Improvements in or relating to Colours for and Colouring Photographs and other Articles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 25th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL DIETETICA
Improvements in or relating to Colours for and Colouring
Photographs and other Articles.
I, FREDERICK CHARLES DAVIS BEACHAM, of 35 Queen Square Bristol,
Lithographic Printer and Transferrer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Hitherto photographers have not been able to obtain colours (for colouring
photographs in a simple manner) that will stand through wet processes such
as "enamelling" & "opalines & many other wet processes well known to
the photographic profession and do for ordinary (photographic) purposes as
well. The colours I prepare will not only stand through wet processes (hot or
cold) after the photograph has been treated with a mordant in the manner I shall
herein describe, but will also do for ordinary purposes leaving out the mordant and
can be hot or cold burnished if desired, and no previous preparing of the
photographic surface is necessary excepting when photographs are to be treated by
wet processes, it will also be seen after using these colours for photographic prints
(before or after burnishing) that they sink into the face of the print and in no way
interferes with the brilliancy of the surface, so that burnishing is not necessary or
can be done either before or after colouring; oil or ordinary water-colours can be
worked upon them without the underlay of colour working up as is generally the
case with ordinary water-colours when used upon photographs. The brilliancy of
the surface will be kept better by colouring the photograph while wet before
mounting as these colours will not smudge or come off if accidentally wetted or
handled by the mounter, another advantage by using my process and colours is,
that batches of prints can be sent to the colourist to be coloured unmounted by this
means save postage that would be charged upon the mounts (this does not apply to
enamelling).
I then
The colours I use are principally alizarine colours, dissolved in water.
add acetic acid (to kill the lime in the water ;) tannic acid fused potassa, Glauber
salts, boracic acid, biborate of soda, resin, bichromate of potash or of soda or of
any bichromate, alum (burnt or chrome), kreosote and tartar, various salts acids,
alkalies & sodas of a like nature may be used, but I find those before mentioned
the best for the purpose, I also treat other colours and dyes or stains in a like
manner if desired and have found colours mixed in following proportions give good
results, viz.; dram of colour 6 oz. of water, 40 drops acetic acid, fused potassa
dm., 20 drops kreosote, 10 drops boracic acid. It will also be understood that
the exact proportions and process that will be described in my Complete
Specification may be varied if necessary without departing from the nature of my
said invention. These colours may with advantage be applied to the back of the
photograph without making the paper the photographic film is on first of all
transparent as is the usual way to make the colours show through when doing
christoloun painting &c. these colours immediately go through the paper, this
method will be found most useful when the shades of colour are required deeper.
After the photograph has been immersed in a mordant bath of some of the
following, alum, tartar, copperas, sulphate of copper, acetate of iron, nitrate of iron,
tin salts or crystals, phosphate of soda, soda crystals, biborate of soda, fused potassa,
stannate of soda, carbonate of potash, Glauber salts, resin, bichromate of potash or
soda, tannic acid, tartar emetic, sumach; the following formulas give good results,
viz.; 1 dram fused potassa and 1 scruple resin dissolved in 6 oz. of water, I keep

page_text: this as a stock solution and dilute with water when required for use about 1 oz. of
stock solution to 8 ozs. of water, or 2 parts bichromate of potash 2 parts tartar add
20 to 30 parts water, this is the best mordant for alizarine colours.
The iron mordants are used to darken the colours either by applying with a
brush or putting the photograph in a bath. The tin mordants are for brightening
and modifying used in the same manner, or added to the colour in the following
proportions, 3 per cent. crystals tin & 2 per cent. tartar, 2 per cent. colour.
The photograph should remain in the mordant untill throughly saturated for the
purpose of preparing the photographic surface to receive & retain colours. I then
take the photograph out of the bath and place it upon a blotting paper pad, taking
up the superfluous moisture with another blotting paper pad. Before colouring I
work up the detail of the picture and take out any white spots by spotting or
re-touching with my indelible spotting mediums (in accordance with my claims in
my Patent 2390 of 1891, for photographic spotting and re-touching) either on the
face or back of the photograph as may be found most suitable, I commence
colouring first with the flesh tint (using ordinary brushes to apply the colour and a
seperate brush for, flesh tints, yellows, browns, blues, reds, purples, greens &c.) if
the flesh tint gets patchy I remedy this by applying (with a mop brush) alkalies,
I find ammonia 880 slightly diluted with water the best for this purpose, by
repeating this application the flesh tint will become quite even.
