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diff --git a/40924-8.txt b/40924-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f846e74..0000000 --- a/40924-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9594 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Invention of Lithography, by Alois Senefelder - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Invention of Lithography - -Author: Alois Senefelder - -Translator: J. W. Muller - -Release Date: October 3, 2012 [EBook #40924] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVENTION OF LITHOGRAPHY *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Charlie Howard and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - By Alois Senefelder - - Translated from the Original German - by J. W. MULLER - - THE INVENTION OF LITHOGRAPHY - - Cloth 4to $5.00 Postpaid - - THE FUCHS & LANG MANUFACTURING CO. - - NEW YORK - - - - - THE INVENTION OF LITHOGRAPHY - - [Illustration: SENEFELDER] - - - - - THE INVENTION OF - LITHOGRAPHY - - BY - - ALOIS SENEFELDER - - TRANSLATED - FROM THE ORIGINAL GERMAN BY - - J. W. MULLER - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK: THE FUCHS & LANG - MANUFACTURING COMPANY - 1911 - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1911, - BY THE FUCHS & LANG MANUFACTURING COMPANY - NEW YORK AND LONDON - - _Entered at Stationers' Hall, London_ - - - - -TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE - - -Alois Senefelder, not only the inventor, but the father and perfecter of -Lithography, wrote this story of his life and his invention in 1817. The -translator has followed his style closely, because he felt that the -readers would prefer to have this English edition represent Senefelder's -original German faithfully. - -When Senefelder wrote, he had to invent many names for the processes, -manipulation-methods, and tools. These terms have been translated -literally even where modern practice has adopted other names. - -The original German edition carried the following title-page:-- - - "COMPLETE | TEXT-BOOK OF STONE-PRINTING | CONTAINING | A CORRECT - AND LUCID INSTRUCTION | FOR ALL | VARIOUS MANIPULATIONS IN ALL - ITS BRANCHES AND METHODS | AND ALSO A | FULL HISTORY OF THIS ART - | FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT DAY. | WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED | - BY THE INVENTOR OF LITHOGRAPHY AND CHEMICAL PRINTING, | ALOIS - SENEFELDER. | WITH A PREFACE BY THE GENERAL-SECRETARY OF THE - ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES IN | MUNICH, THE DIRECTOR | FRIEDERICH - VON SCHLICHTEGROLL | MUNICH, 1821 | OBTAINABLE FROM THE AUTHOR - AND FROM E. A. FLEISCHMANN" | - -The book was dedicated by Senefelder to Maximilian Joseph, then King -of Bavaria. - -_July, 1911._ - - J. W. M. - - - - -PREFACE - - -A book like this requires no preface; it makes its own way, supported by -its contents. But the famous author deems that his acquaintance with me -gave him the direct impulse for producing this work, which has been -desired so long and from all sides; and he wishes that I shall say -something about the history of its production. I seize the opportunity -gladly to prove the esteem and the friendship that the talent of this -honorable contemporary and fellow countryman, a talent combined with the -utmost ambition and with childlike good nature and unselfishness, have -inspired in me. - -One may not declare that his contemporaries showed indifference to the -invention of lithography to which his fortunate star led Herr Alois -Senefelder, and to the improvements that he sought with thousands of -experiments and restless labor. On the contrary, the invention has -spread itself with surprising speed through Europe and beyond, and has -been received with admiration everywhere. But the lack of proper -instruction, due to the many who had learned it only partially and -introduced it only for the sake of a small, passing profit, has hampered -its perfect success. - -Therefore the inventor, who, happily, still lives among us, has been -urged from near and far to tell the story of his important, many-sided -discovery, and to give instructions for its use, that is, to produce -such a work as is before us now. - -But the artistic genius, full of his subject, would far rather work, -experiment, strive, than write! Many times Herr Senefelder decided to -set down how he happened on this art, how the successive steps of its -development were reached, and at what point of development its various -processes now stand; but always his ceaselessly striving spirit showed -him something new that might be achieved, and forced him back again into -his element,--experimentation. - -Thus the "Pattern Book," begun in 1809, remained unfinished and without -text; and the other work, announced two years ago by Herr Andre, in -Offenbach, as being undertaken by him with Herr Alois Senefelder, hardly -would have seen the light. - -A forceful impetus from without was needed to compel Herr Senefelder to -fulfill the general request of the public. It came as follows. Many -statements in print attracted my attention. They credited the invention -of lithography to Paris, to London; and in Munich there were various -contradictory legends, some alleging that Herr Alois Senefelder had made -the very first experiments and others crediting them to Herr Schmidt in -Miesbach, at that time Professor in Munich. I considered it my duty to -clear away this uncertainty and to prepare a critical history of this -invention while it still was possible. - -The weekly _Anzeiger für Kunst und Gewerbfleiss_ in the kingdom of -Bavaria, which has appeared since 1815, exists for the purpose of -producing annals of the art and industrial history of Bavaria. -Therefore, toward the end of 1816 and early in 1817, I inserted some -letters about the invention of lithography and called on all friends of -native art history to point out any inaccuracies and send proofs to the -contrary, that the truth might thus be ascertained about a subject of -great literary value for this generation and for posterity. More than -all, I urged Herr Alois Senefelder, then