IMPROVEMENTS IN HAIR NETS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAIR
NETS." A communication from abroad by Edmond Paul Gilet, of Tours,
in the Empire of France, Hairdresser.
Sealed the 28th July 1868, and dated the 30th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th January 1863.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HAIR NETS," (communicated to me from abroad by Edmond Paul
Gilet, of Tours, in the Empire of France, Hairdresser,) to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the exclusive use of hair in the manufacture of
nets used to secure or preserve the form of a lady's coiffure or head dress. A
net thus manufactured possesses the advantages over a net made of any other
material of being invisible, (inasmuch as it may be made of hair of the same
colour and texture as that of the wearer), yet, nevertheless, very strong, and
also of being in nowise injured by perspiration or oils.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Gedge, my 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN HAIR NETS," (a communication to me from abroad by Edmond
Paul Gilet, of Tours, in the Empire of France, Hairdresser,) upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 William Edward Gedge, 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 :-
This Invention consists in the use of human or animal hair exclusively in
the manufacture of nets intended to hold or secure in position a lady's hair or
coiffure. Nets made of hair possess the advantages over all others of being
invisible (inasmuch as the hair of which the net is made may be of precisely
the same colour and texture as that of the wearer), of great strength, and of
being uninjured by perspiration or oils, whereas such as are made of wool,
silk, or other similar textile material become very dirty and unpleasant from
contact with the hair of the head, and are soon unfit for use. The invisibility
of the material will permit the application of these nets to secure parts of the

page_text: head dress which have hitherto been dependent for security upon hair pins
and other contrivances, as the nets hitherto made would have presented too
unsightly an appearance. As regards their manufacture it is only necessary
to observe that the network is best made with the hairs two-and-two, spade
headed, "tête bêche," twisted together, and when the net is completely made
it should be vaporized on a suitable vaporizer to give it finish, and fix
the knot.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)