IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING TERRA COTTA PLAQUES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolph Tuck, of 72 and 73 Coleman Street, in the City
of London, Fine Art Publisher, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
ORNAMENTING TERRA COTTA PLAQUES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolph Tuck at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1882.
ADOLPH TUCK, of 72 and 73 Coleman Street, in the City of London, Fine Art
Publisher, "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING TERRA COTTA PLAQUES
"
Porcelean plaques and plaques of terra cotta for decorative purposes have hitherto
been so expensive as to be only accessible to the comparatively rich, they having
been hand painted on the plaque itself. Imitation plaques have been made of paper
or papier maché with the artistic decoration printed or lithographed on them, such
imitation plaques are produced at a low price, but the best of these can deceive
only so long as they are not touched, the illusion vanishing as soon as the hand
comes in contact with them, besides which they soon lose their shape and firmness.
Now my Invention has for its object the production of plaques with a terra cotta
body on which mechanically produced decoration is superimposed, and which will
resemble the more expensive article sufficiently closely to take its place under
ordinary circumstances, and which may even be handled without the difference
being obvious, and can yet be produced at a very low price, so as to be within the
reach of the humbler classes.
According to my invention I prepare suitable designs preferably in color which I
transfer to stone in the manner usual for Chromo Lithography, and thence I obtain
impressions on Sheets preferably of Gelatine the transparency and texture of which
lends itself admirably to the production of artistic effects, and its elasticity admits
of its being adapted without creases to the curved surface of the plaque to which I
attach it by means of a suitable medium making the union so perfect as to give the
appearance of perfect solidity. A border is afterwards painted by hand with
varnish color or colored Japan laquer, covering the edge of the attached sheet, and

page_text: completing the effect in so perfect a manner that such plaques are not readily
distinguished by the uninitiated from genuine pottery even when taken in the hand
to examine.
I sometimes make use of other material on which to print the decorations, and
for this purpose when the nature of the design demands a more opaque groundwork,
and the surface to which it is to be applied is not too concave or convex I may use
some of the more elastic kinds of Japanese or other paper according to the effect to
be produced and the price at which they are to be sold, which must necessarily vary
considerably, but which will in all cases be low, and thus afford a means of
reproducing in.a cheap and popular form the master pieces of ceramic art hitherto
accessible only to the few.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adolph Tuck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th May 1883. .
ADOLPH TUCK, of 72 and 73 Coleman Street, in the City of London, Fine Art.
Publisher, "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING TERRA COTTA PLAQUES".
Porcelain plaques and plaques of terra cotta for decorative purposes have hitherto
been so expensive as to be only accessible to the comparatively rich, the decorations
having been hand painted on the plaque itself-Imitation plaques have been made
of paper or papier maché with the artistic decoration printed or lithographed on
them, such imitation plaques are produced at a low price, but the best of these can
deceive only so long as they are not touched, the illusion vanishing as soon as the
hand comes in contact with them, besides which they soon lose their shape and
firmness.
Now my Invention has for its object the production of plaques and articles of an.
ornamental character with a terra cotta body on which mechanically produced
decoration is superimposed, and which will resemble the more expensive article
sufficiently closely to take its place under ordinary circumstancos, and which may
even be handled without the difference being obvious, and can yet be produced at
a very low price, so as to be within the reach of the humbler classes.
According to my Invention I prepare suitable designs, preferably in color, which
I transfer to stone in the manner usual for Chromo Lithography, and thence I
obtain impressions on Sheets specially prepared for being printed on in Colors,
preferably of Gelatine the transparency and texture of which lends itself admirably
to the production of Artistic effects, and its elasticity admits of its being adapted
without creases to the curved surface of the plaque to which I attach it by means
of a suitable medium, making the union so perfect as to give the appearance of
perfect solidity. A border is afterwards painted by hand with varnish color or
colored Japan lacquer, covering the edge of the attached Sheet and completing the
effect in so perfect a manner that such plaques are not readily distinguished by
the uninitiated from genuine pottery even when taken in the band to examine.
For the lower qualities I make use of other material on which to print the
decorations, and for this purpose, especially when the nature of the design demands
a more opaque groundwork, and the surface to which it is to be applied is not too
concave or convex, I use paper, preferably of Japanese Manufacture or other paper
of soft and elastic quality, which I prepare in the manner usual for paper about to
be printed upon in Colors and on which I print the Decorative matter which is
allowed to dry and become thoroughly set-I next moisten the paper with water
in order to make it softer and more elastic, so that it may be applied evenly to the
surface of the Terra Cotta and also to cause it to expand so that in drying it may
contract and adapt itself evenly and without wrinkles to the convexity or concavity
of the surface to which it is attached; I next coat the back of the sheet on which
the decorative matter is printed with Flour-paste, Clear starch, a solution of Gum
Ambic, or a weak glue and then apply the coated surface to that of the Terra Cotta
and having adjusted it accurately to its place and without wrinkles, I press it gently
on to the terra Cotta and then having covered it with blotting paper or other like
material, I proceed to press and rub the surface of the latter so as to squeeze out
from between the paper or gelatine and the terra Cotta any included air and any
superfluous adhesive material-The plaque or other article is then laid by to dry
after which I finish up the work by the addition of a plain line or fancy border,
laid on by hand round the edge of the attached sheet so as to conceal the edge and
give the appearance of a painting on the terra Cotta itself

page_text: When Gelatine Sheets are used they must not be moistened, and instead of
coating the sheet with the adhesive material, which should be animal glue, I coat
the surface of the terra cotta with it, very evenly, and allow it to cool slightly
before laying the printed sheet of Gelatine over it
Sometimes I have the terra Cotta Articles prepared with a slight depression on
their surface corresponding exactly with the size of the Sheet to be applied so that
when the printed sheet is attached, its upper surface is just level with the
surrounding surface of the Terra Cotta.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be under-
stood that what I claim as the invention to be secured to me is decorating the
surface of Terra Cotta Plaques and Articles of Terra Cotta of an ornamental.
character by preparing and attaching to them Sheets of Gelatine or Paper on which
is lithographed or printed decorative matter substantially in the manner and for
the purpose hereinbefore set forth and described.
In witness whereof I the said Adolph Tuck have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twenty eighth day of April One thousand eight hundred and
ADOLPH TUCK (L.S.)
Signed and sealed by the above
named Adolph Tuck in the
presence of
NEWNHAM BROWNE
}
- Patent Agent, 91 Queen Street Cheapside, London.-