IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BINDINGS OR COVERINGS OF BOOKS AND PORTFOLIOS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE APPLIED TO DISPATCH BOXES, LADIES' WORK BOXES, OFFICE BOXES, AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Leigh Sotheby, of Buckfast Leigh Abbey
in the County of Devon, and of 13, Wellington Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE BINDINGS OR COVERINGS OF BOOKS AND PORTFOLIOS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
MAY BE APPLIED TO DISPATCH BOXES, LADIES' WORK BOXES, OFFICE BOXES, AND
SUCH LIKE ARTICLES."
Sealed the 15th November 1861, and dated the 18th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Leigh Sotheby at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th May 1861.
I, SAMUEL LEIGH SOTHEBY, of Buckfast Leigh Abbey, in the County of
Devon, and of 1", Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE BINDINGS OR COVERINGS OF BOOKS AND PORTFOLIOS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
MAY BE APPLIED TO DISPATCH BOXES, LADIES WORK BOXES, OFFICE BOXES. AND SUCH
LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
It is well known that the sides of books (and other articles) when in use,
or on being placed on the shelves of the library, suffer injury from surface
contact. Various contrivances have been put in practice to insure the
integrity of the covers, such as raised studs, raised edges, and other.
I propose not only to attain this object, but to enable changes to be made in
[Price 8d.

page_text: the ornamentation of books and other articles, on or in the side or sides of
a book cover (or the top or sides of other articles). I propose to sink, as it
were, a panel; the frame (or part thereof) surrounding this panel is to be
made of an elastic, semi-elastic or non-elastic material, and may be plain,
gilt, or otherwise ornamented within the framing, and on the panel I pro-
pose to place any ornamental design, either in paper or other material, in
alto or basso relievo, or otherwise, as may be desired. The design being
protected by the framing aforesaid is not likely to be injured or defaced by
sliding the books on the shelves; or if the design be at any time defaced,
or it be desirable to renew it, the process will be to withdraw it through a
long slit or opening left in the inside of the cover, or to lift one side of the
elastic framing, withdraw the design, and place another therein. In the
latter case, lift the other three sides to receive the other edges of the design;
the framing closes tightly over it, and the operation will be finished.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by Julia Emma Sotheby, Administratrix of the said Samuel Leigh
Sotheby, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th November
1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULIA
EMMA SOTHEBY, Administratrix of Samuel Leigh Sotheby, late of Buckfast
Leigh Abbey, in the County of Devon, and of 13, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
him, the said Samuel Leigh Sotheby, Her special licence that he, the said
Samuel Leigh Sotheby, his executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as he, the said Samuel Leigh Sotheby, his 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 BINDINGS OR COVERINGS OF BOOKS AND PORTFOLIOS,
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE APPLIED TO DISPATCH BOXES LADIES' WORK BOXES,
"OFFICE 'BOXES, AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," upon the conditions (amongst others)

page_text: that he, the said Samuel Leigh Sotheby, his executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under his, 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. Julia Emma Sotheby, Administratrix
of the late Samuel Leigh Sotheby, 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 :-
It is well known that the side covers of books when in use, or on their
being placed or slid on the shelves of the library, suffer more or less injury
from their contact with the neighbouring volumes or the sides of the book-
case, and various contrivances have been resorted to to assure the integrity of
the covers, such as raised studs, raised edgings, and other.
The above remark applies equally to portfolios, the sides of which articles
are scratched and defaced by the hard surfaces on which they are ordinarily
laid; and also to ladies' work boxes, dispatch boxes, and such like articles,
which are usually put by with other articles placed on them.
By the improvements. herein-after set forth, the object of saving the sides of
books and portfolios, the top or sides of work boxes and other articles, is
attained, and a further advantage obtained, namely, that changes in the
ornamentation of the sides of books, and the top and sides of other such
articles as are previously alluded.to, may be effected at pleasure.
And, first, it will be desirable to describe how this Invention is applicable
to the sides of book covers. Looking at the outside of a book cover, the plane
thereof has the appearance of a panel in frame, similar, in fact, to the panel
and style of a door. The "style" or. framing surrounding the space termed
panel has more or less elevation from the panel according to the size of the
book and nature of the ornamented panel to be inserted. The width of the
style may be regulated at pleasure. Within or between the outer framing or
style and bedding on the sunken panel, an ornamental (or other) design is
placed. This may be a drawing on paper, or design on any other material, or
representing figures in alto or basso relievo. To render practicable the
placing of the design ou the panel so that its edges may be covered or partially
covered by the style or framing, a long slitor opening of rather greater length
than that of the panel, is left in the inside of the cover (or at the top or
bottom thereof), and through.this slit or opening the design is inserted.
When from any cause the design is defaced, or when it is.the.pleasure.of.the

page_text: proprietor to replace the design by a different or fresh one, it is withdrawn
through the slit aforesaid, and the new one inserted, the closing of the book
assuring its retention in position. Or the style or framing (which may be
plain, gilt, or otherwise ornamented), or the edging thereof (or one side only),
is made of any elastic or semi-elastic material. When it is desired to insert
or withdraw a design (to cover the panel), the edges of the elastic or semi-
elastic framing, (or one of them,) which surround and lie close to the
panel, are slightly raised, and the design inserted thereunder; on being
released the edges close down on the design and secure it in position. The
framing formed of or edged with elastic or semi-elastic material, is more suit-
able for work boxes and other articles herein-before mentioned than the slit
or opening, as the interior of these articles is usually lined with silk or other
material, or at least covered over. But when it is preferred to insert designs,
photographs, or other ornament to cover the panels by means of slits or
openings made or left in the interior of a work box (or other article), then
that portion of the panel next the opening is to be made of an elastic material,
or the panel may be kept in its place by the edges thereof (or one or more of
them) being backed or covered interiorly by an elastic band or piece, which
will slightly give on being pulled, and allow the design to slide in at the slit
or opening, and tightly secure the edges of the design when released. The
designs in panel, on sides of books or portfolios, placed or fitted according to
this Invention, are not likely to be scratched, defaced, or otherwise damaged
while in use by being placed on the table, on or under other books, or when
slid on or withdrawn from the shelves of the book case, as the raised framing
surrounding the whole design protects it from injury by contact with any flat
surface, and the same remark applies to designs for work boxes and other
articles protected in the manner herein-before described.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and means by
which it may be carried into practical effect, I would have it distinctly under-
stood that I not confine myself to the precise details herein-before given,
as variation may be made therefrom to suit the circumstances of particular
cases; nor do I limit myself to the use of any particular elastic, semi-elastic,
or non-elastic material in forming or making the framing or edges of framing
(herein-before mentioned and described, as I use whatever elastic, semi-
elastic, or non-elastic material I may find best suited to effect the purposes
of this Inventiou; but what I do claim is, exclusive use of the various
arrangements of parts representing style and panel, or frame and picture,
essentially as herein-before described, and forming when applied to the
bindings of books or portfolios, or to despatch boxes, ladies' work boxes, office

page_text: boxes, and such like articles, improved means for protecting from injury
designs placed in or on any of the article enumerated, or other like articles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julia Emma Sotheby, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JOHN GEDGE, Patent Agent,
Wellington Street, Strand.
JULIA E. SOTHEBY. (L.S.)
Executrix & Administratrix.