IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lanc,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS AND
FOLIAGE." A Communication from abroad by Octave Eugène
MIT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st March 1870.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL
FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE," to be as follows:-
The various materials hitherto employed in the manufacture of
artificial flowers have produced only imperfect imitations; as whatever
may be the fineness of the fabric used for the purpose, it is impossible
to prevent the threads being apparent.

page_text: Attempts have been made to obviate this objection by employing
other materials for the purpose, such as vegetable or animal matters in
thin sheets, or a pulp consisting of a composition with a base of paper.
India-rubber and gutta percha have also been used for the purpose, but
none of these have produced a satisfactory result, the chief. obstacles
being either their non-adaptability for being colored, their excessive
hardness or softness, stiff appearance, or brittleness.
which differs essentially from those above mentioned, I also employ
collodion in the manufacture of artificial flowers, which is the chief
object of the Invention, although it is also applicable for the production
of leaves or foilage.
Collodion alone is however incapable of reproducing the leaves of a
flower, and this for the following reasons:-First, from its perfectly
translucid nature, which gives it when colored the appearance of colored
glass. Secondly, its want of stiffness when in thin sheets, rendering the
fashioning of the leaf very difficult. Thirdly, its lustre which is not
possessed by flowers generally, but of which it cannot be deprived
without adding some resinous matter thereto which would impair its
strength, or it may be some kind of fecula or powder that would affect
the tints, it being understood that those powders are only applied on
the leaves, by the aid of friction for example. For these reasons
collodion has never been hitherto applied for reproducing a leaf of a
flower.
According to these improvements I make artificial flowers with a
composition consisting of about 100 parts by weight of collodion, 12
parts of castor oil, and 1 or 2 parts of glycerine. When I desire to
produce a very fine white I use a composition consisting always, by
weight of 100 parts of collodion, 10 parts of Venetian turpentine, 4
parts of castor oil, and 2 parts of glycerine; the proportions may
however be varied if desired. If greater stiffness is desired I increase
the proportion of resin, but if flexibility is required I use less resint
and more oil; collodion alone being as before mentioned too transparent
for use, I employ paper in connection therewith, and more particularly

page_text: rice paper and vegetable parchment, the latter being applicable for
large sized flowers, but Chinese or rice paper gives the best results. I
avoid the use of woven tissues for the before-mentioned reason, that the
threads are always perceptible even in the finest fabrics, and in order
to conceal the threads it is necessary to use collodion tinted by the aid
of insoluble matters, which, while filling up the interstices or pores of
the fabric, also impair the appearance of the flower.
I first cut the paper of the desired form, and color it in any suitable
manner, then dry each leaf and place them on a holder provided with
a hook at the upper part. The leaves are then dipped in a bath of
collodion as above specified, from which they are immediately withdrawn,
any collodion in excess adhering to the lower ends of the leaves being
shaken off. I then attach the holders by means of the hooks to cords,
stretched horizontally, for the purpose of drying the leaves; this operation
requiring from 10 to 20 minutes; according to the state of the atmos-
phere. This primary immersion completely changes the nature of the
flower, and more especially its color, and by repeating the immersion
with similar care as at first the flower will be caused to present an exact
imitation of nature, being both semi-transparent, satin-faced to the cyc
and touch, flexible, and more especially presenting a freshness of appear-
ance and fidelity of tint hitherto unattainable. In this condition the
material is ready to be taken in hand by the flower maker and made up
in the usual manner. The tools should be only heated just sufficiently
for the purpose, as if too hot the parts brought in contact therewith
would be rendered brittle and have too high a glaze.
The ordinary paste used by florists will generally serve for making up
the articles, but in certain cases it is necessary to use a thick collodion
paste in order to render the joins invisible.
Foliage is also produced in a similar manner to the flowers, except
that I apply collodion on the sheet of paper before cutting out and
coloring the same, by which I am enabled to economize time; I then
proceed with the manufacture in the ordinary manner, except that I
employ collodion in lieu of wax. If it is desired to imitate leaves
having a rough surface, like that of a geranium for example, rice paper
will be found to exactly answer the purpose. In this case, I first tint
the leaf after it has been shaped, then apply a layer of collodion thereon,
repeating this application a suitable number of times on the under side
of the leaf by means of a brush, for the purpose of rendering the surface.

page_text: smooth. Two immersions will generally suffice for the different kinds of
green materials.
I may also take a natural leaf or stalk and dip it in collodion, such
as used for the white before mentioned, to which I add a small quantity
of arseniate of potash, per cent. for example, I then allow it to dry,
and repeat the operation until it becomes sufficiently firm, the veins of
the leaf being however always perceptible. The collodion to be applied
on the stalk should also contain color ground in oil, in order that it may
not present a dead or flat surface, as would otherwise be the case.
I proceed in a similar manner with flowers and insects, although in
drying the collodionized natural flower_it_is_liable-to-turn-white,-and-the-
color can be but imperfectly restored by the aid of a brush.
The colors I employ by preference are those derived from aniline, on
account of their affinity for collodion. Where the color is liable to be
affected by the collodion I apply it dry with a brush, the collodion being
also used in a thickened condition by being prepared several days
previously.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lanc, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, 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

