IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CERAMIC PHOTOGRAPHS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Lamont Henderson, Photographer, 49, King
William Street, City, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PRODUCTION OF CERAMIC PHOTOGRAPHS."
aled the 13th June 1876, and dated the 17th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Lamont Henderson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1876.
ALEXANDER LAMONT HENDERSON, Photographer, 49, King William Street, City,
London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CERAMIC PHOTOGRAPHS."
This Invention has for its object the production of photographs in vitrifiable
pigments, which may be burnt in upon enamel tablets, glass, porcelain, or metal, the
colour of the surface being either white, black, or other colour.
In carrying my Invention into effect I produce first of all either a negative
photograph or a transparency of the subject to be vitrified, according as whether
the surface upon which the picture is to be placed, and which will herein-after be
termed the enamel, be light or dark in colour. If the enamel be white I treat the
transparency with iodides, bromides, or fluorides, such as those of lead, platinum,
iriduin, manganese, cobalt, titanium, cadmium, mercury, antimony, copper, magne-
sium, iron, and silver, by floating or immersion. These iodides are combined with
mordants such as bichlorides of tin or chlorides of any kind, sulplantimoniate of
sodium and alkaline or other sulphurets, with mordants and silicates, which mordants
are applied previously, simultaneously, or subsequently to the treatment of the
transparency with iodides or bromides. Should the intensity of the picture be too
great it may be reduced by nitric or hydrochloric acid, or a mixture of both, or by
any solvent of the iodides of the metal, or of the metal itself, of which the image
is composed. The picture may now, if preferred, be submitted to the action of
silicates, such as those of sodium or potassium, the effect of which is to produce
the deposited metal as a silicate, which requires no fluxing at the subsequent stage,
this being a flux in itself, after which it is transferred to the enamel, which is then
fired so as to vitrify the silicate, although the conversion may be effected after it
has been transferred..
The picture need not necessarily be transferred from one material to another, but
may be taken direct upon the enamel. It may then either be left as it is, or may
be treated with fluoric acid, by which an intaglio is produced. This may be used

page_text: as an engraved plate for printing, or may be filled up with enamel colour of any
desired tint, and again fired.
If it be not desirable to convert the image into a silicate, or if by accident this
conversion has been imperfect the picture may be fluxed by any of the well known
methods of doing so. I prefer, however, the use of an emulsion in which the solid
matter is borate of lead, formed by mixing together acetate of lead and biborate
of soda in their equivalent or combining proportions, the vehicle in which it is
suspended being collodion, oil of spike, fat oil, or similar media. This is applied in
the way well known to all enamellers.
If the enamel be black or dark I employ a negative instead of a transparency, but
in this case, as the resulting picture must be light in various grades of tone, it must
be treated with the iodides or bromides of such metals as will produce a light image,
such as those of tin, antimony, arsenic, or any metal that will yield a light de-
posit. The picture thus formed is treated in the same manner as already described.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Lamont Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th June 1876.
ALEXANDER LAMONT HENDERSON, Photographer, 49, King William Street, City,
London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CERAMIC PHOTOGRAPHS."
This Invention has for its object the production of photographs in vitrifiable
pigments, which may be burnt in upon enamel tablets, glass, porcelain, or metal, the
colour of the surface being either white, black, or other colours.
In carrying my Invention into effect I produce first of all either a negative
photograph or a transparency of the subject to be vitrified, according as whether
the surface upon which the picture is to be placed, and which will herein-after be
termed the enamel, be light or dark in colour. If the enamel be white I treat the
transparency with iodides, bromides, or fluorides, such as those of lead, platinumn,
iridium, manganese, cobalt, titanium, cadmium, mercury, antimony, copper, magne-
sium, iron, and silver, by floating or immersion. These iodides are combined with
mordants, such as bichloride of tin, or chlorides of any kind, sulphantimoniate of
sodium, and alkaline or other sulphurets with mordants and silicates, which mor-
dants are applied previously, simultaneously, or subsequently to the treatment of
the transparency with iodides or bromides; should the intensity of the picture be
too great it may be reduced by mitre or hydrochloric acid, or a mixture of both, or
by any solvent of the iodides of the metal, or of the metal itself, of which the
image is composed. The picture may now, if preferred, be submitted to the action
of silicates, such as those of sodium or potassium, the effect of which is to produce
the deposited metal as a silicate, which requires no fluxing at the subsequent stage,
this being a flux in itself; after which it is transferred to the enamel, which is then
fired so as to vitrify the silicate, although the conversion may be effected after its
being transferred.
The picture need not necessarily be transferred from one material to another but
may be taken direct upon the enamel. It may then either be left as it is or may
be treated with fluoric acid, by which an intaglio is produced. This may be used
as an engraved plate for printing, or may be filled up with enamel colour of any
desired tint, and again fired.
If it be not desirable to convert the image into a silicate, or if by accident this
conversion has been imperfect, the picture may be fluxed by any of the well-known
methods of doing so. I prefer, however, the use of an emulsion, in which the solid
matter is borate of lead formed by mixing together acetate of lead and biborate of
Boda in their equivalent or combining proportions, the vehicle in which it is sus-
pended being collodium, oil of spike, fat oil, or similar media. This is applied in
the way well known to all enamellers.

page_text: If the enamel be black or dark I employ a negative instead of a transparency,
but in this case, as the resulting picture must be light in various grades of tone it
must be heated with the iodides or bromides of such metals as will produce a light
image, such as those of tin, antimony, arsenic, or any metal that yields a tight de-
posit. The picture thus formed is treated in the same manner as already described.
The proportions required connected with any of the operations depend upon the
length of time the image is subjected to receive action as well upon the tone or
colour desired.
As an example of an average working I take of-
Bichloride of platinum, or its compounds
Bichloride of tin, or its compound
Iodine, to saturation
Acid, such as bydrochloric
Silicate of potash
Acetate of lead
Water
-
What I claim as novel in this Invention is,-
5 parts
30
"
960
"
20
"
40
"
"
8,000
First. The use of bromides and iodides separately or conjointly used either with
or without chlorides and mordants for the production of photographic enamels.
Secondly. The use of these bromides, iodides, and chlorides, in conjunction with
silicates, as described.
Thirdly. The dissolving away of the vitrified image by means of fluoric acid,
and utilizing the intaglio thus obtained either for printing from or for the produc-
tion of another image composed of the same or a different material, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Lamont Henderson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 16th day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
A.
L. HENDERSON. (1.5.)