A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS TO BE EMPLOYED IN PRINTING AND REPRODUCING ON WOOD AND ON VENEERS OF WOOD AND ON PAPIER MÂCHÉ, DESIGNS, PATTERNS, AND DEVICES FOR ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Whitburn, of Guildford, in the County
of Surrey, Artist, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD
OR PROCESS TO BE EMPLOYED IN PRINTING AND REPRODUCING ON WOOD AND ON
VENEERS OF WOOD AND ON PAPIER MÂCHÉ, DESIGNS, PATTERNS, AND DEVICES
FOR ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES."
Scaled the 8th April 1873, and dated the 4th January 1873.
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Whitburn at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th January 1873.
I, THOMAS WHITBURN, of Guildford, in the County of Surrey, Artist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR
IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS TO BE EMPLOYED IN PRINTING AND REPRODUCING ON
WOOD AND ON VENEERS OF WOOD AND ON PAPIER MACHE DESIGNS, PATTERNS, AND
DEVICES FOR ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES," to be as follows :-
This method or process relates to a novel and useful application of
printing to be employed in mechanically reproducing designs, patterns,
and devices on prepared wood, and on vencers of wood, and on papier

page_text: mâché from wood blocks, from engravings on wood, from type, and from
lithograpic stones, also by the photo-lithographic process, and from
lithographic zinc plates, and by the "Gillot" process, also from
electrotypes and stereotypes, as well as from all surfaces whatever,
intended or adapted for printing in printers' ink in all colours used in
printing and in bronze and silver and gold.
The Invention I purpose carrying into effect in the following manner:
-The surface (of the wood for example) having been made perfectly
level and smooth is then covered with a coat of size made from
parchment shavings or from gluc, the coating being applied warm with
a brush. This when dry is to be rubbed down with fine sand paper, and
should the pores of the wood not be sufficiently filled up another coat
of size should be given, and the rubbing down with sand paper repeated.
The wood thus prepared to receive the impression of the design, pattern,
or device is then to be placed in a press (such as is used for type printing),
together with the designs, patterns, or devices already engraved on wood
blocks, or stereotyped from engraved wood blocks, or drawn on
lithographic stones, or on other surfaces used in printing, and such
designs, patterns, or devices are then printed or reproduced by pressure
on the prepared surface of the wood in the press with printers' ink or
with colours such as are used in printing or with bronze or silver or
gold. Should it be desirable to varnish or polish the wood after the
design has thus been impressed thereon, a coat of white of egg will fix
the designs sufficiently for the purpose. The impressions from the
designs, patterns, or devices thus reproduced on the wood will have the
appearance of being partly in low relief, and when the designs or devices
are on a large scale the appearance from a distance will very much.
resemble wood carving, and may be employed as a cheap substitute for
wood carving, or for mouldings and the like.
This method or process which I propose to call the "xylographic'
process, is to be applied in the production of decorated frames for letter-
press prints, pictures, photographs, bas-reliefs, pottery, and mirrors;
also to decorated panelling for walls, ceilings, doors, and other parts of
rooms or buildings; also to cabinet work of all kinds, such as chairs,
tables, stools, boxes, chests, cabinets, book cases, cheffoniers, chests of
drawers, secretaires, desks, work tables, chimney pieces, sideboards,
couches, music stands, pianos, screens, floors, parqueterie, shop fronts,
architectural adjuncts, and shutters, and to all useful and decorative

page_text: objects in which wood is or may be used. The surface of these objects
or articles may be protected by oil, by oil varnish, and by spirit varnish,
and also by polish or other protective coating.
By means of this Invention designs by the best artists may be
multiplied indefinitely at small cost, and such designs being applied to
articles of furniture or other articles or places, can be brought within
the reach of all classes, and thus tend to refine the public taste and
increase appreciation of decorative art.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Whitburn in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WHITBURN, of Guildford, in the County of Surrey, Artist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Pater+ ing date the Fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Thomas Whitburn, Her special licence that I, the said
Thomas Whitburn, my executors, administrators, and assigns or such
others as I, the said Thomas Whitburn, my executors, administrators,`
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS
TO BE EMPLOYED IN PRINTING AND REPRODUCING ON WOOD AND ON VENEERS OF
WOOD AND ON PAPIER MÂCHÉ DESIGNS, PATTERNS, AND DEVICES FOR ORNAMENTAL
AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Whitburn, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Whitburn, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This improved method or process relates to a novel and useful
application of printing to be employed in mechanically reproducing
designs, patterns, and devices on prepared wood and on veneers of wood,
and on papier mâché, from wood blocks, from engravings on wood, from
type, and from lithographic stones, also by the photo-lithographic
process, and from lithographic zinc plates, and by the "Gillot" process,
also from electrotypes and stereotypes, as well as from all surfaces
whatever intended or adapted for printing in printers' ink, in all colours
used in printing, and in bronze and silver and gold.
The Invention I carry into effect in the following manner:―The
surface (of the wood for example) having been made perfectly level and
smooth is then covered with a cont of size made from parchment
shavings or from glue, the coating been applied warm with a brush;
this, when dry, is to be rubbed down with fine sand paper, and should
the pores of the wood not be sufficiently filled up another coat of size
should be given, and the rubbing down with sand paper repeated. The
wood thus prepared to receive the impression of the design, pattern, or
device is then to be placed in a press (such as is used for type printing)
together with the designs, patterns, or devices already engraved on
wood blocks, or stereotyped from engraved wood blocks, or drawn on
lithographic stones, or on other surfaces used in printing; and such
designs, patterns, or devices are then printed or reproduced by pressure
on the prepared surface of the wood in the press with printers' ink, or
with colours such as are used in printing, or with bronze or silver or
gold. Should it be desirable to varnish or polish the wood after the
design has thus been impressed thereon, a coat of white of egg will fix
the designs sufficiently for the purpose. The impressions from the
designs, patterns, or devices thus reproduced on the wood will have the
appearance of being partly in low relief, and when the designs or devices
are on a large scale the appearance from a distance will very much
resemble wood carving, and may be employed as a cheap substitute for
wood carving or for mouldings and the like.
This method or process which I call the "xylographic" process, is
intended to be employed in the production of decorated frames for

page_text: letter-press, prints, pictures, photographs, bas-reliefs, pottery and mirrors;
also to decorated panelling for walls, ceilings, doors, and other parts of
rooms or buildings; also to cabinet work of all kinds, such as chairs,
tables, stools, boxes, chests, cabinets, book cases, cheffoniers, chests of
drawers, "secretaires," desks, work tables, chimney picces, sideboards,
couches, music stands, pianos, screens, floors, parqueterie, shop fronts,
architectural adjuncts, and shutters, and to all useful and decorative
objects in which wood is or may be used. The surface of these objects
or articles may be protected by oil, by oil varnish, and by spirit varnish,
and also by polish or other protective coating.
By means of this Invention designs by the best artists can be
multiplied indefinitely at small cost, and such designs being applied to
articles of furniture or other articles or places, can be brought within
the reach of all classes, and thus tend to refine the public taste and -
increase appreciation of decorative art.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"A New or Improved Method or Process to be employed in Printing
and Reproducing on Wood and on Vencers of Wood and on Papier
Mâché Designs, Patterns, and Devices for Ornamental and Decorative
Purposes," together with the manner in which the same is to be or may
be performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in con-
clusion that I claim as my Invention, the application and use of the
novel and peculiar method or process, substantially as herein-before
described, for printing and reproducing on wood and vencors of wood and
on papier mâché all kinds of designs, patterns, or devices for ornamental
and decorative purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Whitburn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.