CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY FOR OBTAINING IMAGES DIRECT ON CLOTH AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, of
the General Patent Offices, 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire
of France, and 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY FOR OBTAINING
IMAGES DIRECT ON CLOTH AND OTHER MATERIALS."-A communication from
Jean Nicolas Truchelut, residing at 27, Rue de Grenelle, St. Honoré,
Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 28th March 1865, and dated the 6th October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Armand Le Comté
de Fontaine Moreau at the Office of the Commisioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 6th October 1864.
I, PETER ARMAND LE COMTE DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of the General Patent
Offices, 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 4, South
Street, Finsbury, London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY FOR OBTAINING
IMAGES DIRECT ON CLOTH AND OTHER MATERIALS," to be as follows, that is to
say:
The Invention consists of improvements in photography for obtaining
images direct on cloth and other materials. Cloths or canvas for paintings
are generally prepared by means of a layer of painting in oil, submitted to a
long desiccation before executing the work of the artist upon it.

page_text: Instead of painting in oil as a first preparation, a more complete result is
obtained by employing virgin wax or spermaceti, to which is added 10 per
cent. of two resins, 5 of resin, and 5 of elemi. It is dissolved in essence of
lavender to the consistence of a thick syrup, which is mixed afterwards with
carbonate of lead to form a paste, and is used in that state as a layer on the
cloth. The choice of cloth or canvas is of great importance. I prefer that
in which the grain -is-fine-and regular.- After-having extended the cloth on
the frame it must be soaked with the product above mentioned. When the
cloth or canvas is perfectly dry, it must be presented to a cinder fire, or to a
plate of cast iron heated, and over the whole surface must be spread a thin
bed or layer of very pure wax (I prefer white), to which has been added
10 per cent. of the resins. The wax isithen the surface on which the collodion
must be spread; it acts in the same manner as on glass when it is employed
to make a negative or a positive. In this state the proof may remain such as
it is, or be varnished, but I then enter again into the conditions of the ordinary
photographs, and the destructive work of the photogenic agents remaining in
the nature of the collodion of the albumen or of the gelatinous substance, the same
results will be produced. A very simple means can be employed to render the
proof indestructible. As soon as the picture is insolated, developed, and fixed or
pasted over, it is allowed to dry for some days; then a flat iron with a long handle.
must be moderately heated and passed behind the proof, over all its extent or
surface; the frame being placed in such a manner as not to lose sight of the
proof, which being in contact with the heat, presents a most beautiful surface
of varnish; the wax melting, comes over and covers the proof, in crossing the
fibres of the collodion forms one body with it, and all at the same time, with
the first-layer of a sticky, substance; in, short the proof forms- an entire
homogeneous substance with, the three layers of products, sticky wax, and
collodion. The photograph on cloth in this, state is finished; it may be
delivered up as it is, or submitted to painting.
To resume, the object of the Invention consists in the application of virgin
wax, or very pure white wax, or of their compounds of wax, or spermaceti or
cacao butter.; all these substances serving as agents and forming one" body
with them, by submitting them to a sufficient degree of heat whether these
products be or not mixed with resins, or the proof be obtained by means of
collodion, albumen, or gelatine, or even by the charcoal process.
I will now describe the manner of operating:-At the moment of producing
the image or picture, the glass is put in its place as well as the negative and
objective, the canvas or cloth is fixed to an easel, the distance is regulated
according to the size of enlargement, the focus is ascertained, and the objective

page_text: determined by means of a yellow glass without disarranging anything, the
cloth is taken off, and the layer of collodion spread over it; as soon as the
latter becomes of the degree of dryness required, of which any photographer
is able to judge, the sensitive plate is put into a bath of silver for 5 or 10
minutes; then the cloth is replaced in the same position it occupied when
placed to the point, when the objective is uncovered or the yellow glass is
taken off. The duration of the insolation can only be determined by experience,
it may last from 5 seconds to 5 minutes according to the thickness of the
image, the intensity of the sun, or the perfection of the instruments. When
the proof is sufficiently insolated or the image slightly indicated so that the
impression may be observed by means of a light provided with a yellow glass,
it is immediately developed or brought into relief. The product revelator that
I prefer is the gallic acid, about 16: grains, for nearly a quart of water added
to from 300 to 750 grains of crystallized acetic acid. As soon as the proof is
developed conveniently to the point, it is fixed by saturation of the hypo-
sulphite. The developement can be, terminated with pyrogallic acid, to which
is added some drops of aceto-nitrate of silver. If a particular, tone or color is
desired it is transferred by means of chloride of gold, about 15 grains for two
quarts of collodion can be used, both acting well for proofs on glass; it is
diluted with alcohol in quantity according to the surface required to be
operated upon.
The bath of silver is composed as follows:-About 1500 grains of nitrate
of silver melted, and about 120 grains of crystallized acetic acid.
The albumen and gelatine may be equally employed on the layer of wax as
a conductor, but these products of a hard or horny nature once dry are subject
to crack or split. I give the preference to collodion, which mixes better with
the wax at the moment of the heating operation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine Moreau in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 5th April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
ARMAND LE COMTE DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of the General Patent Offices, 10,
Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing 'date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord One

