Improvements in the Production of Relief Plotures with the Aid of Photography.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Production of Relief Plotures with the Aid of
Photography.
I, CARL PIETZNER, of 3, Manahilferstrasse, Vienna VI, in the Empute of
Austria-Hungary, Court Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement
The object of the present invention 16 to provide certain improvements in a
process of processes for the production of relief photographs.
The essential improvement 18 80 constructed and arranged that the relief 18
produced in a photo chemical manner, and has only to be retouched from the
back The re-touching from the back 18 necessitated by the fact that in photo
chemical reliefs the dark portions are acted upon too deeply so that to bung up
the correct configuration or shape mechanical re-touching from the back 18
necessary
In cariying the improvements into effect the process is conducted as follows
Ordinary gelatine is used and placed in water until it is completely soaked.
Isinglass is used in the proportion of one fourth by weight of the diy gelatine and
similarly the 181nglass must be well soaked in water Finally, to the singlass
and gelatine, sugar in the proportion of one sixth by weight of the dry gelatine
18 added The gelatine and singlass when they have absorbed their maximum of
water are heated and thoroughly mixed with the sugar and filtered, then this
mixture is poured out on to well levelled glass plates in such a manner as to avoid
blisters, and then carefully died The glass plates so coated are laid in a solution
of acid chromate of potash and water in the proportion of 1-15, being placed in
the ordinary dark chamber with red or yellow light until the solution has pene-
trated the coating of the plate, the time taken to effect this penetration lasting
according to the quality of the gelatine, fiom one half to two hours.
As an alternative to allowing the acid chromate of potash solution to penetrate
in this manner, it could be added to the gelatine, but the first method is preferred
as the gelatine is otherwise too thin and the relief 18 apt to lose its plastic
appearance.
After the superfluous acid chromate of potash solution has drained off the plate
is again died in a light-proof drying cupboard having an an draught The
sensitive plate thus prepared is now placed in the copying fiame so that the
negative containing the picture reproduces it or pints it upon the plate When
possible this is done with duect sunlight though ordinary diffused daylight is
sufficient but the exposure necessary is then three to six times longer in duiation,
varying according to the thickness of the negative.
As soon as the effect of the light has rendered the gelatine insoluble at the parts
affected, and in a corresponding degree to the graduations of the negative, which
with a little practice is easily attained, then the plate 18 taken from the fiame and
placed in the dark room in a tray containing water. The plate is left overnight

page_text: in this tray and the gelatine swells or expands differing amounts corresponding
to the graduation of shade upon the negative The parts which have become con-
pletely insoluble are least affected, and the differing amount of expansion 01
swelling according to all the graduations of the negative produce the photograph
in relief
Exactly the same process is employed if instead of printing with a negative a
photographic glass transparent positive is used, though of course in this case
the relief is reversed and to produce the proper relief a second cast would require
to be taken to again reverse it If now the relief produced is to be somewhat
strengthened or increased in contacts it is cast in wax or modelling clay from
the fust relief and the portions which it is desired to operate upon are pressed out
from the back in clay or wax, then the required relief is once more cast oi modelled
from this second clay or wax one
Reliefs obtained in the manner described in the last paragraph in ceramic
masses, glass, oi metals can further be coated with a photograph of the portrait
or object represented, the said photograph of course being precisely simulai in size.
The photograph so applied to the ceramic mass or the like, may be on silk
or other fabrics as required, or produced in any manner well known in the
photographic ait
It is evident that from the first relief produced relief castings may be obtamed
in gold, silver, bronze or other metals and thus a new field is opened to engraving
and other trades
The reliefs can also be produced in thin proof impressions made of white enamel
and applied on a dark enamel ground and burnt in. By this means the dark tant
of the underground shows through the transparent thin enamel iclief and relief
enamel cameos can be thus produced
In the manufacture of ceramic ware the relief itself may be impressed into the
mass with which it is to be fixed or buined as for instance in porcelain, terracotta,
faience, cyderolith and the like, and if desued coated with a vitiifiable pigment-
photo and again burnt in, and the said vitiifiable pigment-photo may be produced
in various tints Vitunable pigment-photos for ceramic ware were only possible
on flat surfaces but the present improved process allows the production of the
vitiifiable or pigment-photo on linen or other pliable stuff which is then cautiously
transferred by means of thick oil on to the ieliet
Where the same relief is to be duplicated in number the onginal relief can be
rendered stable by any of the known galvanic deposit processess and the reliets
galvanically produced according to this process can be employed in the usual
way
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that
what I claim 18
-
1) A process for the production of reliefs as portraits, landscapes, or of figurative
01 decorative representation on all kinds of ceramic wate, glass or metals, so
constituted and arranged that the first relief model is produced photographically
and re-touched mechanically and all substantially as herein before described.
2) In reliefs produced by the method claimed in the preceding claim coating
the said relief with a super imposed similar photograph or galvanically depositing
metal upon the relief and all substantially as hereinbefore described
3.) Producing a thin relief impression in enamel from a relief constructed in
accordance with the process claimed in Claim 1) and applying the same to an
enamel background so that when burnt in relief cameos may be produced, and all
substantially as hereinbefore described
4.) In the manufacture of ceramic ware or repeated reproduction of the same relief,
producing a permanent or stable first mould by the process claimed in Claim 2,
and moulding or casting the required relief in ceramic material when applied to

page_text: the wale o in metals when used for other purposes, and all substantially as
herein before described
Dated this 9th day of June 1898.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, WC, and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents