Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TOYS, MODELS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES OF ORNAMENT OR UTILITY
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mary Ann Smith, of Wimpole Street, Mary-
le-bone, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TOYS, MODELS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES OF ORNAMENT OR UTILITY."
Sealed the 5th September 1853, and dated the 5th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Mary Ann Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition,
on the 5th March 1853.
I, MARY ANN SMITH, of Wimpole Street, Mary-le-bone, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TOYS, MODELS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES OF ORNAMENT OR UTILITY" to be as follows:-
Most of the articles known as toys, and particularly such as are
designed to be illustrative models of household furniture and utensils,
are formed principally, if not altogether, of wood, plaster, tin, lead, and
similar materials, affording objects of an exceedingly rude and often
very fragile character. Now, my Invention consists of improvements
in the application of well-known materials in a peculiar manner,

page_text: enabling me to produce toys and other like articles which are pretty
accurate models of whatever they are intended to represent, accompa-
nied with every appearance of lightness, and possessing more strength
than similar articles of the same dimensions made only in the ordinary
manner.
For the better understanding of my said improvements, I will
proceed to describe one method of fabricating model articles of furniture,
whether to be used for toys, models, or ornament, as the same process
will apply to all alike, in regard to the main principle I have in view,
and desire to claim as my Invention. Tables, chairs, and all framework
require, in the imitation of them, the employment of thin wood or
pasteboard, and wire; but I prefer the wire known as bonnet wire,
covered with fine thread, silk, or other suitable material. The pasteboard
or other material is to be cut to the required form of all flat or nearly
flat surfaces, as the table tops and seats and backs of couches and
chairs; the thread-covered or other wire is next to be divided into
suitable lengths for sets of legs, frames, and the like, the thread of the
bonnet wire serving to allow two or more wires to bo stitched together
with a needle and thread, or by the same means to bind the wire to the
thin wood or pasteboard, wherever required to be attached. When the
skeleton of a toy, model, or ornamental article is thus formed, the card
used may be coated with thin foil, or it may be oiled or vanished.
which prepares it for the next operation, preventing its changing its
form. It is afterwards requisite to give the wire framing substance,
and to communicate to that substance any fluted, figured, or other
appearance, imitative of the object to. be represented; this is effected
by covering the wire, and likewise the card, where requisite, with a
composition of whitening or pipeclay mixed with glue or size, such
as is ordinarily used by carvers and gilders, by which means the wire is
imbedded in the material, serving to strengthen it, however light
in appearance; and any required ornamental effect can be produced on
its surface, representing the carved and turned work in wood, and the
mouldings of metal and other castings, and which may be further
heightened by painting, varnishing, gilding, or bronzing, according to
taste. The objects thus prepared, when requiring, like chairs, couches,

page_text: and other similar articles, the addition of imitative upholstery, the same
has to be completed, in the usual manner, with remnants of the articles
employed.
I would observe that the composition should be in a strong but
plastic state for laying over wire, but it may be reduced with warm
water, and the articles dipped in or brushed over, when a surface, like
card or thin wood, requires only to be thinly coated. Other compositions,
composed of a thickening material combined with glue or varnishes,
would answer the same purpose for covering the wire, and may be
thinned by superadding the combining fluid. And, on the same principle,
gutta percha or papier maché, variously combined, might be employed.
And although, in describing one process of manufacture, I have named
bonnet wire and gilders' composition, I do not restrict myself to any
particular size or description of wire, or to any express composition,
the principle of my invention being applicable to any compound, of
whatever composed, if sufficiently adhering to the wire.
My Invention entirely applies to the small articles imitative of larger,
artificial, or natural objects, and properly designated toys, as well as to
many useful and ornamental articles, as flower baskets, watch stands,
and the like, and also to the formation of models as designs for furniture
and other matters, or as illustrative copies thereof. I do not claim any
of the applications of wire covered with gilders' composition to picture
and mirror frames, or to articles of absolute furniture, but only when
employed in such separate articles as herein-before expressed; and I do
declare that I claim as my Invention―
The employing of wire, with or without pasteboard or thin wood,
covered with any adhesive composition, when wire forms the skeleton
or principal framework of the articles described.
0
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Mary Ann Smith, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 5th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL
COME
MARY ANN SMITH, of Wimpole Street, Mary-le-bone, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Mary Ann Smith, Her special licence that 1, the
said Mary Ann Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Mary Ann Smith, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OF TOYS, MODELS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES OF ORNAMENT
OR UTILITY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Mary
Ann Smith, by an instrument in writing under my land and seal, 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 1, the said Mary Ann Smith, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
My said Invention consists of improvements in the application of
well-known materials in a peculiar manner, enabling me to produce
toys, and other like articles, which are pretty accurate models of
whatever they are constructed to represent, accompanied with the
appearance of lightness, while at the same time possessing much
strength and durability; whereas most of the articles known as toys,
and particularly such as are intended to be illustrative models of house-
hold furniture and utensils, being formed principally, if not altogether,
of wood, plaster, tin, lead, and similar materials, affording objects of an
exceedingly rude as well as mostly of a very fragile character.
For the better understanding of my said improvements, I will now
proceed to describe one method of fabricating model articles of furniture,
whether to be used for toys, models, or ornamental purposes, as the.