page_text: thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, Her special licence that I, the said
Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter Armand Le Cointe de Fontaine
Moreau, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTO-
GRAPHY FOR OBTAINING IMAGES DIRECT ON CLOTH AND OTHER MATERIALS," (a com-
munication from Jean Nicolas Truchelut, a person resident at 27, Rue de
Grenelle, St. Honoré, Paris, in the Empire of France,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine
Moreau, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine
Moreau; do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and. by the following statement, that is to say :-
The Invention consists of certain improvements in photography for obtaining
images direct on cloth and other materials. Cloth or canvas for paintings is
generally prepared by means of a layer of oil submitted to a long desiccation
before executing the work of the artist upon it.
Instead of a layer of oil as a first preparation, a more complete result is
obtained by employing virgin wax or spermaceti, to which is added about
eight to ten per cent. of resin, that is to say, five of ordinary resin, and five of
elemy; it is dissolved in essence of lavender to the consistence of a thick
syrup, which is mixed afterwards with carbonate-of-lead,-and-is-used-in-that
state as a coating on the cloth. The choice of cloth or canvas is of great
importance. I prefer that in which the grain is fine and regular. After
having extended the cloth on the frame it must be soaked with the product
above mentioned. When the cloth or canvas is perfectly dry it must be
presented to a cinder fire; or I lay it on a plate of heated cast iron, and over
the whole surface must be spread quickly a thin layer of very pure wax

page_text: (I prefer white) to which has been added ten per cent. of the resinous
substances, as herein-before stated. The wax has then become a waterproof
surface, on which the collodion must be spread; it acts in the same manner
as on glass, when it is employed to make a negative or a positive; if in this
state the proof was to remain or merely to be varnished, it will be liable to
the same results as with ordinary photographs, and the destructive effects of
the photogenic agents existing in the nature of the collodion, the albumen, or
of the gelatinous substance will soon appear. A very simple means can be
employed to render the proof indestructible. As soon as the picture is
isolated, developed, and fixed or pasted over, it is allowed to dry for some
days; then a flat iron, with 'a long handle is moderately heated and passed
behind the proof over all its surface. The frame being placed in such a
manner so as to face the proof, which being in contact with the heat presents
a most beautiful appearance of varnish. The wax by melting covers the proof,
crosses the fibres of the collodion, and forms one body with it, and at the
same time with the first layer of paint; in short, the proof becomes an entire
homogeneous substance with the layers of paint, oil, and collodion. The
photograph on cloth in this state is obtained, but may be further finished by
the painter.
It will be perceived that the object of the Invention consists in the applica-
tion of virgin wax, or of its compounds, or of spērmaceti or cacao butter, all
these substances forming one body with the proof by submitting them to a
sufficient degree of heat, whether obtained by means of collodion, albumen, or
gelatine, or even by the charcoal
process.
I will now describe the manner of operating at the moment of producing
the image or picture. The glass is put in its place as well as the negative and
objective, the cloth is fixed to an easel, the distance is regulated according to
the size of enlargement, the focus is ascertained, and the objective is covered
by means of a yellow glass obturator without disarranging anything; the cloth
is taken off, and the layer of collodion spread over it. As soon as the latter
reaches the degree of dryness required, and which any operator is able to
judge, the sensitive plate is put into a silver bath for about live or ten minutes,
then the cloth is replaced in the same position it occupied, and the objective is
uncovered. The duration of the insolation can only be determined by
experience; it may last from five seconds to five minutes, according to the
thickness of the image, the intensity of the sun, or the power of the instru-
ments. When the proof is slightly indicated the impression may be observed
by means of a light provided with a yellow glass; it is then immediately
developed, fixed, and washed as usual. I allow the image to dry one day,

page_text: and even more if it be possible, and pass it over the fire, as I have herein-before
stated. For the proofs on glass I use collodion preferably to the iodites of
ammonia and potassium mixed in equal quantities. ... The collodion is spread
with rectified alcohol,: the quantity of which I 'increase according to the
surface on which I operate.
The silver bath I prefer is composed as follows:-Sixteen hundred grains
of distilled water, one hundred and thirty grains. of melted nitrate of silver,
one hundred and thirty grains of crystallized acetic acid..
For the developement I use a quart of rain water, to which I add one
hundred and thirty grains of gallic acid, and from three hundred to six
hundred and fifty grains of crystallized acetic acid. I fix-by saturation with
hyposulphite of soda.
. I give to the proof a. blue shade to imitate engraving by using sixteen
grains of chloride of gold for two quarts of distilled water.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine.myself to the precise details herein laid down, as the proportions or
the agents may be altered without deviating from the principle of the Inven-
tion; but what I claim is the application of virgin wax, spermaceti, oil, or
other similar substances, or their compounds on canvas, cloth, wood, or other
like materials, to form together one body with the image produced on such
layer, as herein-before-described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte de Fontaine
Moreau, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five.
.i 33
Witness,
*H*. GILBEE
10, Rue de la Fidélité,
Paris.
4th March, 1865.
DE FU
TAINE MOREAU. (L.S.)
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