As the photograph dries it should be remoistened with the mordant, always using
blotting paper through the whole colouring process to take up any superfluous
colouring matter or liquid that may remain upon the surface washing with the
mordant should also be done after colouring as any superfluous colouring or other
matter left on the surface would cause the enamel to blister, a seperate mop brush
should be kept for this purpose. I then proceed with the other colours adding if
necessary a few drops of acetic acid to the colour on the palette, to deepen the
shades the wash should be repeated or applied to the back as before described,
to lighten the shades water may be added.
I treat gelatino-chloride paper before colouring as follows by immersing the
photograph in a bath of bichromate of potash or chrome alum to harden the
surface this also prevents the colours going through the film; these colours are
very transparent and are therefore better for photographic colouring & other work
where transparent films are used, such as carbon transparencies &c. so that the
picture may be coloured before transferring it; by this method the face of the print
need not be interfered with after it has been transferred unless desired, or a double
advantage may be gained by colouring both sides, they are also useful for colouring
engravings, maps, & comic pictures &c.
Dated this 18th day of July 1893.
FREDERICK CHARLES DAVIS BEACHAM.
COMI LEIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Colours for and Colouring
Photographs and other Articles.
I, FREDERICK CHARLES DAVIS BEACHAM, of 35, Queen Square Bristol,
Lithographic Printer and Transferrer and Photographic Pigment Manufacturer,
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:-
"
Hitherto photographers have not been able to obtain colours, for colouring
photographs in a simple manner that will stand through wet processes such as
enamelling, "opalines and many other wet processes well known to the
photographic profession and will do for ordinary photographic purposes as well.
66
"

page_text: The colours I prepare will not only stand through wet processes (hot or cold) after
the photograph has been treated with a mordant in the manner I shall herein
describe, but will also do for ordinary purposes leaving out the mordant and can be
hot or cold burnished if desired no previous preparing of the photographic surface
being necessary excepting when photographs are to be treated by wet processes, it
will also be seen after using these colours upon photographic prints, (before or
after burnishing) that they sink into the face of the print and in no way interferes
with the brilliancy of the surface, so that burnishing is not necessary or can be
done either before or after colouring; oil or ordinary water colours can be worked
upon them without the underlay of colour working up as is generally the case with
ordinary water colours when used upon photographs. The brilliancy of the
surface will be kept much better by colouring the photograph while wet before
mounting as these colours will not smudge or come off if accidently wetted or
handled by the mounter, another advantaged by using my colours and process is,
that batches of prints can be sent to the colourist to be coloured unmounted by
this means save postage that would be charged upon the mounts (this does not
apply to prints that are to be enamelled). The colours I use are principally
alizarine colours dissolved in water ether or methylated ether, I then add acetic
acid to kill the lime in the water, fused potassa, biborate of soda, bichromate of
potash or of soda or any bichromate, kreosote, tartar, I also treat other colouring
matters dyes or stains in a like manner if desired, and have found colours mixed in
the following proportions give good results viz., 1 dram of colour; 6 ozs. of water;
oz. of ether or methylated ether, 40 drops of acetic acid, scruple fused potassa,
10 drops boric acid, 20 drops kreosote, sc. biborate of soda, tartar 14 grains.
