IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLORED PHOTOGRAPHS UPON PORCELAIN AND EARTHENWARE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLORED PHOTOGRAPHS UPON PORCELAIN AND
EARTHENWARE." A communication from abroad by Jean Etienne Paul
Lémary, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 8th June 1880, and dated the 20th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLORED PHOTOGRAPHS
UPON PORCELAIN AND EARTHENWARE." [A communication from abroad by Jean
Etienne Paul Lémary, of Paris, France]
This Invention relates to the production of colored photographs upon porcelain
and earthenware. Many attempts have been made to produce photographs upon
porcelain and earthenware, but generally with unsatisfactory results, it being
merely by chance that a few nearly perfect specimens have been occasionally
produced.
It has never hitherto been possible to ensure a perfect result, mainly because the
photographic process destroys the balance of the color fluxes, which can never be
restored with certainty. Hence the colors adhere but slightly or not at all to the
porcelain or earthenware, and there is a partial or entire absence of glaze and
development of color, without which the ceramic qualities of a photograph do
not exist.
It will thus be readily seen that if these operations rarely succeed in monochrome,
they are very much more difficult in colors. In fact if the balance of the fluxes be
destroyed by the operation, and if at certain parts tints, due to more or less fusible
oxides, be added it will be evident that a portion of the photograph will be destroyed
at some parts and changed at others, and that the color will not be developed at
all at certain points. Moreover, unless the colors are applied to the photograph by
a skilful artist they greatly alter its appearance, and sometimes even entirely hide
it. The object of this Invention is, first, to restore to the color the balance of the
Buses, and, secondly, to modulate the colors by the photograph instead of covering
the latter with the color.
This improved process of photography in color is carried out in the following
manner-Upon a glass plate which has been carefully cleaned I pour the following
sensitized composition, vie, I dissolve in distilled water 40 c.c., manna 10 grammes,
and dextrine 5 grammes, and in 60 c.c. of distilled water I dissolve bichromate of
potash to saturation, and the two solutions are mixed together and filtered.
3

page_text: The relative proportions of the solutions may be varied according to the season.
The plate so coated is dried by heat and then exposed in a printing frame under
a positive, and after it has been sufficiently acted on, which may be ascertained by
the color or by means of a photometer it is developed in the dark room with pure
oxides (that is to say without fluxes) of cobalt and iron mixed with a little yellow
for porcelain. For earthenware another grey is used.
I then pour upon the plate collodion prepared as follows:-The flux for the color
to be employed is finely ground by a muller with pure glycerine and then diluted
until sufficiently liquid, and this mixture is then added to 100 grammes of normal
collodion at 1% shaken up in a bottle and filtered through a fine cloth. After
having poured the above composition on the plate and allowed the collodion the
necessary time to dry, the plate is first dipped in water and then in a bath of
carbonate of soda at from 25 to 30% and then again washed in plain water, after
which the film which separates readily from the glass is transferred on to a sheet
of paper coated in the following manner :—
I dissolve over a slow fire a quantity of virgin wax, spermaceti, stearine, or other
analogous substance in about three times its weight of spirits of turpentine or other
spirits, oils, or other like matters. After the composition has sufficiently cooled I
rub it with a pad as evenly as possible upon the white paper until sufficiently
coated, upon which the film before mentioned is floated or deposited on leaving the
water. After draining it is pressed between two sheets of blotting paper, and
when nearly dry a thin coat of fat or lean spirit of turpentine is applied with a
flat brush, after which it is dried in the air or by a gentle heat. Under these
conditions the photograph presents the appearance of an ordinary paper print,
except that it has not the same tint. When dry it is colored and allowed to
evaporate afresh either in the open air or at a gentle heat. It only remains to
transfer the photograph to the surface to be ornamented, for which purpose the
surface is first heated and then receives a coat of the fat spirit of turpentine at the
part where the photograph is to be applied. After the turpentine has set, the
photograph is applied thereon with heat and made to well adhere at all parts, after
which the paper can be readily peeled off. The article is then dried well and
afterwards fired in an ordinary muffle.
The operation may also be effected in the following manner:-A photograph is
produced like those for enamels by known incans and is developed with oxides as
before mentioned. The plate is then coated with ordinary normal collodion at 1%
without the addition of any flux. After careful washing the photograph is trans-
ferred to paper in the manner before described and then colored, after which it is
applied upon the surface to be decorated. After thoroughly drying the latter at a
quick fire so as to completely evaporate the spirit, the following composition is then
poured on it-The flux adapted to the colour is first ground fine with fat spirits
of turpentine as before and then mixed with normal collodion at 1%, to which is
added a little glycerine according to the season, the whole being next filtered. The
above composition is poured onto the print so as to cover the whole uniformly.
The spirit is then evaporated by heat and the article fired in an ordinary muffle.
Grisailles and cameos may be produced by either of the above processes, but
instead of transferring them upon paper they are deposited directly upon the
surface to be decorated with the collodion underneath after lightly coating said
surface with gelatine. When the whole is well dried I pour on the flux combi-
uation above described allowing the excess to drain off. The same process may be
applied to gold, platinum, and silver by applying their fluxes in the manner above
indicated and proceeding under the same conditions. It will be readily understood
that the fluxes distributed in this manner are proportioned to the quantity of
color or metal employed to produce the photographic picture, and that the develop-
ment of the color and glazing should in all cases be effected with the most perfect
delicacy and regularity.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
June 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLORED PHOTOGRAPHS
UPON PORCELAIN AND EARTHENWARE." A communication from abroad by Jean
Etienne Paul Lémary, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to the production of colored photographs upon porcelain
and earthenware. Many attempts have been made to produce photographs upom
porcelain and earthenware but generally with unsatisfactory results, it being
merely by chance that a few nearly perfect specimens have been occasionally
produced.
It has never hitherto been possible to ensure a perfect result, mainly because the
photographic process destroys the balances of the color fluxes, which can never be
restored with certainty. Hence the colors adhere but slightly or not at all to the
porcelain or earthenware, and there is a partial or entire absence of glaze and
development of color, which are essential to the good appearance of the photograph.
It will be readily conceived that if these operations rarely succeed in monochrome
they are very much more difficult in colors. In fact, if the balance of the fluxes be
destroyed by the operation, and if at certain parts tints due to more or less fusible
oxides be added, a portion of the photograph will be destroyed at some parts and
changed at others, and that the color will not be developed at all at certain places.
These defects it has not been heretofore possible to remedy. Moreover, unless the
colors are applied to the photograph by a skilful artist they greatly alter its
appearance and sometimes even entirely hide it.
The object of this Invention is, first to restore to the color the balance of the
fluxes, and, secondly, to modulate the colors by the photograph instead of covering
the latter with the color. This improved process of photography in color is carried
out in the following manner:-Upon a glass plate which has been carefully cleaned
I pour the sensitised composition made of the two following solutions, viz. :-
Manna 10 grammes (154 grains)} dissolved in
5
"
(77
"
Dextrine
Distilled water, 40 cubic centimeters (617 grains.)
Bichromate of potash dissolved to saturation in,-
Distilled water, 60 cubic centimetres (926 grains)
These two solutions are mixed together and filtered. The relative proportions of
the solutions may be varied according to the season. The plate so coated is dried
by heat and then exposed in a printing frame under a positive, and after it has
heen sufficiently acted on which may be ascertained by the color or by

