IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPRODUCTION, OR PRODUCTION, OF COPIES OF PICTURES, DESIGNS, AND DEVICES,
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Augustus Hely, of No. 6, Lansdowne Gardens,
South Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPRODUCTION, OR PRODUCTION, OF COPIES OF
PICTURES, DESIGNS, AND DEVICES,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Augustus Hely at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th December 1881.
ALFRED AUGUSTUS HELY, of No. 6, Lansdowne Gardens, South Lambeth, in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPRODUCTION, OR
PRODUCTION, OF COPIES OF PICTURES, DESIGNS, AND DEVICES."
The object of my improvements is the cheap production of copies--whether full
size, or reduced-of celebrated oil paintings and tapestries; and, also, of all kinds
of pictorial representations, designs, and devices, in oil and varnish colors, chiefly
on canvas, and other textile fabrics.
I accomplish this object by means of two different processes. In both of these,
the pictures, designs, and devices I propose to reproduce, or produce, are first
obtained upon plates, blocks, stones, or types-generally terined "moulds "-using
a separate inould for each color-which I place in any suitable pressing machine,
and charge with their respective pigments.
་་
In my first process, I, next, take a canvas of the given size, mounted on a
frame called a "stretcher," and, with a coarse brush, coat the same with oil or
varnish paint of the color required for the ground of my picture, imitating any
roughness, or inequality of surface, in the original painting, by what I term
patching," or thickening the said ground-coating, and using coarser pigments
where necessary. I, then, with a closely fitting but easily removable wooden block,
entirely fill up the vacant space, inside the stretcher, under the canvas, thereby
obtaining a solid, even, and resisting surface on both sides of the same.
"blocking," together with the previous "ground-coating," constitute essential
features of this my first process. Thus stretched, coated, and blocked, the canvas
This

page_text: is now placed in the press, face to face with a mould; when, upon the pressure
being exerted, the pigment deposited upon the face of the mould becomes
permanently impressed upon the face of the canvas. Impressions are then
successively taken upon the same canvas, from the other moulds and pigments that
go to make up the complete picture, which is, lastly, finished off by a coat of
varnish, or flattening, similar, in appearance, to that on the original painting.
By my second process, I impress from the moulds, as before, a sheet of paper,-
previously prepared with a coating of starch on the side to be impressed,―with
the design of the picture in oil or varnish colors, which I desire to reproduce,
complete in its various tints; and, this, whether the whole subject be upon one
sheet, or, in sections, upon two or more sheets. I, next, coat the subject all over
with a quick hard setting oil varnish. When thoroughly dry, I take the canvas,
stretched, coated, and blocked, as before, and cover it with fluid, or warm, clear
size, leaving more in the middle than at the sides,-I then lay the face of the
paper upon the face of the canvas, and pass them through any suitable rolling
machine, which effectually expels all superfluous size, and, along with it, any air
bubbles that may be confined between the paper and canvas; at the same time
cleansing the face of the canvas, now impressed with the picture,-from all "dirt
specks and "
grease_spots." Lastly,-I-sponge-off, with tepid water, the paper
vehicle, when the perfect picture appears, permanently fixed in the canvas; the
final varnishing, or flattening, as before, completing this my second process, of
which the "ground-coating" and "blocking" of the canvas the "fluid sizing," and
the "sectional dividing" of the subject, (when too large for one sheet), form
essential elements.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Augustus Hely in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th June 1882.
ALFRED AUGUSTUS HELY of G Lansdowne Gardens South Lambeth in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPRODUCTION, OR
PRODUCTION OF COPIES, OF PICTURES, DESIGNS, AND DEVICES."
These improvements have reference to the cheap reproduction or production of
copics, whether full size or reduced, of celebrated oil paintings, tapestries and the
like works of art; and also all kinds of pictorial representations, designs and
devices in oil and varnish colors, chiefly on canvas and other textile fabrics.
I accomplish this object by means of two different processes. In both of these
processes the pictures, designs and devices which I propose to reproduce or produce,
are executed, say, from previously obtained fac-simile drawings or photographs,
colored to match, upon plates, blocks, stones, or types-gencrally termed "moulds,"-
using a separate mould for each color, which I place in any suitable pressing
machine and charge with their respective pigments, in tone, or depth of color, lighter
than the original, or the finished copy. I then take, say, a canvas of the given size,
mounted on a frame called a "stretcher," which I coat with oil or varnish paint
of the color required for the ground of my picture imitating any roughness or
irregularity of surface in the original, arising from age, brush marks or other
causes, by patching or thickening the said ground coating where necessary, or by
stippling and combing the same with suitable tools before the said coating is fully
set. 1 next with a closely fitting, but casily removable block of wood or other
inaterial, fill up the vacant space inside the canvas stretcher thereby obtaining a
solid, even and resisting surface on both sides of the canvas. Where the said frame
is wedged at the corners, provision is made in the block to take in or clear the
wedges. Thus stretched, ground-coated and blocked, the canvas is now-according
to my first process,-placed in the pressing machine, face to face with a pigment
charged mould, when upon pressure being exerted, the pigment, deposited upon
the face of the mould becomes permanently impressed upon the face of the canvas.