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS.
AND FOLIAGE," a communication to me from abroad by Octave Eugène
Fillion, Artificial Florist, of 13, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
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 Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
.
The various materials hitherto employed in the manufacture of
artificial flowers have produced only imperfect imitations, as whatever
may be the fineness of the woven fabric used for the purpose it is
impossible to prevent the threads being apparent.
Attempts have been made to obviate this objection by employing other
materials for the purpose, such as vegetable or animal matters in thin
sheets, or a pulp consisting of a composition with a base of paper.
India-rubber and gutta percha have also been used for the purpose, but.
none of these have produced a satisfactory result, the chief obstacles
being either their non-adaptability for being colored, their excessive
hardness or softness, stiff appearance, or brittleness.
The application of collodion suitably colored and ground in oil for the
manufacture of artificial foliage only, has however produced a successful
imitation.
According to the improved mode of manufacture of this Invention,
which differs essentially from those above mentioned. I also employ
collodion in the manufacture of artificial flowers, which is the chief.
object of the Invention, although it applies to the production of leaves.
or foliage.
Collodion alone is, however, incapable of reproducing the leaves of a
flower for the following reasons:-First, from its perfectly translucid
nature, which gives it when colored the appearance of colored glass..
Secondly, its want of stiffness when in thin slicets, rendering the-

page_text: fashioning of the leaf very difficult. Thirdly, its lustre, which is not
possessed by flowers generally, but of which it cannot be deprived
without adding some resinous matter thereto, which would impair its
strength, or it may be some kind of fecula or powder that would affect
the tints, it being understood that those powders are only applied or
rubbed on the leaves, for example. For these reasons collodion has never
been hitherto applied for reproducing a leaf of a flower.
According to these improvements I make artificial flowers with a
composition consisting of about 100 parts by weight of collodion, 12
parts of castor oil, and 1 or 2 parts of glycerine. When I desire to
_produce_a_very_fine-white-I-use-a-composition consisting always by
weight of 100 parts of collodion, 10 parts of Venetian turpentine, 4 parts
of castor oil, and 2 parts of glycerine; the proportions may however be
varied if desired. If greater stiffness is desired I increase the proportions
of resin, but if flexibility is required I use less resin and more oil.
Collodion alone being, as before mentioned, too transparent for use I
employ paper in connection therewith, and more particularly rice paper
and vegetable parchment, the latter being applicable for large flowers,
but Chinese or rice paper gives the best results. I avoid the use of
woven fabrics for the before-mentioned reason, that the threads are
always perceptible even in the finest fabrics, and in order to conceal the
threads it is necessary to use collodion tinted by the aid of insoluble
matters, which, while filling up the interstices or porcs of the fabric,
impair the appearance of the flower.
I first cut the paper of the desired form and color it in any suitable
manner, then dry cach leaf and place them on a holder provided with
a hook at the upper part. The leaves are then dipped in a bath of
collodion, as above specified, from which they are immediately with-
drawn, any collodion in excess adhering to the lower ends of the leaves
being shaken off. I then attach the holders by means of the hooks to
cords stretched horizontally for the purpose of drying the leaves; this
operation requiring from 10 to 20 minutes, according to the state of the
atmosphere. This primary immersion completely changes the nature of
the flower leaf, and more especially its color, and by repeating the
immersion with similar care as at first, the flower leaf will be caused to
present an exact imitation of nature, being both semi-transparent, satin-
faced to the eye and touch, flexible, and more especially presenting a
freshness of appearance. and fidelity of tint hitherto unattainable. In

page_text: this condition the material is ready to be taken in hand and made up in
the usual manner by the flower maker, whose tools should be only
heated just sufficiently for the purpose, as if too hot the parts brought
in contact therewith would be rendered brittle and have too high a glaze.
The ordinary paste used by florists will generally serve for making up
the articles, but in certain cases it is necessary to use a thick collodion
paste in order to render the joins invisible.
Foliage is also produced in a similar manner to the flowers, except
that I apply collodion on the sheet of paper before cutting out and
coloring the same, by which I am enabled to economize time; I then
proceed with the manufacture in the ordinary manner, except that I
employ collodion in lieu of wax. If it is desired to imitate leaves having
a rough surface, like that of a geranium for example, rice paper will be
found to exactly answer the purpose. In this case I first tint the leaf
after it has been shaped and then apply a layer of collodion thereon,
repeating this application a suitable number of times on the under side
of the leaf by means of a brush for the purpose of rendering the surface
smooth. Two immersions will generally suffice for the outer leaves or
calyx of the flower, and the different kinds of green materials used for
covering the stalks and other purposes.
j
I may also take a natural leaf or stalk and dip it in collodion, such as
used for the white before mentioned, to which I add a small quantity of
arseniate of soda, 2 per cent. for example; I then allow it to dry, and
repeat the operation until it becomes sufficiently firm, the veins of the
leaf being however always perceptible. The collodion to be applied on
the stalk should also contain color ground in oil in order that it may not
present a dead surface, as would otherwise be the case.
. I proceed in a similar manner with flowers and insects, although in
drying the collodionized natural flower it is liable to turn white, and the
color can be but imperfectly restored by the aid of a brush.
The colors I employ by preference are those derived from aniline, on
account of their affinity for collodion.
Where the color is liable to be affected by the collodion I apply it dry
with a brush, the collodion being also used in a thickened condition by
being prepared several days previously.
I have before mentioned that after shaping the leaves which form the.
flowers they are dyed in the ordinary manner, but I find it preferable to

page_text: damp the leaves and spread them on glass, after which I apply the
colors in tints, half tints, and variegations with the aid of a brush. By
this means I am enabled. to avoid the stains or blemishes to which the
leaves are liable in the dyeing..
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of 5
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
manufacture of artificial flowers and foliage from rice or other paper or
vegetable parchment, the materials being colored as described, and then
immersed in the collodion composition before indicated, and dried, by 1
which latter process I obtain products presenting the freshness and satin
finish to the eye and touch, suppleness, and semi-transparency of real
flowers, all as herein-before fully described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, 1
in the vear of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
1
Witness,
WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)