IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF SILVER, GERMAN SILVER, BRITANNIA METAL, ELECTRO- PLATED OR OTHER PLATED GOODS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Skinner, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Electro-plater and Engraver, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
ORNAMENTATION OF SILVER, GERMAN SILVER, BRITANNIA METAL, ELECTRO-
PLATED OR OTHER PLATED GOODS."
Sealed the 21st December 1868, and dated the 24th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Skinner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th June
1863.
I, THOMAS SKINNER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Electro-plater and
Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF SILVER, GERMAN SILVER, BRITANNIA METAL, ELECTRO-
PLATED OR OTHER PLATED GOODS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of improved methods of ornamenting or decorating
goods formed from silver, German silver, Britannia metal, or other metal, or
from metal electro-plated or otherwise plated, such as tea services, candle-
sticks, salt cellars, cruets, baskets, and other such articles as are made
by silversmiths and Britannia metal smiths. I propose to fix by casting
or other means into the various parts of the article to be decorated jewels,
precious or other stones, glass studs, or composition jewels by casting. The
following is the process to be adopted :-I take an ordinary mould used by
Britannia metal smiths, or any mould answering the purpose, and make or cut

page_text: a hole or cavity therein at any desired position or positions, and place the
jewel, stone, glass, or other ornament in such cavity or cavities, and I then run
in the molten metal in the ordinary way of casting, the metal running round
the stone, stud, or jewel holds it fast, leaving their surfaces exposed to view.
The part now containing one or more studs, stones, or jewels is ready for
inaking up into an article. By another method I propose to fix the orna-
ments after the manner in which jewellers set stones in rings and other objects
by means of claws. This method would be especially applicable to German
silver articles.
The Invention includes the application of the above-mentioned description
of decorations to the ornamentation of the class of goods named by any
convenient method of fixing or attachment.
SPECIFICATION .in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas, Skinner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SKINNER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Electro-plater and Engraver,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Skinner, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Skinner,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Skinner, 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 Invention for." IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF
SILVER, GERMAN SILVER, BRITANNIA METAL, ELECTRO-PLATED OR OTHER PLATED
GOODS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Skinner,
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 months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Skinner, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement:
:
This Invention consists of improved methods of ornamenting or decorating
goods formed from silver, German silver, Britannia metal, or other metal, or
from metal electro-plated or otherwise plated, such as tea services, candle-
sticks, salt cellars, cruets, baskets, salvers, and other such articles as are made
by silversmiths and Britannia metal smiths. I fix by casting or other means
into the various parts of the article to be decorated jewels, precious or other
stones, glass studs, or composition jewels.
In order that my said Invention may be completely understood; I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, as follows:-By casting, I take a brass mould well
known to metal smiths, and used by them for casting parts, such as feet for
teapots, mounts for waiters, and handles for baskets; in such mould at any
desired position or positions I cut one or more holes or recesses exactly
the size of the jewel or jewels intended for the ornamentation of the article ; I
then put the jewel or stones into the cavity or recesses, and bring the two or
more parts of the mould together, as is well known to the trade, and pour the
molten metal into the gate made for that purpose. The metal runs round the
jewels or stones, which are now embedded in the cast part, and form the
ornamentation. These pieces or parts, as they are called, are then used in the
ordinary way for making the articles above described, and then plated
and finished. Any other mould answering the purpose may be used. Another
method I adopt is to first cast the part as above described without the previous
application of the ornamentation, but with one or more cavities or recesses for
the purpose of receiving the jewels or stones after the part has been cast. The
moulds are so constructed as to cast the parts with the suitable holes or
recesses by means of corresponding projections in the moulds, so that the
cast is produced with recesses for the insertion of the ornaments, which are
fastened by pressing a small portion of the mount over the stone or jewel,
which is thereby effectually secured. German silver or other hard metals
made into the above-named class of goods are also to be ornamented by the
last described process. Or the parts may be stamped instead of cast cavities
cut in, and the jewels inserted after the manner of jewellers who fix stones in
their jewelry. I also ornament combs by using pieces cast in Britannia or
other metal with stones or jewels embedded therein by casting as described
in the first process, and afterwards plating or gilding the metal.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion, that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein expressed, as the same may
obviously be varied or modified without departing from the principles thereof;
but what I claim as my Invention, and desire to be secured to me by the
herein in part recited Letters Patent, are the "Improvements in the
Ornamentatation of Silver, German Silver, Britannia Metal, Electro-plated or
other Plated Goods," by the application of jewels, precious or other stones,
glass studs, or composition jewels, according to the methods herein specified, or
others substantially the sanie to all intents and purposes..
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Skinner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.!
Witness,
CHARLES HODGSON,
Goddard Hall.
THOMAS SKINNER. (L.s.)