IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING THE SURFACES OF JAPANNED GOODS AND PAPIER MÂCHÉ GOODS AND OTHER VARNISHED SURFACES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Farmer, of Bilston, in the County of
Stafford, Japanner, and Frederick Lewis, of Bilston, aforesaid, Iron.
Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING THE
SURFACES OF JAPANNED GOODS AND PAPIER MÂCHÉ GOODS AND OTHER
VARNISHED SURFACES."
Sealed the 30th June 1865, and dated the 24th March 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Farmer and
Frederick Lewis at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th March 1865.
We, THOMAS FARMER, of Bilston, in the County of Stafford, Japanner, and
FREDERICK LEWIS, of Bilston aforesaid, Iron Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING THE SURFACES
OF JAPANNED GOODS AND PAPIER MACHÉ GOODS AND OTHER VARNISHED SURFACES,"
to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in ornamenting the surfaces of japanned goods and
papier mâché goods, and other varnished surfaces, by applying thereto positive
photographic pictures in the manner hercin-after explained.
The essence of our Invention consists in removing the collodion film on
which the photographic picture is produced from the glass or other surface,
and applying it to and fixing it upon the said japanned or other surfaces.
We will describe our Invention with reference to the ornamenting of the
surfaces of japanned goods by means of collodion photographic pictures produced

page_text: on glass. We take a positive collodion picture which has been produced in the
ordinary way, the said picture being left unvarnished; we prepare a piece of
paper or other suitable material by coating it with gelatine; we lay the
gelatine surface of the paper upon the collodion picture on the glass, and
when it has remained thereon until the gelatine is nearly dry we remove it,
the said gelatine surface bringing with it the positive photographic picture
which had been produced on the glass. The photographic picture thus
obtained adhering to the gelatine surface of the paper is now ready to be
transferred to the surface to be ornamented. In order to prepare the
japanned surface to receive the said photographic picture we apply to the said
surface a spirit or other varnish; having done this, we place the photographic
picture attached to the surface of the gelatine upon the prepared surface to be
ornamented, and by gently rubbing or pressing the gelatine paper we make
the photographic picture thereon adhere closely to the prepared surface. The
gelatine and paper are then removed by means of warm water, leaving the
photographic picture on the said japanned surface, the photographic picture
being uninjured by the treatment to which it has been subjected. The
photographic picture is afterwards secured and protected in the ordinary way.
In ornamenting surfaces according to our Invention we use all kinds of
photographic pictures, such as portraits, groups, statuettes, landscapes, and
ornamental design in general, the said pictures being applied in the manner
herein before explained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Farmer and Frederick Lewis in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th September 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
FARMER, of Bilston, in the County of Stafford, Japanner, and FREDERICK
LEWIS, of Bilston aforesaid, Iron Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Thomas Farmer and Frederick Lewis, Her special licence that
we, the said Thomas Farmer and Frederick Lewis, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Farmer and
Frederick Lewis, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-

page_text: after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ORNAMENTING THE SURFACES OF JAPANNED GOODS AND PAPIER MÂCHÉ
GOODS AND OTHER VARNISHED SURFACES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Thomas Farmer and Frederick Lewis, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Thomas Farmer and Frederick Lewis,
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 thereof, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists in ornamenting the surfaces of japanned goods and
papier mâché goods and other varnished surfaces by applying thereto positive
photographic pictures in the manner herein-after explained.
The essence of our Invention consists in removing the film on which the
photographic picture is produced from the glass or other surface, and applying
it to and fixing it upon the said japanned or other surfaces.
We will describe our Invention with reference to the ornamenting of the
surfaces of japanned goods by means of collodion photographic pictures
produced on glass. We take a positive collodion picture which has been
produced in the ordinary way; we prepare a piece of paper or other suitable
flexible material by coating it with gelatine; we lay the gelatine surface of
the paper upon the collodion picture on the glass, and when it has remained
thereon until the gelatine is nearly dry we remove it, the said gelatine surface
bringing with it the positive photographic picture which had been produced on
the glass. The photographic picture thus obtained adhering to the gelatine
surface of the paper is now ready to be transferred to the surface to be
ornamented. In order to prepare the japanned surface to receive the said
photographic picture we apply to the said surface a spirit or other varnish.
Having varnished the surface we place the photographic picture attached to
the surface of the gelatine upon the prepared surface to be ornamented, and
by gently rubbing or pressing the gelatine paper we make the photographic
picture thereon adhere closely to the prepared surface. The gelatine and
paper are then removed by means of warm water, leaving the photographic.

page_text: picture on the said japanned surface,, the photographic picture being uninjured
by the treatment to which it has been subjected. The photographic picture
is afterwards secured and protected, and painted, if required, and varnished and
finished as in ordinary japanned goods.
We wish it to be understood; that in practising our Invention we employ
photographic pictures of the kind called positive pictures, whether the said
pictures are positive by reflected or transmitted light. When we employ
positive photographs which are positive by reflected light we make the ground
or surface black or of a dark colour, to which the picture is to be transferred.
When we employ photographs which are positive by transmitted light we
make the ground or surface white or of a light colour, to which the picture is
to be transferred. We have not thought it necessary to describe either the
methods by which the positive photographic pictures which we employ are
produced, or the processes of preparing the solution of gelatine, or the
varnishes which we employ, as the said methods and processes are well known
and separately commonly practised, and constitute no part of our Invention.
In ornamenting surfaces according to our Invention we use all kinds of
positive photographic pictures, such as portraits, groups, statuettes, landscapes,
and ornamental designs in general, the said pictures being applied in the.
manner herein-before explained.
Having now described the nature of our Invention; and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do
not limit ourselves to the precise details herein described as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature of our Invention; but we claim as
our Invention ornamenting the surfaces of japanned goods, and papier mâché
goods, and other varnished surfaces, by applying thereto positive photographic
pictures, substantially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Farmer and Frederick Lewis,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
THOS. CHAPMAN,
"'Bilston.
THO. FARMER.
(L.8.)
FRED. LEWIS. (L.s.)