CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN MAKING OR MANUFACTURING AND ORNAMENTING PLAYING CARDS
Year: 1832

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
DE LA RUE, of Crown. Street, Finsbury Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Card Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-third day of February, in the second year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas De la Rue, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Thomas De la Rue, my exors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas De la Rue, my exors, admors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MAKING OR MANUFACTURING AND ORNAMENTING PLAYING CARDS;" in.
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Thomas
De la Rue, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings or printed impressions hereunto annexed, and to the Figures
and letters marked thereon (that is to say) :—
My Invention consists,―
First, in using or employing colours mixed with oil in printing from raised
a typographic surfaces, either in wood or metal or other material, in the
manufacturing or making playing cards.
Secondly, in printing the colours of playing cards from lithographic stones,
when the said colours used for that purpose are mixed with oil.
Thirdly, in ornamenting the pips and also the honours, or as they are tech-
nically called the "têtes," with gold, silver, or other metals or bronze, when
such ornamenting is produced by printing from raised typographic surfaces or
from lithographic stones.
But in order that my Invention may be more clearly explained and defined
and understood, I will describe the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed, first observing that what I mean by raised surface printing is the
printing from surfaces wherein the devices or form which constitutes the sur-
face to be printed from is in relief similar to type, or the blocks used by calico
printers, usually called typographic printing, and the terms "raised surfaces"
or "surfaces in relief," I use in contradistinction to engraving in metal or
wood, as my Invention does not relate to printing from designs which are
created by sunk lines, as is the case in engraving on steel or copper, generally
called copper or steel plate printing, neither does my Invention relate to the
printing of the outline of the figures or honours, or as they are technically in
the trade called "têtes," whether from engravings or relief printing in oil or
other colours, but my Invention relates to that particular part of the operation
in the making or manufacturing of playing cards which has heretofore been
done in water colours by means of what is called "stencilling," and which pro-
cess is by my Invention dispensed with, as will be fully described hereafter.
In making playing cards and colouring them according to the old practice it
is usual to print the outline of the figures of the honors or "têtes" on a single
sheet of paper, and afterwards by pasting other sheets to the back thereof, and
thus producing pasteboard of the required thickness intended to be given to
the playing cards, and then by means of stencilling the various colours are
laid on by the hand, great care being required in making the colors lie in their
proper places, or by what is termed by printers in "register." I have thought
it desirable to give this short account of the former process or means of

page_text: making playing cards that the utility of my improvements may be more
readily understood.
I will now proceed to describe more fully the manner of carrying my
Invention. into effect. I prepare a number of wooden blocks equal to the
number of colours required to be given to the figure or figures on the face of
any particular card! These wooden blocks are carved or cut similar to those
used by calico printers, that is leaving certain parts or designs in relief which
are to form the surfaces to be printed from. These designs or parts in relief
on each of the said blocks occupy such position. relatively to the designs.or
parts in relief on the said other blocks as that when an impression from each
individual block of the color required has been taken on one and the same
sheet of paper, all the different colours shall be found to occupy their proper
relative places in the figure or design on the face of the particular denomina-
tion of playing card then to be printed:
This will be more clearly understood by the following Description of the
Drawings or printed impressions :-
Sheet No. 1 represents an impression taken from a block in yellow colour.
Sheet 2 an impression from another block in the colour. Sheet No. 3 an
impression from another block in flesh colour. Sheet No. 4 an impression.
from another block in brown color. Sheet No. 5 an impression from another
block in deep blue colour. Sheet No. 6 is an impression from another block
in light blue colour; and Sheet No. 7 represents the outlines of the honours or
"têtes" called knaves. It will thus be seen that the reliefs, designs, or devices.
on the said blocks must have been similar to the impression taken from each
block respectively. Having prepared blocks according to the intended design,
great care is requisite in printing from them, in consequence of the difficulty
of taking so many successive impressions on the same sheet of paper, and
causing them to be in good register, that is, each color in its proper
place. In order to perform this part of the operation, the block from
which the impression Sheet No. 1 is taken is placed on and securely
fastened to the bed of an ordinary Albion or other surface or typographical
printing press, similar to the fixing of a form of type thereon; the relief
surfaces of the block are then to be covered with the preparation of oil
colour hereafter described, by means of an inking roller or otherwise, in a
similar manner to that which is practised in laying on ink to type. It should
be observed, that in constructing this first block there are to be formed or
inserted thereon six register pins or points on each side of it. The situation:
of these pins is shown by the holes in the Sheet No. 1, at a, b, c, d, e, and f.
The object of these register pins or points is to obtain a more perfect register

