IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CHROMO-LITHOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jules Lafon, of Bordeaux, in the Department of
the Gironde, in the Empire of France, Lithographer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CHROMO-LITHOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS
Sealed the 17th December 1861, and dated the 25th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Lafon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th June
1861.
I, JULES LAFON, of Bordeaux, in the Department of the Gironde, in the
Empire of France, Lithographer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CHROMO-LITHOGRAPHIC IM-
PRESSIONS UPON GLASS, PORCELAIN, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIAL," to be as
follows:-
Every part of the design must first be executed upon stone exactly as it is"
to be produced on the glass or other material. The impression is made dry
on a paper, sized, glazed, and first coated on the side which is to receive the
impression with a solution of gum arabic or other very homogeneous gum,
and on this gummed side the black of the design is first printed. (This black,
which is the same as used in lithography, is prepared for this operation with a
varnish composed of alcohol and white resin), and is then powdered with
carmine, bronze; crimson, or other color. The impression of the other colors.
is obtained by reversing the process of chromo-lithography upon paper (that

page_text: is to say, of that which is to remain on the paper); consequently the last color
but one must be printed after the black, and be immediately (and in every case)
powdered with the desired color, and so on to the end. I must, however,
here observe that the third impression must be either of gold or silver (in
leaf or powder), and should cover entirely the preceding powdered color.
The fourth impression is made in the same manner, and must also cover the
whole design; in one word, it is necessary that all the colors be covered with
gold or silver, besides all these colors must be printed with a transparent
mordant. When the chromo-proof has arrived at this point, to counterdraw
it on glass or other material, a new impression or ground must be made
covering the whole design, and printed with a transparent mordant composed
of extra strong copal varnish and white resin.
is
Immediately after the impression of the ground the back of the papers
moistened with a sponge; this side of the proof is then placed upon moistened
paper, and when the humidity has sufficiently penetrated it, this proof is
placed by hand on the glass or other object which is to carry the label or
design. The proof is first fixed by moderate friction with the palm of the
hand, and afterwards an equal and sufficient pressure is exercised over all
the surface, using a roller covered with caoutchouc; the paper, thus gummed
on to the glass, is again moistened with the sponge, and when it begins to
fold it is arranged with care. The design is then allowed to dry for a moment,
and the object is then washed with water (using a fine sponge), to remove
the preparation left by the gumming of the paper, and the excess of the
mordant which has served for impression of the colors, gold, or silver.
The operation of chromo-impression is thus provisionally ended, as there
remains but to allow the object upon which the impression has been made
to thoroughly dry, and when (by passing the hand over it) the design is
ascertained to be dry, the operation is completely terminated by applying with
a very fine brush a coat of drying varnish composed of sugar or caramel and
perfectly rectified alcohol.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jules Lafon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULES
LAFON, of Bordeaux, in the Department of the Gironde, in the Empire of a
France, Lithographer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jules Lafon, Her special licence that I, the said Jules Lafon, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jules Lafon,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF
CHROMO-LITHOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS UPON GLASS, PORCELAIN, AND OTHER SIMILAR
MATERIAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jules Lafon,
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 Jules Lafon, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner. the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described, and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
All the parts of the drawing or design are first executed upon stone exactly
as they are to be reproduced upon bottles or other objects. The impression is
taken dry upon coarse paper, sized, glazed, and previously coated on the side
which is to receive the impression with a solution of gum arabic, or other very
homogeneous gum or adhesive. On the gummed side all the black of the
design is first impressed; this black,. which is the same as that used in litho-
graphy, is prepared for the operation in question with a varnish or glaze
composed of alcohol and melted white resin. This impression in black is then
powdered either with carmine, bronze, crimson, or. other colour. The impres-
sion of the other colours is obtained by reversing the process of cbromo-
lithography upon paper, (that is to say, which is to remain upon the paper,)
consequently the last colour but one must be printed after the black; and in
all cases immediately. powdered with the desired colour, and so on to the end;
but the third impression must, however, always be gold or silver (in leaf or
powder), and must entirely cover the preceding powdered colour. The fourth
impression is taken in the same-way, and must also cover all the design... Iu

page_text: one word, all the colours must be covered with gold or silver. Further, all
these colours must be printed with a transparent mordant. When the
chromo-proof has arrived at this point, to be enabled to counterdraw it on to
the glass or other object, a new impression or ground must be made com-
pletely covering the design. This ground is printed with a transparent
mordant, composed of extra strong copal and white resin varnish.
The counterdrawing.-Immediately after the impression of the ground, the
back of the paper is moistened with a sponge suitably soaked with water.
This side of the proof is then placed upon damped paper, and when the
humidity has sufficiently penetrated it, this proof is placed by hand directly on
the glass or other object which is to be labelled with the design. The proof
is first fixed by a slight rubbing with the palm of the hand, and an equal and
sufficient pressure is then brought upon the entire surface by means of a roller
"covered with caoutchouc. The paper thus gummed or fixed to the glass or
other object is again moistened with the sponge, and when it begins to crease
or fold it is carefully withdrawn. The design is then allowed to dry for a
moment, and the object is then washed with a fine sponge moistened with
water to remove the preparations left by the gumming of the paper, and the
excess of the mordant which has served in the impression of the colors, the
gold, or the silver.
The chromo-printing is thus provisionally ended, as there remains but to
permit it to dry thoroughly upon the object, and when it is ascertained to be
dry, the operation is finally completed by applying with a very fine badger-hair
brush a coat of drying varnish composed of sugar, or caramel and alcohol well
rectified.
By my process I print upon loose window or plate glass, or those fixed in
shop fronts, any sort of subject or design, such as coats of arms, medals or
medallions, inscriptions, advertisements, imitations of rough or corrugated
plate glass, or I ornament glass for framing photographs, door plates, finger
plates, and other similar articles. I print labels of every description (upon
glass or metal, flat, convex, or of other form), and of any design or color, or of
several colours, upon glass, porcelain, or other bottles or flasks, and such
impressions will resist every sort of washing, and can only be injured by
scratching.
All the above may be executed by the processes and the use of the products
herein-before mentioned; but to obtain the design for printing on the back of
plate glass, it must be executed to the right. In the course followed in
printing the designs executed to the left, gold or silver are the first; for those
to the right, black or bistre are the last.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the means
by which I carry it into practical effect, I would observe that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein given, as they may be modified without
departure from my Invention; but that I claim the exclusive of the combina-
tion and application of the matters or materials herein set forth, essentially
as herein described, when forming Improvements in the Production of
Chromo-lithographic Impressions upon Glass, Porcelain, and other similar
Material