Improvements in the Preparation of Paper for Embossing and Colour Decoration, chiefly in connection with Photography.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
Improvements in the Preparation of Paper for Embossing and Colour
Decoration, chiefly in connection with Photography.
A communication from abroad by MOTT WILLARD MCDONALD, of 309, Crawford
Road, City of Cleveland, State of Ohio, United States of America, Artist.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the Firm of Fell and James, of 1, Queen Victoria
Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents, 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:
This invention relates to the art of making photographic or other pictures.
The object is to produce a paper having a perfect matt surface, adapted, more
particularly, for use in connection with the art of embossing photographs, and,
also, in the art of coloring the same, the result attained, in the first-named
instance, being that any cracking of the paper, when moistened for the purpose
of being brought up in relief, will be avoided, and, in the second instance, the
coloring may be readily and evenly applied to the paper with delicate and
artistic effect, retaining all the tone of the color or colors.
The invention consists in producing an absolutely glazeless or dead-finish
matt surface upon sensitized or other glossy paper.
To carry my invention into effect, I take a sheet of sensitized or other paper,
the surface of which may have either sized, burnished, or pronounced glaze, or
a so-called matt surface, that is, a surface with only a slight glaze or gloss, and
grind off the skin or mere surface-glazing without removing the body thereof,
or grind off the gloss.
The paper may be sized, enameled, or albumenized, or be any so-called matt-
surface paper, or any other paper having more or less glaze or gloss, and the
grinding operation is to be performed after the paper has been sensitized, and
before it is printed, toned and finished, the object being to destroy only its
immediate glazed or glossy surface, and present a paper having a surface ex-
hibiting a velvety appearance.
The grinding may be effected in many ways, as by employing finely-pul-
verized pumice-stone, powdered emery, or any other abrasive substance, capable
of cutting without scratching. An efficient mode of effecting the grinding is to
lay the sheet of paper with its back upon a perfectly smooth surface, such as
that of plate-glass, sprinkle pulverized pumice-stone, or other fine abradant, upon
the paper, and, the paper being kept or secured in any proper manner against
wrinkling, gently, but evenly, rub it on with the fingers, until the glaze or
gloss disappears, being careful not to continue the operation longer than neces-
sary merely to get a perfect matt surface, that is, one absolutely free from glaze,
or gloss.
After the paper has been ground, it may then be printed out, toned and finished,
or press-printed, embossed, or colored, or subjected to any one or more of the
treatments and operations exerted in producing manufactured art productions;
and in all these, where the ground paper has been employed, the lights and

page_text: shades will be modified, obviating any sharp, abrupt or harsh effects, and giving
a softened appearance.
Besides giving the paper a beautiful, soft and velvet-like matt surface, the
grinding renders the paper more readily expansible and absorbent of moisture
for the purpose of embossing, or relief work; and the multitudinous retaining
points, produced by the cutting action of the abrasive substance, particularly
adapt the paper for taking colors.
The great advantage of my invention is, with the superior appearance of the
product, its great cheapness; utilizing the ordinary photographic paper in general
use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. As a new article of manufacture, a surface-ground, sized paper, presenting
a matt surface, substantially as described.
2. The method of producing paper for photographic pictures, which consists
in applying a sensitized surface to sized paper, and then removing the gloss by
abrasion, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of November 1897
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.