IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE MODE OF EFFECTING WHAT IS CALLED 'NATURE PRINTING
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS. PATENT. to. Christopher Dresser, of Waterloo Cottage, Waterloo
Street, Hammersmith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE
MODE OF EFFECTING WHAT IS CALLED 'NATURE PRINTING."
Sealed the 3rd June. 1856, and dated the 22nd December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Dresser at
the Office: of the Commissioners of: Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd.
December 1855.
I, CHRISTOPHER DRESSER, of Waterloo Cottage, Waterloo Street, Hammer-
smith, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN'
THE MODE OF EFFECTING WHAT IS CALLED" NATURE PRINTING," "to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in improvements in the mode of effecting what is
known as nature printing." I take the leaf, plant, or other vegetable or
animal matter; or patterns, such as lace, and treating them by means of
lithographic ink, or materials of a similar nature, I transfer an impression
of them by pressure to stone or metal, so that these, being afterwards treated
by the usual lithographic or etching processes, enable me to procure numerous'
impressions from them. Therefore what I claim is, printing from the subject
on the stone or metal, in order that by the future treatment of them I may be
enabled to multiply the impressions of the object.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Christopher Dresser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
DRESSER, of Waterloo Cottage, Waterloo Street, Hammersmith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Christopher Dresser, Her special. licence that I, the said
Christopher Dresser, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Christopher Dresser, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF EFFECTING WHAT IS CALLED
"NATURE PRINTING," upon the condition (amongst others) that 'I, the said
Christopher Dresser, 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 monthis next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Christopher Dresser, 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 thereof, that is to say:
My Invention is that of a process by which I can produce a true fac-simile
of a leaf, flower, or other vegetable production on paper, cloth, or any fabric
usually printed upon, by using the natural body (leaf, flower, &c.) as a
printing surface, and printing with it on a lithographic stone, or metallic plate
or cylinder, and after subjecting them to the usual processes for rendering
them fit for printing, impressions are taken in the usual ways. The manner
in which I proceed is as follows:-
First, the lithographic process.-I take a leaf, for example, which I care-
fully dab with lithographic ink, which I have reduced by water to about the
consistence of printers' ink by the agency of a dabber, which I make of fine

page_text: soft muslin, which I fill with cotton wool. To enable me to coat the leaf
evenly with ink, I place a small quantity of the ink on a piece of damp
writing paper, which I place upon several sheets of damp paper or cloth,
under which is situated a warm metallic disc or warm water trough, the
object of this contrivance being to keep the ink in the required plastic
condition. I now, by the agency of the dabber, spread the ink evenly.but
thinly over the sheet of writing paper. I now place the leaf to be reproduced
on the writing paper, and dab it with the ink dabber, renewing the dabber
with ink from the surrounding paper, taking care not to have. too much ink
on the dabber. Having now prepared the leaf, by giving it a thin and even
coat of ink, I place it with the prepared side downwards on a lithographic
stone which has been previously warmed, so as not to "set" the ink upon the
leaf. I then lay over the leaf á sheet of paper, and rub it with the finger or
with a soft pad, thus pressing the leaf in contact with the stone. Now, upon
removing the paper and the leaf carefully, I have a delicate and perfect
impression of the latter upon the stone, even the hairs of a leaf (when they
exist) being truly represented. I now subject the stone to the usual litho-
graphic process, treating it just as if it were a drawing on stone, and then
multiply impressions to an indefinite extent by the ordinary lithographic
printing process.
...
Second, the metallic plate process; printing from a raised metal surface; like:
a wood cut or like type.-I take a leaf and prepare it in the same manner
as that just described, substituting, however, for the lithographic ink a com-
position, which I make by melting together about equl quantities of "etching
ground," "common tallow," or "balsam of Judea," and "sweet oil," (or any
like substances,) which I. well mix by rubbing them on a slab with a pallet
knife, and a pocelain or metallic plate, for the sheet of writing paper, which.
plate I place over warm water, and after coating it with the composition by
the agency of the dabber, I prepare the leaf by dabbing it with this com-
position in the above-described manner. Having now prepared my leaf, I lay
it upon the metallic plate, zinc, for example, which I have slightly warmed.
I now place a piece of paper over the leaf, and rub it, as before. Upon
removing the paper and leaf I have a true impression of the latter upon my
plate; therefore all that now remains to be done is to remove the metallic
ground surrounding the impression and intervening between its parts, which
I accomplish by the well-known etching processes, as that of employing
dilute acids, or by the agency of galvanism; the latter I prefer; one variety
of which adapted to my purpose, is fully described in the "Athenæum" of
March the 8th last (1856). I now, having my plate engraved, and having

page_text: a true image of the leaf convex, print it off as if it were type or a wood
engraving.
66
!
Third, the ordinary copper-plate or cylinder process; the engraving being
concave. I take a copper or other, metallic plate and thinly coat it with
etching ground, just as if I were about; to etch upon it. I now prepare my
leaf, by dabbing it, with oil paint (those used by artists), which I have spread
over a.sheet of paper by the dabber, from which I replenish the latter with
colors, as above. described. After dabbing my leaf, I place it upon, the
etching ground, and lay a piece of paper over it, and rub it, as before. I now
remove the paper; and in about one minute my leaf also. Now, where the
oil paint has touched. the "etching ground," the latter will be dissolved, which
I at once carefully' wipe off with a soft rag, the copper now appearing through
where the ground is. removed. I now wash the plate with soap and water, to
remove all remaining grease, and then subject it to the usual etching, processes;
as above. In this case. I have: the image of the leaf concave. I now print
off by the usual' copper-plate printing process. When rollers' or cylinders are
employed:instead of plates, the process. followed is similar.
I do not-claim the printing from.leaves or other natural objects directly;:
but what I do claim is, printing them upon stone: or metal with a view to
multiply the impressions when the stone or metal has been treated with
agents which render them capable of being used to print from by the usual
processes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Dresser, have hereunto-set
my hand and scal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
CHRISTOPHER DRESSER. (LS.)