Improvements in Making Photographic or other Portraits stand out in Bas Relief.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1898-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Making Photographic or other Portraits stand out
in Bas Relief.
WILLIAM HENRY PRESTWICH, Photographer, 744, High Road, Tottenham, Mid-
dlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The method by which I produce the effect of relief is by first making an intaglio
by carving or engraving the portrait on a block of wood or plaque of plaster of
Paris. To the end that correct registration in all the operations may be effected
I fix in pins near to the margin of block to be engraved. I then place a piece of
thin cardboard the size of block on the face of block and on to the registering
pins. A tracing of the portrait is now made by placing it on a piece of thin paper
underneath which is a piece of carbon paper, by following the outline and details
with a pencil or stylus a correct drawing in reverse is the result. This reversed
portrait is now laid in the required position on the cardboard on the block with
carbon paper underneath the outline and details of picture are again traced leaving
the drawing on the cardboard.
The outline of portrait is now cut through, the centre piece removed, and used
as guide during process of carving to give correct position for details in the face
&c. After completion of carving a cameo is made by filling the intaglio with
plaster of Paris or some other suitable plastic substance, all this time the cardboard
out of which the centre of figure was cut remains in position, when the plaster
cameo is set or dry it is lifted off the block together with the cardboard.
The cameo can now be trimmed corrections and improved details made.
The cameo is now placed back into the intaglio and a block of wood or simply a
cardboard (in which the registering holes have been made) is placed on the back
of cameo which has previously had glue or other suitable adhesive substance pasted
on and subjected to pressure and allowed to set or dry. I now place the mounted
cameo in a frame with a solid back. The photograph being mounted or on thick
blotting other suitable paper the full size of the frame the cardboard out of which
the centre figure had been cut is now placed over the portrait to be embossed in
correct register of outline, a pricker or bradawl is then passed through the regis-
tering holes of card, thus giving corresponding holes through the mount or por-
trait. The portrait is now placed in correct position by means of the registering
pinholes with the back of portrait, in cameo. An open frame is now fastened
on the frame so as to grip the margin of mount, this is to prevent buckling of
photographs when being pressed out. A thick elastic indiarubber pad is now
placed on face of portrait a block of wood on the top of rubber and the whole sub-
jected to pressure when it will be found to be embossed with all the form and detail
of the cameo it can at once be removed from the frame and mounted on a suitable
card board, or it may be found desirable to first back up with wool or plaster of
Paris to prevent the sinking of the embossing.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1807

page_text: Improvements in Making Photographic or other Portraits stand out
in Bas Relief,
I, WILLIAM HENRY PRESTWICH, Photographer, of 744, High Road, Tottenham,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in the art of making photographs
or other portraits or pictures stand out from their mounts in bas relief, and consists
in the method of accomplishing my object, and in the means employed for the
purpose.
I will now fully describe my invention, referring in so doing to the annexed
drawings in which Fig. I is a plan of an intaglio block for making a cameo, and
Fig. 2 represents a card having the picture or image to be embossed (and which
has been previously outlined thereon) cut out and removed. Fig. 3 is a plan of the
receiving and pressing box and Fig. 4 an enlarged longitudinal section showing
all the parts arranged in position ready for the pressure and embossing process.
The method by which I produce the effect of relief is as follows: first, I prepare
as far as convenient an intaglio by carving or engraving in a block of wood or
plaque of plaster of Paris as B, Fig. 1, the portrait or picture A which is to be
embossed or raised up.
To the end that correct registration in all subsequent operations may be effected,
I make permanent holes P for receiving registering pins p in convenient posi-
tions near to the margin of the block B which is to be carved or engraved, as
shown in Fig. 1. I then place and fix on the face of the said block B a piece of
thin cardboard C of the same size as said block B and register same by the pins p.
A tracing of the portrait or picture to be embossed (hereinafter called the picture)
is now made by placing on the block a piece of thin or tracing paper, underneath
which is a piece of carbon paper; by following the outline and details with a
pencil or stylus a correct drawing of the picture in reverse is produced. This
reversed picture tracing is now laid and registered by the pins p in the required
position on the sheet of cardboard C fixed as stated upon the block B the carbon
paper being placed underneath the traced outline, and details of the picture are
again traced over, thus leaving the picture upon the cardboard sheet.
The outline of the picture together with the card C underlying same is now cut
through and the cut out central parts C¹ of both paper and card removed as shown
in Fig. 2.
.
These cut out representations C¹ of the picture in card and tracing paper
I use
as guides for the subsequent work of completing the carving of the intaglio i.e.
as to depths and other details and thereby I am enabled to obtain the precise posi-
tions and effects of all detail of the picture with great accuracy. By laying the cut
out card C upon the block B and piercing holes therein exactly corresponding
to those already made in the said block as described I am enabled to accurately
register all pictures subsequently to be embossed from the same cameo by means
of the registering pins p and holes P referred to.
After completion of the intaglio carving in the block B, I proceed to make a
cameo D. This I do by filling the intaglio with plaster of Paris or some other
suitable plastic substance. During the operation I leave the cardboard C (out of