absent, "to produce a detailed -history of his invention as soon as possible, with a text-book -embellished by specimen plates, in which the full use of the art might -be truly and clearly explained." I sent this printed letter to Herr -Senefelder in Vienna. - -The first object of my request has been without much result. Hardly a -single voice has been raised to uncover the correct and the incorrect in -the various stories with strictly historical accuracy, and thus to bring -the truth to light, that lithography may not experience what our -Klopstock sings: "Too oft in eternal night is cloaked the inventor's -great name!" - -I have been more fortunate in my second object. Herr Alois Senefelder -recognized my good intention and my pure pleasure in this important art -that will give our Bavaria unending fame and spreading celebrity. Since -his return to Munich, it has been the subject of many conversations -between us, and I have endeavored to enliven the courage and -self-confidence of this remarkable man, who often was depressed by the -failure of many an enterprise. - -My three endeavors--to win the gracious attention of our most high royal -family for the latest improvements in chemical printing attained through -Herr Senefelder's work; to impel the venerable national institution to -which I belong to investigate the art scientifically; and the -publication of the text-book and the history of the inventor--these have -been not without result. - -His Majesty, our most gracious King, this all-honored Father of his -nation and his people, and long a gracious promoter of lithography, has -taken gracious cognizance of the newest, amazing experiments in -metallography and papyrography with which Herr Senefelder busied himself -last winter, has encouraged him magnanimously to publish the present -work, and has permitted that it shall be dedicated to his noble name. -Her Majesty, our supremely honored Queen, herself a connoisseur in the -creative arts, also has honored these experiments with her gracious -attention, and thus has enlivened the courage and the energy of the -artist. - -The most celebrated technicians in the Royal Academy have examined these -processes and also the various small presses lately invented by Herr -Senefelder in order to make stone-printing, and also metal and paper -printing available for private use and business, and have given him the -most flattering testimonials. The Polytechnic Association of Bavaria -also has aided, through its before-mentioned weekly publication, in -making Herr Senefelder and his art, and especially his most recent -achievements, known in a wider field than might otherwise be possible, -and to bring him to the attention of his fellow citizens and interested -travelers. - -At last, Herr Alois Senefelder has used the hours that he could spare -from his continuous experiments and investigations to write down the -history of his labors out of his faithful memory; and also to give a -full description of all methods invented by him to this time, -accompanied by highly instructive specimen pages, partly made by himself -and partly by artistic friends, but all printed either with his own -hand or under his direct supervision. - -Thus with the past winter there developed a new, still more busy life of -this rare, useful man; and thus there originated the present work that I -do not hesitate to declare as belonging among the most noteworthy -productions of the present Leipsic Book Fair. - -The book is in two parts: (1) the history of the invention and of the -various applications of the new art: (2) the description of the methods -for writing, drawing, engraving, transferring, etching, and printing, -stated with all the clearness possible, and accompanied with -object-lessons in the form of wonderfully successful and instructive -specimen plates. - -With the great candor inherent in the character of the author he tells -faithfully how he came to make his first experiments, what mistakes he -made, with what inner and outer difficulties he contended, how one idea -led to another, what combinations he tried, what plans, successful and -unsuccessful, he made, and under what unrest and embarrassments he lived -for many years. - -The minute detail of the history and the interpolation of the personal -relations of the author and his acquaintances may surprise many readers -at first sight; but many of these are intimately connected with the -development of stone-printing, and in the cases of others, the author -did not have time to re-write what really had been written as only the -first draft, because his original intention of re-writing would have -prevented the appearance of the book in the present Easter Book Fair. - -In the history of an important invention, minuteness hardly can be -called a fault. How gladly would we read all the family circumstances of -Johann Gutenberg and Johann Fust, if there were such a history of the -beginnings of typography as now is before us about lithography! - -Thus there has been fulfilled the desire that Herr Alois Senefelder tell -openly and plainly how he came to discover stone-printing. Now that his -testimony and claims lie open to all eyes, it is possible to compare it -with the other stories that are told, and to bring the necessary -accuracy into the investigation by sharply defining those things that -properly may be called stone-print. It is time to urge contemporaries -once more to declare anything known to them that is in contradiction of -this history, so that a critical history of stone-printing may be -produced, with a chronicle of what was done in the early years of the -art, how and by whom, so that we may learn if several minds had the idea -simultaneously, and thus to do justice to all. It is to be desired that -a writer equipped for the purpose with total non-partisanship, utter -truthfulness, and clearness of perception and judgment may do this not -unimportant service to literature very soon! - -As to the text-book, forming the second part of this publication, it has -been demanded even more than the history. - -Stone-printing has spread so much in recent