page_text: than could be obtained where only one register point or pin on each side is
used; and in taking impressions from this first block there are no points used
on the tympan, but the paper (which is dry) is laid on the surface of the first
printing block; by placing it on the tympan, and turning it on to the block in
the usual manner. The impression is then to be taken the same as if it were:
from a form of type, by which the register points in the block will pass through
the paper, leaving holes a, b, c, d, e, and f, as before described; and this operation
with the first block is to be pursued till the intended number of impressions.
has been taken. The sheets of paper thus printed are then ready to receive
the second impression, that is, from the block from which the impression
No. 2 is taken. This block is fixed in the press in the place from which the
first block had been taken, and is to be covered with colouring matter, as:
before described. In taking this second impression, there are to be register.pins
or points fixed on the tympan, which pins or points must be capable of adjustment,
so as to meet two of the holes already made in the sheets of paper as follows,
videlicit:-In putting on one of the sheets of paper which has already received
its first impression, the two registering points or pins must be so placed on the
tympan relatively to each other as to enter the two holes a, a, (one on each side
of the sheet,) and the said two pins must also be so placed on the tympan as to
cause the sheets of paper now about to receive the second impression, which is
to be red, to be printed in good register with the first impression, or the
yellow color. These adjustments of the said register points I effect by a
few successive trials, and for the sake of economy I usually take my trials
impressions on sheets of paper of an inferior quality. Having thus fixed the
two register pins or points so as to meet the two holes a, a, in each sheet, and
so as to produce a good register of the two colours, then the sheets of paper,
with the impressions which have been before taken in yellow, may successively
be placed on the register points or pins by the said holes a, a, and receive the
second impression or red color, and the union of the two colors is shewn in
Sheet No. 8. The paper will then be ready to receive the third impression
from the block from which the impression Sheet No. 3 was taken, which is
the flesh color. This block is to be placed in the printing press,, as before
described with respect to the other two. The register points must be re-
adjusted on the tympan, so as to fall into the holes marked b, b; in Sheet
No. 1, and, so as to make good register in printing the third or flesh
colour, shewn by itself in Sheet No. 3, and in combination with the two
preceding impressions, and thus producing Sheet No. 9.
This description will apply to the taking impressions from each of the
ather blocks from which the impressions on Sheets 4, 5, 6, and 7, have been

page_text: taken, care being observed in placing the Sheets successively on the register
points by the holes c, c, d, d, e, e, and f,f, by which means, in case of enlarging
any of the holes in taking an impression from any single sheet of paper, it
will not be material, as the same hole is not used in taking a second or any
future impression. Hence it will be evident that the printing of each color
will require a fresh adjustment of the registering points or pins. The result
of these operations and combination of impressions will produce a sheet
similar to No. 10, No. 11, No. 12, and No. 13, that is, a number of knaves
or other designs, such as kings or queens, according to the devices formed or
cut in the blocks. I have been thus particular in describing the manner of
taking impressions from the various blocks in the various colours, that the
Invention my be fully understood; yet it will be evident that the order of
printing may be varied, it being immaterial which of the colours is first used,
so long as the said register pins or points are properly adjusted to the holes
in each sheet appropriate to any individual color and block. I have here
described only wooden blocks produced in a similar manner to those used
by calico printers; but it is evident that such blocks may be made either
wholly in type or other metal, or partly in wood and partly in metal or other
material. In producing or printing the pips of playing cards, I prepare
blocks similar to those above described, having relief surfaces. in shape and
figure according to that required, whether for "diamonds," "hearts," "spades,"
or "clubs." Or I have type cast in moulds similar. to casting letters.
These are set up in form similar to Sheet 14. This form is to be placed in
a printing press, and impressions taken as from those before.described.
I will now proceed to describe the manner of producing impressions from
lithographic stones when oil colours are used. I draw the intended devices
on separate stones for each colour intended to be used, so that a series of
impressions being successively taken shall register and form figures or devices,
the colours being kept in register in like manner to those taken from the
blocks already described. The designs are to be drawn on the stones either
by crayons or pens, or they may be engraved, as is well understood by litho-
graphic printers and designers, and the colouring matter hereafter described
is to be applied to the stones in like manner as the printing ink at present
in use; and thus will the colouring matter be caused to attach itself to those
parts of the stones which have been designed, whilst the other parts of the
stones will be free from colour, as will be readily understood by lithographic
printers.
I will now describe the manner of taking impressions of color from litho
graphic stones. In order to obtain good register when a number of im

