IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNA- MENTING CHINA, GLASS, AND OTHER SURFACES, WHEN TRANSFERRING PRINTED IMPRESSIONS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Thomas Rosenberg, of 12, Clarence Terrace,
Camberwell New Road, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNA-
MENTING CHINA, GLASS, AND OTHER SURFACES, WHEN TRANSFERRING PRINTED
IMPRESSIONS
"
.
Sealed the 29th August 1856, and dated the 4th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Thomas Rosenberg
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th March 1856.
I, CHARLES THOMAS ROSENBERG, of 12, Clarence Terrace, Camberwell New
Road, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ORNAMENTING CHINA, GLASS, AND OTHER SURFACES, WHEN TRANSFERRING PRINTED
IMPRESSIONS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ornamenting china, glass,
and other surfaces, when transferring printed impressions. And my Invention
consists of applying by transfer prints, each obtained from a series of engraved
plates, on to china, glass, and other surfaces, preferring aquatinta plates for
this purpose, though plates engraved according to other systems may be simi-
larly used, in combination with or separate from aquatinta plates, or plates
may be used wherein the engraving may be of a mixed character.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Thomas Rosenberg in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
THOMAS ROSENBERG, of 12, Clarence Terrace, Camberwell New Road, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Thomas Rosenberg, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Thomas Rosenberg, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Charles Thomas Rosenberg, 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING CHINA, GLASS, AND OTHER SURFACES,
WHEN TRANSFERRING PRINTED IMPRESSIONS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Thomas Rosenberg, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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 Charles Thomas Rosenberg, 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:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ornamenting china, glass,
and other surfaces, when transferring printed impressions. And my Invention
consists of applying by transfer prints, each obtained from a series of engraved
plates, on to china, glass, and other surfaces, preferring aquatinta plates for
this purpose, though plates engraved according to other systems may be simi-
larly used in combination with or separate from aquatinta plates, or plates may
be used wherein the engraving may be of a mixed character.

page_text: And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood, I will pro-
ceed to describe the methods I adopt.
I prepare a number of steel or copper-plates adequate to produce the effect
of the design. For example, for a design of three colours, I take three plates
either of copper or steel; I prepare the surface of each with a ground or
grain, similar in every respect to those used by aquatint engravers, denomi-
nated spirit ground, as is well understood. The plates are allowed to remain
some time after receiving this coating, that the grain may harden sufficiently
to receive the transfers. I then take the design that I may have to copy, and
make a careful tracing or outline in lead pencil upon paper, known as tracing
paper. I trace besides the extreme outline of the design the forms of the
different shadows and colors that may be required, to assist and guide me to
make a correct copy of the original; this tracing I transfer on to a plate by
the usual means adopted for transferring tracing to steel or copper-plates. The
plate to which this tracing is transferred is first prepared with a coating known
as etching ground; the preparing and laying such ground are well understood.
The transfer from the tracing paper being properly effected, I then take an
etching point, and draw in line or dot the whole of the outline and form of the
shadows transferred to this plate, and then bite in with diluted nitric acid till
the required depth is attained, and when completed I use this plate as the key
plate, from which I obtain the number of impressions for transferring to the
series of plates which have, as before stated, been prepared with the spirit
ground: And in order to insure correct register, I make two dots on the
plate, which shall correspond with the two upper fixed square pins, hereafter
mentioned, and such dots will be printed on each impression taken from this
plate, and will be transferred on to the series of plates. These impressions I
print upon a thin soft paper (prepared with a surface of starch) in a black
printing ink, made of printer's black and weak boiled oil, using sufficient oil
to fix the transferred work to the grain upon the plates, that the subsequent
biting in and washing off will not efface. These impressions I slightly but
equally damp, so that they shall be all of one size, and laid separately upon
the face of the plates, and I transfer by pressure in a common type printing
press. To remove the paper, I sponge the backs of the impressions with a little.
water, till the paper of an impression comes from the plate. By these means
a sufficient quantity of ink will be pressed from the paper to the plate, to
act as a guide and ensure perfect register of one plate with the other. In
some cases, when the design is simple, I transfer to the series of plates (pre-
pared with the spirit ground) the outline of the design from the tracing; by

page_text: placing the tracing either face or other side downwards, together with a piece
of thin hard paper, having one side coated over with lamp black mixed with
a small portion of sweet oil, the coated side being placed down towards the
face of the metal plate, and then by passing a blunt etching point over the
lines of the tracing with a slight pressure, the whole of the design is trans-
ferred. In this manner I trace the outline on to the whole series of plates,
taking care to go in the same places over the lines as near as possible.
By this means having got a perfect outline of the design upon each of the
series of plates, I then proceed to complete the design upon the plates, or
such portion of the design as may be required, by first stopping out the highest
lights of the design with a mixture known as Brunswick black, or any suitable
varnish, that will effectually resist the action of the diluted nitric acid used to
bite in or etch away the surface. When this stopping out is sufficiently carried
forward, I then surround the plate with a border of wax, known as banking
wax, making the border high enough to keep the required quantity of diluted
acid upon the plate to effect the biting, and then submit the plate to the action
of the diluted nitric acid till the proper tint is effected, which is ascertained,
as is well understood, by opening the peep hole or strip left on the margin.
When the tint be sufficient I proceed with the stopping out, and soften those
parts of the design that are required by going round or extending the first
stopping out; when dry, put the diluted nitric acid on to the plate a second
time, and produce the second tint; to soften this I proceed as before, and
continue the same operation of softening and biting till the design is com-
pleted, all which is well understood. I then remove the banking wax and
clean the ground from the surface of the plate with spirits of turpentine, and
should any part of the plate require lightening, those parts are either bur-
nished or scraped, to bring them to the proper tint. The darks, if requiring
strength, I cut up with a graver or any suitable tool till the design is
perfected. The plates being now in a perfect state for printing from, I now
take a block of wood, such as oak, or Honduras mahogany, and cut it to the
required size and about the thickness, and similar to the blocks commonly used
for mounting stereotype plates upon. On to this block I fix by screws a plate
of zinc, the 16th to 18th of an inch thick, and into this plate I insert three
square pins of brass or any strong metal, at certain points, that should' so
correspond with three notches cut in each of the series of plates, in order that
the plates when placed within these pins, shall by them be prevented from
moving. By these means the register of the different colors is insured. The
notches in each of the series of plates, and which correspond with these pins,