Impressions are then successively taken, upon the same canvas, from the other
moulds and pigments that go to make up the picture in hand, which when
sufficiently dry is impressed a second time in a precisely similar manner, as herein-
before described, care being taken for the due registering of the two colored
surfaces. I have found from experience that two light tinted impressions accurately
overlying one another afford effects of depth, distance and roundness of outline that
a single full tinted impression cannot supply, but if desired I may use a single full
tinted impression. Lastly, the picture is finished off by a coat of varnish, or
flattening similar in appearance to that on the original picture, or, as regards new
pictures, to the surface effect desired to be produced.
By my second process I impress from the moulds as before, but in half toned
colors only, a sheet of paper, previously prepared with a coating of starch, or other
suitable medium on the surface to be impressed, with the design of the picture in
oil or varnish colors, which I desire to reproduce or produce. I next brush the
subject carefully over with a quick hard setting oil varnish and allow it thoroughly
to dry. I then take, say a canvas of the given size, stretched, ground-coated and
blocked as before and cover it with fluid or warm clear size. Before this has time
to cool, I lay the face of the paper upon the face of the canvas and pass the canvas
stretcher through any suitable rolling machine; which operation, whilst it causes
the colors to penetrate into the texture of the canvas, expels all superfluous size
and along with it, any air bubbles that may be confined between the paper and the

page_text: "
canvas, at the same time cleansing the latter surface from " grit-specks" and
grease spots." So soon as the colors have taken firm hold I sponge off the paper
vehicle with tepid water, when the picture appears, permanently fixed on the
canvas, complete in its half tone colors. The subject must now be allowed
thoroughly to dry and harden, when I take a second paper impression, precisely
similar to the first, and having prepared it in a precisely similar manner, I lay it
face down upon the impressed face of the canvas, taking care that the two faces
shall accurately register, and then proceed to treat the second impression exactly as
I did the first, the result being a perfect picture of the required fulness of tone,
combined with all the desired effects of depth, distance and roundless, as referred
to and obtained by my first process. A final coating of varnish or flattening
according to circumstances, as before, completes the operation.
Where the picture to be reproduced or produced is too large to be executed upon
a single sheet of the prepared paper vehicle as horein before described, I divide the
subject into two or more sections or sectional parts, regular or irregular in size
and shape, and I impress each section separately from a separate corresponding
mould just as if it formed a complete subject in itself, and treat it in the same
manner as hereinbefore described for such complete subject; joining the said sections-
together afterwards-upon the canvas so as to ensure perfect uniformity of surfac and
continuity of design.
Although as set forth at the first I propose my alternative processes for use
chiefly on canvas and other textile fabrics, I do not limit nyself to the same, more
especially with respect to my second process which is peculiarly adapted for the
production of pictorial and other similar representations on wood, glass, leather
and many other suitable substances and materials. When however the picture or
subject is to be executed on glass or other transparent or translucent substance or
material in order to obtain transparent or translucent effects, a somewhat different
manipulation is required. In this case both the first and second colored paper
impressions are produced in full instead of half tone tints, because the passage of
light, whether natural or artificial, through a colored medium transparent or
translucent, tends to reduce the depth and brilliancy of the colors as originally
made up and laid on. But when, on the other hand, opaque effects are required to
be obtained on glass the manipulation is the same, as that herein before described
for canvas, namely two half toned impressions, the one accurately overlying the
other, and producing the same desirable effects.
In both iny said processes the ground coating and the blocking, in the manner
set forth of the canvas or other surface on which the picture design or device is to
be reproduced or produced, constitute characteristic features; and in my second
process the fluid sizing and the sectional dividing of the subject (when too large
for one sheet) are also characteristic features.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
saine is to be performed I declare that I claim :-The reproduction, or production of
copies, of pictures, designs and devices substantially by the means and in the manner
hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Augustus Hely have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourteenth day of June One thousand eight hundred
ALFRED A. HELY. (L.S.)