page_text: pressions on the same sheet of paper are required to be taken from the
like number of stones, I cause about ten or twelve sheets of good strong
or thick drawing paper, previously made as flat and smooth as possible,
to be printed in black or any other color with the outlines of the design or
figure required on any particular playing card, such as the Sheet No. 7, repre-
senting the figure on cards called knaves. This and other playing cards called
court cards are usually ornamented with various colours applied to several
parts of the Figure; as, for instance, in the figures or knaves on Sheet 13 there
are seven different colours, as has been herein-before described; first, the
yellow; second, the red; third, the flesh colour; fourth, the brown; fifth, the
deep blue; sixth, the light blue; and, seventhly, the black or outline. The
impression in black on Sheet No. 7 will sufficiently explain what I mean by
the outlines of the figure. Such an impression of outlines may be taken either
in the graphic, typographic, or lithographic manner, as is well known to
playing-card makers, and therefore requiring no further description. Having
obtained a sufficient number of impressions of outlines, that is, as many of the
said impressions as there are colours required for the sheet intended to be
printed, I then proceed to make the requisite number of registering holes in
the face of the lithographic stones, in the situation shewn in Sheet No. 1, near
each side of the Sheet at a and a, b and b, c and c, d and d, e and e, f and f.
The number of holes in each side of every stone, and the number of stones,
.must correspond to the number of colors to be printed. Therefore, when all
the colors which are required for printing a sheet similar to that of No. 13
are required to be done lithographical, each stone must be perforated with
fourteen holes, each hole' being made at, or as nearly as may be at, right
angles with the face or plane of the stone in which it is made, and about the
sixteenth of an inch in diameter; and as the holes in any one stone should all
be at the same relative distance from each other as the corresponding holes
are at in any other of the said stones, I effect this in the following manner,
that is to say-I take a piece of steel or other metal plate (but I prefer steel
on account of its hardness) of a length equal to the width of the sheet to be
printed, or nearly so, the width and thickness of the said plate being about
one half inch and one eighth of an inch thick respectively. Near each end
of the said plate I drill seven holes, making fourteen holes of the same size
as those I intend to make in each stone, and in the same relative situation
with each other, or nearly as those in the annexed Sheet No. 1. The two
black lines drawn across the said Sheet No. 1, on each side of the holes a
and a, b and b, &c., will serve to represent the said plate lying across and upon
the said sheet. This plate, with its holes, I employ for the following purposes;

page_text: namely, first, as a guide by which I mark out the place of every hole on all
the lithographic stones, so as to make the relative distances of all the holes in
each of the said stones exactly alike, and, secondly, also as a guide by which I
perforate every sheet of paper to be printed from the aforesaid lythographic
stones with a like number of holes, so as that the holes in each sheet of
paper may correspond as nearly as possible in situation and relative distance
to the holes herein-before described as being made in each of the said
stones. With a common awl, such as is used by carpenters, a number of
sheets, or as many as a quire of paper contains, can be perforated at one
time with ease; accordingly I use an awl of that description and of a size
such as will permit it to pass freely through and nearly to fill each of the
holes in the said steel plate. Having supplied myself with a steel plate and
awl, as herein-before described, I take any convenient number of sheets, laid
evenly and flat one over another, and place the said steel plate across the
middle of the said sheets in the position represented by the black lines across the
middle of the annexed Sheet No. 1, and in this position I cause the said steel
plate to be firmly held down upon the paper by weights or clamps .until I
successively introduce the awl into all the holes in the said steel plate, and have
perforated all the sheets of paper lying immediately under each of the said holes.
Thirdly, I use the said steel plate for the purpose of depositing each sheet
of paper in a proper position upon the lythographic stones from which the
successive impressions are to be taken. To this end I make use of two
pointed pins, made of round steel or other metallic wire, of the length of two
inches or two inches and a half, and of a size such as that the said pins may
be put into or through and nearly fill each of the holes in the aforesaid steel
plate. Each of the said pins should be provided with a head, so as to
prevent it from falling through any of the said holes when inserted therein.
Fourthly, I also make use of the said steel plate in perforating the ten or
twelve sheets of drawing paper herein-before mentioned, on which the impres-
sions of the black outlines have been taken. When these sheets are so
perforated, it will be evident that the fourteen holes in each of the said sheets
will exactly correspond with the fourteen holes previously made in each of the
lythographic stones; and it will also be evident that the two holes at a, one on
each side of all the herein-before last-mentioned sheets of paper, and at a on
the other side of the said sheets, will be in every sheet at precisely the same
relative distance from each and from any individual part of the said black
outlines printed thereon, and that such will be the case with any other pair of
holes, as 6 on one side of a sheet, and b on the other.

