A New or Improved Display-card or Device for Showing the Effect of Fabrics or like Materials.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1896-Accepted, 29th July, 1396
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Display-card or Device for Showing the
Effect of Fabrics or like Materials.
I, BENITO NICHOLS, Merchant, of No. 137 West Broadway, New York
City, County and State of New York, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to means for displaying or exhibiting finished materials
such, for instance, as dress fabrics of any kind, or upholstering materials or the
like, as they would appear made up in accordance with a certain design. The
principal object of the invention is to exhibit or show the article or design in
the finished material itself; that is to say, if the article or design be that of a coat
or a dress waist or an upholstered couch, such particular features are themselves
composed of the finished material itself and it is principally this idea that forms
the essence of the invention.
I have illustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings
wherein
Figure 1 shows a portion of a fashion-plate or display-card containing a
certain design of a dress and which embodies my invention.
Fig. 2 shows a portion of the interior of a room in which is shown a draped
curtain and an upholstered couch. The curtain and the couch in accordance with
my invention appear in the finished material itself, all other portions of the room
and its contents being of a different material than that of the particular sample
under consideration.
Fig. 3 shows a piece of cloth upon which is directly printed or marked, the
outlines of a certain design of coat which lines are made so as to contrast with the
goods.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers of reference
indicate like parts throughout, 4 is a piece of finished fabric, the figure of which is
that of small circles 5 5. In Fig. 1, which shows part of a fashion-plate
containing the figure of a woman wearing a certain style of dress, the entire
picture is printed, painted, lithographed or otherwise depicted directly upon the
goods, certain portions of the garment being left unmarked or unprinted in order
to display the material at such places. Thus, the background: 6 and the con-
trasting border-line 7, the head 8 and hands 9, the sash 10, seams 11, folds 12,
plaits 13 and the trimmings 14 are marked or depicted directly upon the material,
while the remaining portions lying within the outer lines of the garment or articles
are left clear and unmarked so that the material may show at such places. In
this way I print or otherwise depict a figure such, for instance, as that of a person
dressed in garments of certain designs and form the same in perspective with the
necessary shading to round out the figure.
In Fig. 2 I show means for displaying the effect of a curtain 15 and a window
seat or couch 16 when made up from the sample material 4. In this device all
the lines and parts including the shading of the picture itself are placed or marked
directly upon the finished material 4 as above referred to.
The parts of the figure or picture which are not to exhibit the finished material,
as the head, hands, feet, &c., of the figure shown in the fashion-plate, or the walls,
floor and furniture, or other surroundings of the picture, are blocked out in suitable
colors to bring out as natural an appearance as possible.

page_text: In Fig. 3 I have shown one of my fashion-plates or display-cards without the
use of a background. In this form the outlines 18 of the garment are produced or
printed directly upon the finished material and likewise the lines showing the
buttonholes and any trimmings and in this way I accomplish the result sought,
namely, that of displaying upon a reduced scale the general effect a certain piece
of material would have when made up into certain articles.
In carrying out my invention I propose to place the figure or picture upon
the finished material by printing, lithographing, stamping, transfer work or
decalcomanie.
In some cases I paste the material bearing the picture upon cardboard or a
suitable mounting to enable the same to be handled more conveniently but if
desired they can be left unmounted and in such condition will occupy very little
space when packed up. I also propose to print, paint or otherwise depict the
design or picture upon the end of a bolt of material.
It is the custom of some manufacturers of textiles and print cloths and like
goods, to furnish the trade in advance with temporary or trial samples of their
designs or patterns by merely printing or producing the designs upon paper or
like inexpensive material. In such cases my invention can be used with these
paper or temporary samples, as the same contain the finished design that the
manufacturer intends putting on the market ultimately in the shape of fabrics
and these samples, in so far as my invention is concerned, constitute the finished
material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A display-card for showing, the effect of fabrics or material, the same com
prising a piece of the material which is itself to be displayed and a figure or
picture printed or marked directly thereon with certain portions of said picture
left unprinted or unmarked and exposing at such places the said finished
material.
2. A display-card or device for showing the effect of fabrics or material, the
same comprising a piece of the material which is itself to be displayed and a
design or figure (in perspective or otherwise) produced or marked directly thereon
in contrasted and relatively opaque lines with certain part or parts of said design
or figure left wholly or in part unmarked and displaying at such places the
material as it naturally appears and having a background, or the face, or hands,
or head-dress, or neck-dress, or the like, produced directly upon said material in
colors after the manner of ordinary fashion-plates, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 28th day of July 1896.
ay of July 1896.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.