Midland Naturalist/Volume 01/Autographic Printing
Autographic Printing.
A method whereby drawings of objects under the microscope, of rare specimens of plants, insects, and other things, may be accurately, easily, and inexpensively multiplied has long been desired. Numerous attempts have been made to meet these requirements, but none with which I am acquainted seems to yield such satisfactory results as that lately perfected by Mr. A. Pumphrey, of Birmingham, which he calls the Autographic Printing process. This is a method, invented and patented by him, by which anything written or drawn with ink on paper can be multiplied to any extent, In absolute facsimile, and in any one colour. It differs from the Papyrograph and other devices of that kind in the fact that fine lines can be reproduced in all their perfection; another and very great advantage is that the original is in no way injured, as is the case in most other methods. A desire having been expressed by members of the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society to see the process in actual work, the inventor attended at the Society's meeting, held on Tuesday, April 2nd, and gave an account of the process, and then proceeded to employ it in reproducing a number of various kinds of drawings. These sketches, prepared beforehand by members, having been given to Mr. Pumphrey, a prepared slab of slate, counted with a special preparation of gelatine, (which can be kept ready for use for an indefinite length of time,) was moistened with a solution of bichromate of potash, the drawing to be copied was placed in contact with the surface for a few seconds, and the ink on the paper, where it touched the gelatine, affected it and made it horny. Without any further operation, an ordinary inking roller was passed over the gelatine, the ink adhering to the slab only where the writing had touched. Clean paper was then laid upon it, and a little pressure produced a perfect copy. After one print was taken, the slab was moistened with clean water, and the operation repeated, With this number of the Magazine will be found a number of plates thus obtained, which reproduce the original drawings with excellent effect.[1]
It was at first supposed that any ink and paper would suffice, but the materials of which these are made are so various that it is advisable to use only those kinds which have been found to be most satisfactory. The chief requisite of the ink is that it should contain an excess of iron. Ink and paper of the best kind can he obtained from the patentee, Emily Street, Birmingham, and from Mr. T. Bolton, at his Microscopist's and Naturalists' Studio, 17, Ann Street, Birmingham, both of whom supply, at a small charge, a book giving full details how to obtain the best results, and a compact and handy apparatus, by means of which the printing can be done, as has been practically proved, by anyone. The price of this, with every requisite for producing prints similar to these contained in the present number, is £3 12s., or without the rolling press, for which an ordinary copying press may be substituted, £2 2s. The gelatine plates, when used, will be exchanged for new ones by the patentee, at a very low price. Each plate will yield from 150 to 200 perfect copies, according to the style of drawing. When larger numbers are required, the best plan is to take am impression, while the plate is at its best, with transfer ink on transfer paper; if this be sent to a lithographer, more than 5,000 prints can be obtained from each of such impressions, thus multiplying, almost indefinitely, the number of exact facsimiles which can be produced. There is a great advantage in being able to transfer to stone, as any number of sketches can be combined together, or with letter-press printing. The latter is elected by taking an impression from the type with transfer ink, which can then be placed upon the stone with the drawing.
The autographic process is superior to lithography in the delicacy of its results. The only care required in making drawings for this purpose is to keep the lines us fine as possible, and to use only open shading. It is especially applicable to cases where only a limited number of copies is required, as for circulars, examination papers, music, &c., which can be printed at home, but, above all, for securing a record of any original microscopical or other observation; the drawing can he made without any elaborate preparation, and the absolute fidelity of the copies ensured.
W. B. G.
This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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- ↑ We give with this number eight plates, produced by Mr, Pumphrey’s Autographic process, Plate A illustrates Mr. Grove's communication, at page 52 (February) of the "Midland Naturalist." on "A Hybrid Fern." Plates B, C, D, E and F are reproductions of some of the drawings above referred to by members of the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society; Plates G and H are printed from drawings reproduced by Mr. Pumphrey at the Soirée of the Stroud Natural History and Microscopical Society, on the 9th of April. The process can be seen in operation at Mr. Bolton's Studio, 17, Ann Street, Birmingham.—Eds. M.N.