page_text: I will now describe how I avail myself of this circumstance, and also by the
aid of the said. outline impressions how I mark out upon the face of each of the
said stones all such parts of the outline figures on the said sheets of drawing
paper.as are intended to be of the same.color. For instance, I begin with those
parts which are to be colored yellow, as shewn in the annexed Sheet No. 1.
I must here refer to the annexed Sheet: No.. 13, where it will be seen
that in every figure or knave almost all the colored parts are circumscribed
by some of the black outlines, and by a. reference to. the outline impressions on
the annexed Sheet No. 7 the circumscribing lines of any color may be recog
nised, or others chosen, at the discretion of the artist. Having now determined
upon the parts which are to be colored yellow, I take one of the said sheets
of black outlines, and, carefully following the boundary line of each of the
said parts. to be so colored with a sharp pointed. knife, I cut through the
paper so as to leave holes corresponding. exactly, or nearly so, in shape
and size to the parts marked out by the said boundary lines. I then
take a second sheet of. the said outlines, and in like manner cut out.all the
parts to be colored red; and I do the same with the. four other sheets,
cutting from each sheet respectively the parts which are to be colored
.flesh color, brown, deep blue, and light blue; and I mark these Sheets
respectively.ȧ, b, c, d, e, and f. It will now be clearly understood, that
if one of the said sheets of outlines when so cut be laid upon one of
the said stones, that the outlines of all the holes or parts cut away may
by a sharp pointed pencil be traced or marked upon the face of the
stone close to the edge of the paper bounding each. hole. It is in this way
that I transfer the figures of all the colored parts: to the faces of the stones;
and having thus obtained.a.correct delineation of all the parts of any. stone
.which are to be printed from, these parts are then to be prepared and made
ready for printing from in the way well known to lythographic artists. In
laying any of the said sheets of outlines upon the face of the stone, I make
use of the aforesaid sleet plate and wire-pins. I pass a pin through each of
the holes a, a, in the steel plate, and likewise through the corresponding
holes a, a, in the sheet of outlines marked a.. I.then insert the points of the
pins into the holes a and a in one of the stones. The pins now become a
guide to the paper, and by pressing the steel plate and the paper close down
upon the face of the stone the paper will then lie in the right position, the
holes a, a, in the paper being exactly over the holes a, a, in the stone; and
great care must be taken that this position of the paper be not altered. or
disturbed until the outlines of all the holes have been traced on the face of the

page_text: stone. In this manner I make tracings from the remaining five sheets of
outlines upon the stones destined to receive them, taking care as I proceed
to designate each stone by writing upon it the name of the color which it is
intended to print, and also the letter by which the particular registering holes
are distinguished; that is, the stone for printing the yellow color ought to be
market "a," " "yellow." I now fix one of the lithographic stones in an.
appropriate printing press. I will assume that the various colours are now,
to be printed in the same order as has been described in printing them typo-,
graphically, and I apply the same letters which have herein-before been
employed in pointing out the particular holes applicable to the registering of
cach particular color, excepting that the lythographic printing requires two
additional holes, which I will designate by g and g, so that the reader will.
easily understand that the said holes g and g are to follow in the same lines in
the order of the letters after those in the annexed Sheet No. 1. If the first
stone to be printed from be that marked a (yellow), I use the steel plate
and pins in the manner herein described, by putting the pins through the
holes a, a, in the steel plate, and also through the holes a, a, in one of the
sheets of paper now to be printed with the yellow color, and then inserting:
the pins into the holes a, a, in the stone, the paper is pressed down in the
middle by the steel plate. During this operation the ends of the sheet of
paper must be held up by the fingers, to prevent them from falling or rubbing
against the parts of the stone which have previously been inked or coloured; but
so soon as the middle of the sheet has been fairly pressed down upon the stone, the
ends of the sheet may be allowed to fall on the stone by their own weight.
The steel plate and pins must now be withdrawn, and the impression may now.
be taken working the press in the usual way; and it should be observed
that the paper is used dry in taking impressions, and each color should be
dried sufficiently, so as not to be liable to damage in taking impressions.
from the other colors. The stones in taking the impressions are to be.
washed and wet, as is usual.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the oil colors are
prepared, and which I have found fully to answer. Take one gallon of old
linseed oil (the older the better), and boil it very slowly for three or four
hours in an iron pot or vessel, occasionally igniting it, and stirring during the:
whole process with an iron ladle. In some instances I find it necessary to dip
a few slices of stale bread just prior to ebulution taking place, which facilitates
the operation, in case the age of the oil is not sufficient. The manner of:
igniting is as follows.-When it is found that by applying a light to the surface
.

