lighted taper
and the whole allowed to burn until reduced to one half). When mixed it is added
little by little and kept stirring to incorporate into one mass, the temperature is
then increased until the mixture will catch fire upon touching the surface with a

page_text: red-hot iron and allowed to burn one minute fifteen seconds, the flame put out (by
covering the vessel with the lid). The flame is set in again only to burn the scum
formed on the surface.
It is essential for the whole to be dissolved into one substance and kept stirring
during the whole of the foregoing process with an iron spatula or pallet knife.
When a little cool it is poured out on a marble slab previously rubbed with soap or
suet. When set a little it is cut into small pieces and re-melted, (re-melting is
done to give a finer texture to the ingredients,) then moulded into suitable form,
and pointed, cutting them (the crayons) the opposite way to pointing a lead pencil,
finely finishing off the point by rubbing on paper; fine glass paper or emery cloth
may be used.
It will be understood that the exact process may be varied if desired.
In spotting a photograph according to my invention the point of the crayon may
be moistened by dipping it in clean water and if the spots are very obstinate to
cover acetic acid or carbolic acid must be added to the water about three parts acid
to one part water. The acid (carbolic acid pure I find best) must always be added
to the water when photographs are to be enamelled, and when the film is thin on the
negative in spots, if the photographs are spotted in quick succession after mounting
there will be found sufficient moisture to dispence with the use of water unless the
spots are difficult to cover when the acid or acid & water must be used as afore-
said, blotting paper will be found useful when using the acid or acid and water.
The crayon may also be used dry especially for some purposes, for instance, in
spotting unalbuminised photographs and platinographo prints, or where the surface
is not required to be shiny. Various acids may be used to bring out and change the
colors but I find acetic and carbolic acids the best to retain the original colors.
If photographs are spotted after burnishing and should shew dull spots when
spotted, a slight rub with a piece of clean rag or chamois leather over the finger dipped
in French chalk will be sufficient to remove the dullness. Those who prefer spotting
with a brush can do so, by slightly warming the saucer or pallet, and rubbing the
crayon on dry, then add a small portion of water and acid (carbolic preferable)
proportions as before mentioned, and mix with the finger or brush. Another way
I find very serviceable of using the crayon, by mixing it into a liquid with acid
& water as before mentioned to about the consistance of cream and coating a pallet,
when dry can be used as required, can also be bottled. The two last methods apply
to spotting photographs only. I find the ingredients made in the form of a crayon the
quickest and most convenient way of using. For re-touching negatives I find the
hard crayon most suitable. The degrees of hardness may be obtained in two ways,
first, by increasing the salts of nitre, secondly by cooking it longer, it is better to
obtain the degrees of hardness by cooking, as too much salts of nitre will make the
crayon too brittle (copal varnish may also be used to mix the colors when required
harder).
Only two colors are necessary in manufacturing the re-touching crayon viz. :
brown and black 9 parts of each added to the ingredients before mentioned leaving
out the other colors. The crayon can be used on the negative film without negative
varnish or re-touching medium, or on the negative varnish without the re-touching
medium, or can be used on the re-touching mediums without the negative
varnish.
Should the re-toucher accidently stipple too heavily the spots can be reduced to
the shade required by the point of a brass pin not too sharp, or can be removed by
rubbing with a piece of pointed ink eraser or a piece of chamois leather over the
finger, without removing the varnish or re-touching medium in the usual way with
methalated spirit.
Thus, the process of manufacturing the aforesaid crayon or other suitable form
for re-touching negatives; and spotting photographs on any material to be enamelled
or otherwise, consists essentially in employing dyes or staines in combination with the
before mentioned ingredients made into a crayon or other suitable form according
to my invention, also the use of acetic and carbolic acids or the like in re-touching

page_text: negatives when the film is thin in spots, and in spotting photographs when the
spots are obstinate to cover and when photographs are to be enamelled.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
First. The production of a crayon or other suitable form, by employing dyes or
staines in combination with the before mentioned ingredients mauufactured in the
manner and for the purposes and uses, substantially as set forth.
Secondly. A process of spotting and re-touching by the use of a crayon,
substantially as set forth in my invention.
Thirdly. The use of acetic and carbolic acids or the like in re-touching negatives
when the film is thin in spots, and in spotting photographs on any material when the
spots are obstinate to cover, and when photographs are to be enamelled, substantially
as described in my invention.
Dated this 10th day of April 1891.
FREDERICK CHARLES DAVIS BEACHAM.