AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, EARTHENWARE, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Vidie, of Pantin, near Paris, in the
Empire of France, at present residing at Dean Street, Finsbury
Square, in the City of London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS FOR THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, EARTHENWARE, AND OTHER
SIMILAR MATERIALS."
Sealed the 24th November 1868, and dated the 27th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Vidie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th May 1868.
I, JAMES VIDIE, of Pantin, near Paris, in the Empire of France,
at present residing at Dean Street, Finsbury Square, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, EARTHENWARE, AND OTHER
SIMILAR MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The subject of this Invention is the application of soluble alkaline
silicates mixed or combined with metallic or earthy bases or matters
according to the nature and uses of the objects to be ornamented, to
obtain at a reduced cost most beautiful designs in clear and frosted

page_text: glass and perfect imitations of opal and enamel, leaving the glass (or
other material) still of its original uniform thickness, and converting
it at will from the most perfect translucency to the most complete
opacity.
By the use of this novel process an ordinary gas or lamp glass may
be converted (according to its form) either into a reflector or into a
lamp shade which possesses the advantage of disguising the rays of
light, softening its excessive brilliancy and hiding the scintillations of
the flame.
The precautions to be observed in order to produce a good result
are as follows:-The liquor should not be too alkaline, it should be
mixed with a coloring base which renders it insoluble. The coating of
vitrifaction should be as thin as possible and be dried regularly until
the combination of the silicate with the coloring base is complete.
The vitrifaction for ordinary glass may be thus prepared :-Silicate of
soda at 40 degrees, 300 parts; white enamel in an impalpable powder,
20 parts; oxide of zinc, 40 parts. Mix the whole well together, apply it,
and then place the article in an oven or kiln to dry. For colored
designs the 'white enamel must be replaced by an enamel of the desired
color.
Those parts of the glass or other material which are intended to
remain clear or untouched by the vitrifaction or enamel must be
protected by pieces of lead paper or foil cut or punched out to the
required pattern, and temporarily fixed to the glass or other surface by
glue or other adhesive substance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Vidie in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
VIDIE, of Pantin, near Paris, in the Empire of France, at present
residing at Dean Street, Finsbury Square, in the 'City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Vidie, Her special licence
that I, the said James Vidie, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Vidie, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR
THE ORNAMENTATION OF GLASS, EARTHENWARE, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Vidie, 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 James Vidie, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, that is to say:
The subject of this Invention is the application of soluble alkaline
silicates mixed or combined with metallic or earthy bases or matters
according to the nature and uses of the objects to be ornamented, 'to
obtain at a reduced cost most beautiful designs in clear and frosted
glass and perfect imitations of opal and enamel, leaving the glass (or
other material) still of its original uniform thickness, and converting
it at will from the most perfect translucency to the most complete
opacity.
By the use of this novel process an ordinary gas or lamp glass may
be converted (according to its form) either into a reflector or into a
lamp shade which possesses the advantage of disguising the rays of
light, softening its excessive brilliancy and hiding the scintillations of
the flame.
The precautions to be observed in order to produce a good result are
as follows:-The liquor should not be too alkaline, it should be mixed
with a coloring base which renders it insoluble. The coating of

page_text: vitrifaction should be as thin as possible and be dried regularly
until the combination of the silicate with the coloring base is
complete.
The vitrifaction for ordinary glass may be thus prepared; silicate of
soda at forty degrees, three hundred parts; white enamel in an impalpable
powder, twenty parts; oxide of zinc, forty parts. Mix the whole well
together, apply it, and then place the article in an oven or kiln to dry.
For colored designs the white enamel must be replaced by an enamel
of the desired color.
Those parts of the glass or other material which are intended to
remain clear or untouched by the vitrifaction or enamel must be
protected by pieces of lead paper or foil cut or punched out to the
required pattern, and temporarily fixed to the glass or other surface by
glue or other adhesive substance.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention
for "An Improved Process for the Ornamentation of Glass, Earthenware,
or other similar Materials," together with the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention the application
of soluble alkaline silicates mixed or combined with metallic or earthy
bases or matters according to the nature and uses of the objects or
articles to be ornamented, whereby I produce at a reduced cost the
.desired designs on glass, earthenware, or other similar material, and
perfect imitations of opal and enamel, leaving the glass or other material
.still of its original thickness, and converting the same at will from
the most perfect translucency to the most complete opacity.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Vidie, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.