page_text: it will take fire, the pot or vessel is removed off the fire, the ignition con-
tinuing for some time. When it goes out, the pot is again placed on the fire.
Should the ignition be two violent, it must and may be stopped by placing a cover
over the top of the pot containing the oil. When cold, it should. be of the
consistency of very thick treacle. I then grind such oil so prepared with
any of the well-known colors that will mix with oil, until they arrive at the
consistency of the strongest printers' ink; but as the preparation of oil and
color does not form any part of my Invention, nor is claimed by me as such,
and as other oils will do, it will not be requisite to describe the preparation
more fully than to shew the course I have pursued and have found to answer
best. The great object to be attended to is the obtaining oil colors which will
readily dry after they have been printed. The colors I use are, vermillion
for red; for yellow, chrome; for blue, Antwerp blue; for brown, burnt
umber; for black, the best calcined lamp-black, such as is usually sold in
Paris by the name of "Noir de fumée calciné superfin." These are to be
ground with the oil as above described.
Having now described the manner of carrying the two first particulars of
my Invention into effect, I will now describe the third particular, that of
ornamenting, either in gold, silver, other metals, or bronze, the honors and
pips when such ornamenting is produced from raised or typographic surfaces
or from lithographic stones. Sheet 15 represents one of the results of
ornamenting the pips by printing a border of gold around each pip, and Sheet
No. 16 represents a sheet of ornamented knaves. It will be evident that a
great variety of devices in gold, silver, metals, or bronze may be produced, at
the desire of the maker; and in order that this part of the Invention may
be clearly understood, I will describe the means I have pursued. Into the pre-
parations of oils and colors above described I mix a portion of japanners' gold
size, sufficient to cause the gold or other metal to adhere. Such preparation is
to be used and applied to the blocks or lythographic stones in the manner above
described with reference to the coloring materials when without the japanners'
gold size; and when an impression has been taken, powdered gold, silver, or
bronze carefully rubbed on the printed parts thereof with a soft material, such
as cotton wool. Or when gold, silver, or other metal leaf is used, it should be
applied to the impression immediately after it has been taken from the block
or stone, in a similar manner to that pursued by gilders.
The manner of printing the colors of playing cards above described may
be performed on common paper used for making cards; but I prefer using
paper which has been prepared by the application of the following materials:-

page_text: Take one pound of good strong animal size, such as paper stainers make use of
for their satin ground, and which may be had at any respectable oil shop;
heat it until it is reduced to a fluid state; then add a sufficient quantity of
satin white to give it the consistency of very thin paste; pass it while yet
warm through a fine sieve; let the mixture stand for about twelve hours;
it is then ready for use, and is to be applied by means of a brush evenly over
the surface of the paper once or twice; the same is then dried and pressed,
and will then be ready for receiving the impressions. By this means a very
fine surface will be given to the playing cards. The impression in color so.
taken as has been fully described are then to be completed into card board by
pasting sheets of paper, in the usual manner of card makers, till the card-
board is sufficiently thick, taking care to use mackling sheets between each
printed sheet. The cardboard must then be kept in a hot room at about
ninety degrees Fahrenheit, till it has become hard & perfectly dry. When
in that state it should be brushed with a soft brush similar to a clothes brush,
and then be passed several times between two pressing rollers, to give them the
requisite smoothness and polish, after which they are to be cut into playing
cards by any of the means commonly practised by playing-card makers.
Having fully described the nature of my Invention, and also the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I lay no claim
to the various materials and things separately which have necessarily been
herein-before mentioned or described, neither do I claim as part of my Inven
tion the printing the outlines of the various devices of the honours or têtes,
that is, the kings, queens, and knaves of playing cards, in whatever manner
they may be produced, whether from relief or other printing, and whether
printed from water or oil colours. Nor do I claim the mode of preparing of
the paper as herein-before described. But I do declare my Invention to
consist,-
First, in printing the colors of the têtes or honors and pips of playing cards in
colors mixed with oil from raised surfaces, either in wood or metal or other
materials, as above described.
Secondly, the printing the colors of the têtes or honors and pips of playing
cards from lithographic stones when the colours used for that purpose are mixed
with oil; and,
Thirdly, I claim the ornamenting of the pips, and also the honors, or, as
they are technically called, the têtes, with gold, silver, or other metals, or
bronze, when such ornamenting is produced by raised surfaces or lithographic
printing, as above described; but I lay no claim to the using of water colors,

page_text: THOMAS (L.S.) DE LA RUE..
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-second day of August,.
in the year of our Lord 1832, the aforesaid Thomas De la Rue came before
our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.