403
Chromotype or Printing in Colours.
Hugo di Carpi is said to be the original projector ofprinting chiaro-oscuro, by surface block printing. In1754, “Jackson’s Essays on the Invention of Engravingand Printing in chiaro-oscuro,” as practised by AlbertDurer , Carpi, &c., "was published. The editor in hispreface states, that “ besides tire superiority of taste,”there is “ yet a very essential advantage belonging to thismode, which is, that being done in oil, the colour willnever fly off. By this means the same beauty continuesas long as the paper can hold together.” Unfortunatelyfor this speculative opinion, after the lapse of one hun-dred years the colour of the ink did “fly off - ,” for thespecimens of the wood-cuts in oil scarcely retain any ofthe colours which were supposed to be imperishable aslong as the paper lasted. The paper, on the contrary,continues good and strong to this day.
M. J. M. Papillon, in his Traite liistorique et Pratiquede la Gravure sur Bois, 176G, gives directions for makingthe varnish, and for the choice and mixing of colours forprinting in chiaro-oscuro ; and shows specimens of thedifferent states of the impressions in the progress of theprinting. Mr. Savage, in “ Hints for Decorative Print-ing,” also gives practical directions for ornamental colourprinting. His recipes for making coloured inks are,however, incorrect; and although merit is due to himfor again calling the attention of printers to the subject,it is perhaps owing to the imperfection of his inks, as hedescribes them, that this beautiful branch of printingremained so long neglected after his book was pub-lished.
The greatest impulse given to colour surface printingin this country, was during the existence of the statelotteries, about 35 years ago. The late Robert Branston,wood-engraver, and the late James Vizetellv, then em-ployed at Messrs. Gye and Balne’s printing establish-ment, greatly promoted the demand for coloured andornamental printing, the one by his skill as an artist, andthe other by his constant endeavours to produce strikingeffects by means of colour printing; a great emulationfor ornamental work being created by the lottery con-tractors, who vied with each other to render their lotteryschemes more and more attractive. Mr. Janies Whiting,sen., who was one of the principal printers for theGovernment contractors, also produced great novelties,and subsequently, in conjunction with the late Sir WilliamCongreve and Mr. Branston, established the extensiveprinting-office of Beaufort House for all descriptions ofornamental printing, and particularly for protectionagainst forgery. The case No. 123, Class XXX., exhi-bited by his son, Mr. Charles Whiting (p. 8*29), con-tained some beautiful specimens of relief engravings ren-dered more difficult to imitate by the aid of the roseengine ; cameo embossing,* in which the surface of thedie is inked ; and compound plate printing,! at one im-pression, in two or several colours, by plates constructedto combine with wonderful accuracy at the moment oftaking the impression, by' cylinder steam machinery:these plates are- similar to those so long in use at theExcise and Stamp Offices, and which are of such greatdurability, that the medicine label plates now in use haveproduced millions of impressions during the last 25 years,and are still in daily use at the Stamp Office. It was bythe aid of this machinery that Mr. Norman, of Frankfort,and Mr. Henel, of Magdeburgh, were both enabled to
* Cameo embossing was re-introduced by the late Mr.Branston.
f Double- Colour Printing-Machine .—When Sir WilliamCongreve was engaged in contriving a method of printingstamps in two colours, for the prevention of forgery, for theStamping Department of Government, he applied to Mr.Donkin for his assistance: and Air. Wilks, who afterwardsbecame that gentleman’s partner, invented an apparatus,and made a design for a machine for the above purpose,which being immediately approved by Sir William Con-greve , a model was made, half size, at Messrs. Donkin’sworks, under the direction of Mr. Wilks, and in 1820 wasset to work at Sir William Congreve ’s residence in CecilStreet, and afterwards taken to the Museum at Woolwich.
introduce these principles of printing into their respectivecountries, the dies and plates being furnished by Mr.Whiting; those gentlemen were not only greatly remu-nerated for their exertions, but also encouraged by theirGovernments for the introduction of what was then anew ait to those countries. It Mould he difficult to findany other concern so well adapted in every way as Beau-fort House for what it was intended to be at its establish-ment by Mr. Whiting, sen., Sir William Congreve , andMr. Branston ; and the case exhibited sufficiently de-monstrates that Mr. Charles Whiting, who continues thebusiness, fully maintains its wtdl-earned reputation.
