AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRESERVING FERNS, PLANTS, AND GRASSES, AND THE PREPARATION OF THE MATERIAL OR MATERIALS AND INGREDIENTS EMPLAYED TUBETH
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Michael Lee, of the City of London,
Decorative Artist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
PRESERVING FERNS, PLANTS, AND GRASSES, AND THE PREPARATION OF THE
MATERIAL OR MATERIALS AND INGREDIENTS EMPLAYED TUBETH "
Sealed the 8th August 1873, and dated the 11th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Michael Lee
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th February 1873..
I, HENRY MICHAEL LEE, of the City of London, Decorative Artist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF PRESERVING FERNS, PLANTS, AND GRASSES, AND THE PREPARATION OF
THE MATERIAL OR MATERIALS AND INGREDIENTS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the nronamation and wasoming of

page_text: the employment of ferns, plants, and grasses for producing ornamental
designs upon glass, metal, wood, silk, cotton, and linen, or other material
or materials, as hereunto set forth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Henry Michael Lee in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
MICHAEL LEE, of the City of London, Decorative Artist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Michael Lee, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Michael Lec, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Michael Lee,
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, usc,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRESERVING FERNS, PLANTS, AND GRASSES, AND THE
PREPARATION OF THE MATERIAL OR MATERIALS AND INGREDIENTS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry.
Michael Lee, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Michael Lee, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
:-
This Invention relates to the preparation and preserving of ferns,
arborvitao, lichens, mosses, grasses, and all kinds of British and foreign
plants, as well as the numerous varieties of seaweed, in such a manner i
that the same will resist the action of light and heat for an indefinite
period after collection, and represent them in their natural state or living
form and appearance.
The first part of my process consists in bleaching the aforesaid ferns,
plants, and grasses either by exposure to the concentrated power of the 1
sun's rays, or by immersion in persulphate of soda, mauriatic acid, acetic
acid, or Judson's dyes, as may be most suitable to their nature, fibre,"
and substance.
Or, secondly, by discharging the colour with bleaching powder well
washed and dried between sheets of blotting paper, and after which they 1
are soaked in a solution of chloride of potash dipped in and solution of
chloride of anniline, and there left till the colour is set, when they are
again washed and dried as before.
Thirdly, after being thoroughly bleached and dried they are pressed
by mechanical means, and afterwards prepared and painted with mineral, 2
vegetable, or metallic paints to their original colors, or of various kinds
of hues, as be most desirable.
When this stage of preparation has been reached they are then
arranged according to the skill and taste of the artist between two pieces
of plate or other glass, plain, transparent, frosted, opal, semi-opaque, or 2
of various colors, each or any of which glasses may be engraved, em-
bossed, or otherwise prepared or decorated, and which glass or glasses
are afterwards hermetically sealed for preservation of the aforesaid ferns,
plants, grasses, &c. This process also embodies as groundwork in com-
bination with ferns, plants, and grasses, &c., the use of silk, cotton, 3
linen, or any other fabric, paper, varnish, or paint of various kinds, all
of which are placed, as heretofore described, between two pieces of glass,
wood, or any other suitable substance.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the mode or
modes of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do 3

page_text: not confine myself to the details herein described so long as the peculiar
character of my Invention be retained; but what I claim distinctly is,
the employment of ferns, plants, and grasses for producing ornamental
designs upon glass, metal, wood, silk, cotton, and linen, or other material
or materials, as hereunto. set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Michael Lee, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
HENRY MICHAEL LEE. (L.S.)