page_text: are cut in the two upper corners, and in the centre of the lower edge of each
of the series of plates, taking the top of the design as the upper part of the
plate. The sides of each of the two notches made in the upper corners of a
plate are at right angles to each other, and cut after the transfer has been
produced on to the plate, and these two notches are cut in such manner that
the angle of each notch shall coincide with one of the register points trans-
ferred on to the plate. Thus, although the two register points may not comie
on exactly the same places on all the series of plates, by cutting the corner
notches correctly to the register points on each plate, the pins will insure the
plates being laid always in one place upon the bed of the press.. For obtaining
impression from the series of plates, I make use of a common type-printing
press, for by using a press of this form the pressure is over the whole surface
at the same time; hence the paper is not stretched, and therefore I secure
correct register. To insure good impressions, when a press of this description
is used, I take several impressions of each of the series of plates, and cut the
parts of the impressions away that are not required to print. When I have a
sufficient number of these cut impressions, I paste them together, one on the
other, and fix them with glue to a thick card, and this card I place on the face
of the tympan of the press, and sometimes, to get elasticity between the card
and the "make up," I place a thin sheet of vulcanized india-rubber. I keep
each card with its "make up" of the respective plates, and use them respec-
tively when taking impressions from their respective plates. If the pressure
upon the dark parts of the design of any of the plates is not sufficient, in such
cases I overlay the parts at the back of the tympan, till the required darks
of the design aré perfectly solid, as is well understood in surface printing. By
these means pressure is taken from the surrounding parts of the plates and
brought upon the work; and also by these means the set off is considerably
reduced, should the colors be worked quickly one after another. Having
brought up the design so that every part of it shall print perfectly, I then
proceed to take my impressions. The paper I prefer to use for this purpose
has the surface prepared with a composition of starch, gelatine, and loaf sugar
mixed in the following proportions:-10 scruples of starch; 5 scruples of
sugar; 2 scruples of gelatine, and 8 ounces of water. This composition is
mixed together and boiled, and then distributed with a flat brush made of
camels hair evenly over the whole surface of the paper. The papers I have
used have been a kind of half hard, and also a soft thin paper, but I believe
most thin papers may be used with success. The paper, previous to being
printed upon, may be slightly damped by being placed between wetted soft

page_text: paper, or the paper may be printed upon in the dry state, but in the latter
case the pressure should be increased. I take an impression, first, from the
plate upon which the finishing touches of the design are engraved, and print
any number of impressions required. The paper I place upon three or four
register points, which are fixed in the zinc bed of the press, in a line near
each of the edges of the plate, the points projecting sufficiently far to hold
the paper securely when placed upon them. To prevent these points from
being injured by the platten of the press when forced down, I place bearers
of card of the required thickness, either fixed to the tympan or bed of the
prèss, in order to receive the pressure and protect the points. I then print
in succession the whole of the series of plates, in the proper colours necessary
to complete the design. The colors used for this purpose are those known
as enamel colors. To transfer these impressions to porcelain, glass, and
vitreous surfaces, I prepare the glass, porcelain, or vitreous surfaces by applying
a coating of rosin, dissolved in spirits of turpentine; this solution I lay
on with a little cotton wool. I may, however, state that transfers can be
effected on to porcelain or glass without a coating of any kind, but I think
that there is greater certainty when a coating is used. This thin coat of
varnish I allow to dry and harden. When transferring an impression of a
series of plates on to china or porcelain, I prefer to do so after the surface
has been glazed. To effect the transferring, the paper is slightly wetted at the
back, and when the preparation on the front of the paper becomes moistened
the back of the paper is gently pressed upon the porcelain, glass, or other
surface, to make the impression adhere evenly throughout, and then with
greater force I rub the back of the paper till I make every part of the impres-
sion adhere. I find it desirable to place a piece of thin hard paper between
the hand and the moistened paper of the impression while rubbing, otherwise
the moistened paper on which the impression is taken is liable to be torn.
When this is completed, I apply a small quantity of water to the back of the
impression (by a soft sponge) sufficient to moisten thoroughly the whole of
the composition (of starch, &c.) upon the face of the paper, and I then raise
gently and carefully the paper and remove it, leaving the whole of the ink
composing the design upon the porcelain, glass, or other surface.
I do not confine myself to the use of engraved surface only to produce my
designs, but where I find surface printing advantageous for certain colors, I
print such colors from surface plates. What I claim is, the adaptation of a
series of engraved plates produced by the aquatinto process in combination
with other styles of engraving, and producing impressions in colors from such

page_text: plates, and transferring such impressions to the surfaces of porcelain, glass
and other suitable material.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Thomas Rosenberg, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
CHARLES THOMAS ROSENBERG. (L.S.)