page_text: which the centre part C¹, viz., the figure or image has, been cut) in the,position upon
the block B already described and I fill in the plaster to the level of its surface.
When the plastic cameo is set and dry it is lifted off the block B together with
the cardboard C, and can be readily and artistically trimmed, and any required
corrections and improved details made.
The next operation is to replace the cameo D in its original position in the in-
taglio and by glue or other adhesive to mount upon its back a card or wood
block E of the same size as the block B and in said card I make register holes
exactly corresponding with those in said block B. I next place the mounted cameo
(face upward) in a box or frame F, Fig. 3, having a solid back f. Any number of
copies of the same picturé can now be registered for embossing by placing the cut
out cardboard or paper over the picture in correct position of outline. A pricker
is then passed through the registering pin holes P thus giving corresponding
holes through the mount of the picture. The photograph or picture M which is to
be treated and raised up and which has already been mounted on thick blotting
or other suitable paper or cardboard the full size of the box frame F is now laid on
the cameo in some cases the cardboard or sheet C out of which the centre
figure C had been cut as described may be then placed upon and over the portrait
to be embossed, in correct register of outline, but the use of the cut card at this
period is not essential.
The picture having been placed upon and with its back to the cameo, absolutely
correct position is assured by means of the registering pin holes and pins. An
open frame G, Fig. 3, of the same size and form as that shown at F in Fig. 3, is
now laid and fastened by screws such as S or by clamps or otherwise conveniently
upon the said box-frame F and its contents so as to firmly grip the margin of the
mount of the picture M; this is to prevent any buckling of the picture while being
pressed out, and at this stage the pins p, having performed their function, may be
withdrawn. A thick elastic indiarubber pad T about 3" thick is now placed on
the face of the picture, then a block of wood W is laid on the top of rubber pad T,
and the arrangement is complete. The above described arrangement of the parts
is well shown in the longitudinal section, Fig. 4, which also shows the card C
applied upon the picture. In this condition the whole of the parts superposed
within the frames is subjected to pressure applied in the direction of the arrows HH.
in any usual or convenient way; when the pressure is removed and the photograph
or picture removed from the frame it will be found to be embossed with all the
form and detail of the cameo D by which it has been raised up. It can then at
once be removed from the frame and mounted on a suitable cardboard or it may be
found desirable to first back up the raised part with wool or plaster of Paris to
prevent any subsequent sinking of the embossing.
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:-
1. The use for making photographic and other pictures stand out in bas relief,
of a cameo made, adapted for use, and employed in the manner above set forth.
2. The method of ensuring accurate registration of pictures to be embossed in
the manner above specified consisting in the provision of a cut-out card and paper
and registering pins, all employed in the manner above set forth.
3. The improved method of making photographic or other pictures stand out
from the mounts in bas relief, which consists in making a cameo of the picture
to be embossed and mounting same as described, then placing in a box or frame,
first the cameo, then the picture (with its back to the cameo) and accurately regis-
tering same by means of previously made holes and pins as described, then clamp-
ing all in position in the box frame by another similar but open frame, then
superposing a rubber or yielding pad and a rigid top plate, both the latter being.

page_text: of the same size as the frames and applying pressure to the whole of the parts
superposed in said frames, substantially as above described and illustrated in the
drawings.
For the Applicant,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.