When the photograph is to be treated by wet processes it should be immersed in
a mordant bath of some of the following ingredients tartar, fused potassa, resin,
bichromate of potash or soda. I have found the following formulæ give good results,
1 dram fused potassa 1 scruple of resin, dissolved in 6 ozs. of water, I keep this as
a stock solution and dilute with water when required for use I add about 1 oz. of
stock solution to 8 ozs. of water (this bath must not be used too strong or it will
cause the albumen to blister) also followed by a bath of 24 parts bichromate of
potash, 2 parts tartar, 20 to 30 parts water. The photograph should remain in the
mordant untill thoroughly saturated for the purpose of preparing the photographic
surface to receive & retain the colours I then take the photograph out of the bath
and place it upon a blotting paper pad taking up the superfluous moisture with
another blotting paper pad; before colouring I work up the detail of the picture
and take out any white spots by spotting or re-touching with my patent indelible
concentrated spotting medium (in accordance with my claims in my Patent of 1891,
for photographic spotting and re-touching) either on the face or back of the
photograph as may be found most suitable.
I commence colouring first with the flesh tint (using ordinary brushes to apply
the colours, and a seperate brush for yellows, browns, blues, reds, purples, greens etc.)
if the flesh tint should get patchy I remedy this by applying alkalies (with a
seperate mop brush) 1 find ammonia 880 slightly diluted with water the best for this
purpose, by repeating the application the flesh tint will become quite even, as the
photograph dries it should be re-moistened with the.mordant, always using blotting
paper through the whole colouring process to take up any superfluous colouring
matter or liquid that may remain upon the surface, washing with the mordant
should also be done after colouring as any superfluous colouring or other matter
left on the surface would cause the enamel to blister (a seperate mop brush should
be kept for this purpose) I then proceed with the other colours, adding if necessary
a few drops of acetic acid to the colour on the palette after equal parts of water
has been added to the acid; to deepen the shades the wash should be repeated or
if desired applied to the back of the photograph; to lighten the colours water may
be added, when the colours are applied to the back of the photograph there is no
necesity for making the paper the photographic film is on first of all transparent as
is usual when doing christolum painting etc. as these colours immediately go through

page_text: the paper. Acetate or nitrate of iron are used to darken the colours either by
applying with a brush or putting the photograph in a bath of same.
The tin salts or crystals mordants are for brightening and modifying used in the
same manner or added to the colour in the following proportions 3 per cent. crystals
tin & 2 per cent. tartar & 2 per cent. colour. I treat gelatino-chloride paper before
colouring as follows, I put the photograph into a bath of bichromate of potash or
chrome alum to harden the surface, this also prevents the colours going through
the film. The colours prepared in the way described are very transparent and are
therefore better than any other for photographic colouring. They will be found
excellent for colouring lantern slides and other work where transparent filins are
used, such as carbon transparencies etc. so that the picture may be coloured before
transferring it, by this method the face of the print need not be interefered with
after it has been transferred unless desired or a double advantage may be gained
by colouring both sides. After I have applied (flat or stipple by any suitable
means) a soluable substance such as, gum arabic, sugar, starch or dextrine, that
will dissolve in cold water, to any part 1 require to be left white or any shade
other than the general ground tint. In order to obtain an even sky or ground
tint I immerse the lantern slide in a bath of the desired colour for a few seconds
and then soak in clean water to dissolve the gum varnish. I repeat the operation
as often as necessary for a final & good effect & afterwards hardening the film by
applying chrome alum in solution.
The gum varnish may also be applied to photographs back and front for a like
purpose or a uniform tint of any shade may be given to the whole surface by
immersing it in a bath of the desired colour for a few seconds after mordanting the
photograph if desired. The gum, sugar, starch or dextrine should be mixed with
equal parts water and alcohol to about the consistance of cream adding a few
drops of carbolic acid to keep the mixture fresh. These colours are also useful
for colouring engravings maps, comic pictures etc.
I have herein described the best means &c. I am aware of for carrying out my
invention, but it will be understood that the exact ingredients proportions and
process may be somewhat varied without departing from the nature of my
said invention.
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―
1st. Improvements in preparing alizarine colours and other dyes and stains for
colouring photographs and other articles substantially as described and set forth.
2nd. A mordant for preparing photographic surfaces to receive and retain colours
substantially as described.
3rd. Preparing a gum varnish for lantern slides & photographs substantially as
described and set forth.
Dated 17th - 1000