When the English state lotteries M ere abolished, orna-mental printing fell greatly into disuse, and it M*as notuntil 1832, when Mr. De La Rue took out a patent forprinting playing cards, that there M*as any revival, greatfacilities being given by the improved coloured inkswhich he introduced, and M'hicli are described in hisspecification. Since this period rapid and successive im-provements have taken place here and on the Continent,and coloured surface printing has arrived at a degreeof excellence greatly surpassing that of any formerperiod.
Nothing can be more beautiful and more perfect inexecution than the charming plates printed in coloursby Mr. Baxter’s process (172, p. 548); but the articleshaving been placed in the Class more especially relatingto the Fine Arts, it is in that Class that an account oftheir merit must be sought for.
M. Silbermaxn (374, pp. 1194, 1195), of Stras-burg, has exhibited productions, some of which areremarkable for the beauty of their execution, such as thepainted MindoM s of the Strasburg Cathedral, and someimitations of manuscripts, enriched M*ith coloured vig-nettes by surface printing. Others, again, are to benoticed tor their cheapness, such as those little colouredsoldiers, of which a hundred and twenty thousand sheetsare annually issued, and find a sale in France, Germany ,and England.
A geological map, coloured M'ith nine distinct tints; atable representing the effects of the contrast of colours,the employment of M'hicli has found a felicitous applica-tion in the work of M. ChevreuI, Member of the Institute ,and other priuts executed by this process, prove thatscience, as well as the arts and commerce, will profit bythis branch of industry.
In addition to the Printers already mentioned, who, inClass XVII., exhibited printing in colours, the followinghad specimens, in 'which no special merit M*as observedbeyond that of fair and careful workmanship :— England —Mr. J.W. Folkard (p. 544); Mr. J. S. Dodson (p.547);Mr. Silyerlock, London (p. 539); Mr. Evans, of Old-ham (p. 544); Mr. Ramsay, of Edinburgh (p. 549); Mr.Gill, of Dublin (p. 547). Paris— M. Guesxu (p. 1188);M. Meyf.r (p. 1208); M. G. Battenrf.rg (p. 1229); andM. Chardox and Sons (p. 1177). Netherlands — M. P. H.Noordendorp, of the Hague (p. 1149). Leipzic —M. Hirschfeld (p. 1113). Dresden— M. Meinhold andSons (p. 1124). Franhfort— M. Wohlfarth (p. 1124).Berlin —M. Moesner and KChn (p. 1057), and M.Haexel (p. 10G5). Canada —Messrs. Bureau and Mor-cotte, of Quebec (p. 968); and Messrs. Starke and Co.,of Montreal (p. 968).
Printing in Gold.
Dibdin, in his Decameron (vol, ii., p. 416), states, that“ This country has also an honour and a treasure to boastof in Mr. Whittaker’s ‘ Magna Charta, ’ printed in lettersof gold, with illuminations. His manner of operating isyet a secret. The Society for the Encouragement of Artsoffered Mr. Whittaker a premium for his ingenuity, uponthe condition, as is usual, of his making the processknown; but Mr. Whittaker, aware of the importance ofkeeping it secret, declined the premium. There are somecopies on vellum, beautiful, splendid, and characteristic,beyond any similar work ( I had almost said ancient asM*ell as modern) which it has ever been my good fortuneto behold. Indeed, taking it ‘all in all,’ those m*1io havenot seen such a union of typographical and graphicalskill as those illuminated copies display, can have no idea
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