page_text: same process will apply alike to all, in regard to the main principle
I have in view, and which I claim as my Invention.
In forming models, or other like articles, such as tables, chairs,
couches, and similar framed work, it is requisite to employ the wire
known as bonnet wire, covered with fine thread, silk, or other suitable
material; and for the broad surfaces of such articles thin wood or
tin-foil may be used, but I prefer employing pasteboard, which must
be cut to the desired form of all flat or nearly flat surfaces, as the table
tops, and seats and backs of couches and chairs. The thread-covered
wire, or other wire, is next to be divided into suitable lengths for sets
of legs, frames, and the like.
I recommend using bonnet wire, to facilitate the attachment of wire
to wire, or of wire to the pasteboard, wood, tin-foil, or other materials
employed, as this is readily effected by stitching them with a needle
and thread, passing the needle through the binding on the wire wherever
it requires to be attached by stitching another part thereto. When the
skeleton of a toy, model, or ornamental article is thus formed, the flat
surfaces, if made of cardboard, may be coated with tin-foil, oiled, or
varnished, which prepares it for the next operation, which might other-
wise change its form or figure. It is next requisite to give the wiro
framing suitable substance, communicating to it also any fluted, figured,
or other appearance that may be requisite; this is effected by covering
the wire, and likewise the card or pasteboard where necessary, with a
composition of whitening mixed with glue or size, such as is ordinarily
used by carvers and gilders, or any similar compound will answer the
same purpose, so that the wire is imbedded in the material, thereby
serving to strengthen it, however light in appearance; and, at the same
time, its plasticity favours any ornamental embossing of the surface,
and which may be further heightened in effect by painting, varnishing,
gilding, or bronzing. When the objects so prepared require the addition
of imitative upholstery, the same may be completed in the usual
manner with remnants of the silk and other articles employed.
I would here observe that the composition may be used strong and
plastic for covering wire and other frame work, but it may be reduced
with warm water, and brushed over flat surfaces requiring only a thin

page_text: coating. Other compositions, principally formed from gutta percha or
papier maché, variously combined, might be employed. I do not,
however, restrict myself to any particular composition, so long
one that will spread over the wire, receive an ornamental surface, and
in its application bear out the principle of my Invention; neither do I
confine myself to any particular mode of attaching the wires, for which
fine wire may sometimes be used; nor to the kind of wire, as to the
metal, size, or covering of the same; nor to any particular class of the
articles described, except that I do not claim any of the applications of
wire covered with gilders' composition employed for picture, mirror, and
like works of furniture, for which the same has hitherto been in use.
And I do declare that what I claim as my Invention is, namely,-
The employing of wire, with or without pasteboard or thin wood,
covered with any thickening adhesivo composition, when wire forms the
skeleton or principal framework of toys, models, and other like articles
of ornament or utility, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Mary Ann Smith, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of September, in the year
of our Lord 1853.