page_text: which the film which separates readily from the glass is transferred (with the
collodion side uppermost) onto a sheet of paper coated in the following manner :-
I dissolve over a slow fire a quantity of virgin wax, spermaceti, stearine, or other
analogous substance in about 3 times its weight of spirits of turpentine or other
spirits, oils, or other like matters. After the composition has sufficiently cooled I
rub it with a pad as evenly as possible upon the white paper until sufficiently
coated. Upon this coated surface the film before mentioned is, on leaving the
water, to be floated or deposited with the collodion side uppermost, and after
draining it is to be pressed between two sheets of blotting paper, and when nearly
dry a thin coat of fat or lean spirit of turpentine is applied with a flat brush, it is
then dried in the air or by a gentle heat. The photograph now presents the
appearance of an ordinary paper print except that it has not the same tint. When
dry it is colored by any known or suitable process and with the ordinary ceramic
colors, for example, and allowed to evaporate afresh either in the open air or at a
gentle heat. It now only remains to transfer the photograph to the surface to be
ornamented, for which purpose the surface is first heated and then receives a coat
of the fat spirit of turpentine at the part where the photograph is to be applied.
After the turpentine has set the photograph is applied thereon with heat and made
to well adhere at all parts, after which the paper can be readily peeled off. The
article is then dried well and fired in an ordinary muffle.
The operation may also be effected in the following manner:-A photograph is
produced like those for enamels by known means and is developed with oxides, as
before mentioned. The plate is then coated with ordinary normal collodion at 1%
without the addition of any flux. After careful washing the photograph is trans-
ferred to paper in the manner before described and then colored, after which it is
applied upon the surface to be decorated. After thoroughly drying the latter at a
quick fire so as to completely evaporate the spirit the following composition is
poured on it-The flux adapted to the color is first ground fine with fat spirits of
turpentine as before and then mixed with normal collodion at 1%, to which is
added a little glycerine, according to the season, the whole being next filtered. The
above composition is poured on to the print so as to cover the whole uniformly.
The spirit is then evaporated by heat and the article fired in an ordinary muffle.
Grisailles and cameos may be produced by either of the above processes, but
instead of transferring them upon paper they are deposited directly upon the surface
to be decorated with the collodion underneath, after lightly coating said surface
with gelatine. When the whole is well dried I pour on the flux combination above
described, allowing the excess to drain off. The same, process may be applied to
gold, platinum, and silver by applying their fluxes in the manner above indicated
and proceeding under the same conditions.
It will be readily understood that the fluxes distributed in this manner are both
in quantity and quality adapted to the quantity of color or metal employed to
produce the photographic picture, and that the development of the color and the
glazing should in all cases be effected with the most perfect delicacy and regularity.
The above processes enable the vitrifiable colors of commerce to be employed
without causing any loss of flux as in ordinary photographic operations of the
kind hitherto.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The process of producing colored photographs upon porcelain and earthenware
by the application of the photograph developed as herein described over the colors,
so as to cover and modulate the same, substantially as described.
2nd. In the herein described process of producing colored photographs upon
porcelain and earthenware, the employment of fluxes adapted to the colors as
anecified.

page_text: 3rd. The means herein described whereby a regular development of the color and
a homogeneous glaze are obtained.
4th. The application and employment of the sensitized compound herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)