IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MOSAICS
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ROBERT DICKSEE, of Old Compton Street, Soho Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Artist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her présent most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Thirtieth day of March, in the seventh year of Her reign;'
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Robert Dicksee, 'Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said John Robert Dicksee, my exors, admors; "and"
assigns, or such others' as I, the said John Robert Dicksee, my exors,"
adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein' expressed;
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England;
Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MOSAICS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said John Robert Dicksee, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of the said Invention, and in what the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in Her 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.
J
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Robert Dicksee, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is
to say):
:
The material I employ is glass, both opaque and transparent, principally the
former. The mosaic pieces I make of various sizes and shapes, and of any
single color, or of any combinations of colors, and the methods of producing the
pieces I employ are, moulding, casting, or pressing. For the production of the
larger pieces I prefer the use of a machine or apparatus such as I will now
describe: I take two smooth plates of metal, in one of which I cut a hole or
holes of the form required for the mosaic pieces, having the sides of the hole or
holes slightly inclined, so that the hole or holes may be slightly larger on one
side of the plate than on the other. This plate I place with the smaller side of
the hole or holes uppermost; the other side of the plates with the larger hole or
holes comes against the other or smooth plate, and I clamp or hold these
plates securely together, and I supply the holes with glass in its soft or fused
state, and then bring down, by means of a lever or screw, a plunge of metal,
using considerable force, so that the glass is pressed closely on to the smooth
under plate. I then separate the plates and discharge the glass, which is then
placed in the annealing kiln for the usual time. I have to observe, that
my object in pressing the glass with the larger surface downwards is, that
the smooth and polished face thus produced may form the upper part of
a mosaic work which requires a flat and smooth surface.
By this process
of moulding I can produce the greatest variety of mosaic pieces, according
to the shape of the holes of the mould; and not only are flat pieces readily
obtained by such means, but I can enrich the surfaces of pieces of glass for
making mosaics with figures pressed into or upon them, as in intaglio or
relievo, or intaglio and relievo, either of one or more colors. To effect this, I
use moulds of the required form instead of plates, as formerly described, the
rest of the process being the same. These enriched surfaces, if in opaque glass,
I in some cases cover with transparent glass; or when the design is sunk in
the surface of opaque glass, in order to make a smooth upper surface, I can fill
the pattern with transparrent glass, and press the upper surface smooth, so that
the design will show through the transparent glass. Also, when the pieces of
glass are pressed in intaglio they may be filled with glass of another color or
colors. I also ornament the surfaces of the works by painting or gilding thereon
figures at pleasure, and by mingling the various colored glasses in the pot
previous to pressing I manufacture the pieces into imitation of the most costly
marbles, pebbles, and other like substances. For the production of the smaller
pieces I prefer the use of plates, as before, pierced with a larger number of

page_text: holes. Placing these together as before, I supply one end with such quantity
of glass as I imagine will fill every hole; I then pass them, by means of a rack
and pinion, rapidly along a slide frame under a roller capable of revolving on its
own axis. The glass is thus driven into the holes, and the bottom plate being
removed I discharge the pieces of glass, as in the former case, through the
larger openings (into the holes). These methods, as far my experience has
gone, I prefer in producing my mosiac pieces of glass, whether of opaque or
transparent glass; but I do not confine myself thereto (as the moulds or dies
may be varied, so long as they are suitable for producing pieces of glass
suitable for combining into mosaics; I believe, however, that the means of
moulding, casting, or pressing above described to be the best for that purpose..
The mosaic pieces of glass being thus in a fit state for use, I proceed to unite
them; for this purpose the cement I prefer is termed Patent Portland Cement,
and my method of using it is as follows:-I provide myself with a smooth flat
surface of slate or other material, and having rubbed it over with beeswax, I
stretch thereon a sheet of calico. Having already prepared my design I proceed
to fix my mosaic pieces of glass face downwards upon the calico by means of
paste or gum; I then make a thin solution of the cement, and run it over the
back of the work; in a short time this sets sufficiently to allow me to lay on the
rest in a thick state, without disturbing the pieces. When sufficiently dry the
work may be turned up and the calico removed by damping it; the mosaic is
then fit for use. Other cements can be used; and in some works the pieces of
glass inay be fixed in metal, wood, or other fit material. The mosaic work
being thus manufactured, it may still be transformed into various effects by
very simple means. It being desirable in many descriptions of decoration to use
a dulled or partially dulled surface, my mosaics are particularly adapted to such
purposes, as such an effect is readily produced in glass by grinding or by the
use of acid, as are well understood. I also polish the surface of some of my
mosaic pieces of glass, by which a very brilliant effect is produced. One
part of my Invention consists of a mode of using opaque glass in the making
inosaics, and consists of combining several pieces of opaque glass, whether
pressed, moulded, or cut, side by side, so that they together will produce a
design, or the greater part of a design, the great object being so to use pieces
of opaque glass in making a mosaic, that several pieces of opaque glass of
different or the same colors shall be in succession or in contact side by side with
one or more pieces of opaque glass, whereby a design or the larger part of
a design may be produced in opaque glass, by which very beautiful effects
may be produced, far superior to anything heretofore obtained when using cut
pieces of transparent glass with coloring materials at the back.

page_text: It is well known that in Birmingham and other places great varieties
of colored opaque glass as are now being made; and my object is to use
such opaque glass in the making of mosaics in place of, or for the most
part in place of, transparent glass. I would remark, that I am aware that
imitations of Byzantine works have been produced by using a few pieces of
cut opaque glass at intervals amidst numerous' pieces of transparent glass, the
pieces of opaque glass not touching each other side to side with several in
succession for I have found that unless the pieces of opaque glass be side by.
side, and several in succession, the beauty of opaque glass cannot be obtained
in the manufacture of mosaics, and I prefer that the whole surface should
be of opaque glass, though transparent glass may be occasionally used.
Having thus described the best means with which I am acquainted
for carrying out my Invention, I would have it understood, that what I
claim is,
First, the manufacture of mosaic work from moulded, cast, or pressed
glass; and,
Secondly, I claim the mode of manufacturing mosaic work herein described,
from pieces of opaque glass, whether cut, moulded, or pressed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Robert Dicksee, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-four.
JOHN ROBERT (L.S.)
CKSEE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of September, in
the year of our Lord 1844, the aforesaid John Robert Dicksee came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her 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.
Enrolled the Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-four..