years that a few certain -lithographers could no doubt give satisfactory instruction. But there -is only one voice among those who are acquainted with the matter -thoroughly, and that is, that Herr Alois Senefelder made not only the -earliest but the most numerous and various experiments, and therefore is -the foremost man to give instruction. - -He is of an upright spirit, and I can assert with full conviction that -in this text-book his aim was not only to tell everything fully, but -also with the utmost accuracy. Already he has instructed many in -the art, trained many others, and thus has learned what are the -circumstances that ordinarily hinder the efforts of a beginner. - -Even recently, according to his statement and that of Professor -Mitterer, whom I consider the best expert in lithography next to -Senefelder, there still have been phenomena that surprised lithographers -most unpleasantly in the midst of a piece of work, and ruined results as -if by witchcraft,--cases wherein, in two apparently perfectly similar -manipulations, there would not succeed to-day that which had succeeded -yesterday, nay, even an hour before. The text-book gives all -explanations and remedies for such cases that the wide experiences of -Senefelder have made known to him. Therefore, if an artist proceeds -exactly according to the instructions given here, and yet meets -obstacles, he need merely look for the reason in some small, unnoticed -detail or in the quality of his materials. He need not become -discouraged, for if he has faith in his faithful and candid teacher, he -will attain the goal. - -Besides the branches and methods already known and practiced with -success outside of Munich, as in Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Berlin, London, -Paris, etc., this text-book teaches several methods that had not been -made public by the inventor till now; and the fundamental principles of -those methods already known are stated here solidly. He gives -information also of his most recent attempts to use metal plates as well -as the stone paper recently invented by him. - -Although the procedure in these two latter methods resembles -stone-printing largely, it differs so much in some points from real -lithography that Herr Senefelder proposes to publish a work about these -processes especially, which may then serve as a supplement to this one. - -So may this work go forth in the world under good auspices, to increase -the fame of its author, secure for him the respect of all friends of art -in and outside of Germany, and become an encouragement for him to -dedicate his life further to his greatly promising art and its fullest -development! - -Honor in rich measure has come to him already through his art. A worldly -wise man in his place would have become a wealthy one. That he is not; -but our magnanimous King has made him secure against want during his -remaining life, and my knowledge of his character assures me that he -will utilize this, and any other advantage that may accrue to him in -time to come through this work or his art, for perfecting it, and then -to train his only son, now five years old, to the art, so that he may -practice it in future with honor to his father's name. - - FRIEDRICH VON SCHLICHTEGROLL. - -MUNICH, EASTER DAY, 1818. - - - - -SECTION I - -HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING - - - - -PART I - -FROM 1796 TO 1800 - - -As my father, Peter Senefelder of Königshofen in Franken, was court -actor in Munich, I had ample opportunity in early youth to see and read -many theatrical pieces. Thus I developed such a love for this branch of -literature and for the theatre that I would have become an actor myself -had I been permitted to obey my inclination. But my father, who was -determined not to permit any of his children to choose the stage, -compelled me to study law. I could satisfy my longings only occasionally -by playing a few times in private theatricals and by venturing on a few -dramatic writings in my hours of recreation. In my eighteenth year -(1789) the question arose, at a gathering of youngsters, as to how we -should entertain ourselves in the approaching Carnival time. We decided -to give a little private play. - -Many pieces were proposed, but none seemed suitable, because each one -wished to play a good and suitable part, and, besides, we could not fill -most of the parts, as we lacked women. We were almost giving up hope -when Herr Kuerzinger, now court actor, proposed to me to write a play, -as I had begun one shortly before that happened to suit each of my -friends. - -I finished the little piece, _Die Mädchen Kenner_, in a short time. It -was ready for production, when through accident we were disappointed -about securing the private theatre on which we had counted. We were -emboldened to request leave to produce it in the Kurfürst's Court -Theatre and succeeded, thanks to my father's aid. The over-kind praise -which it won encouraged me to have the play printed. Although I was -pretty generous with free copies among my friends, I received so much -from Lentner, the book-dealer in Munich, that a net profit of fifty -gulden remained to me. - -I had not worked eight days on the little thing, and had made all this -money, without counting the pleasure of the work. No wonder that now I -feared no longer for my future! My love for the theatre became -overpowering, and as my father died soon afterward (1791), and I found -no further assistance toward completing my studies in Ingolstadt, I -resolved to become a dramatic author and actor. - -I found no place for me in the Court Theatre. Its leaders were opposed -to my family, because my mother with her large family received a larger -pension, through the favor of the Kurfürst, than she could have expected -in ordinary course. In a few strolling theatres, such as Regensburg, -Nürnberg, Erlangen, and Augsburg, where I endured privation and -misfortune enough, my enthusiasm was well dampened in the course of two -years. I decided, as I could see no other prospects for the moment -despite my not inconsiderable attainments, to support myself in future -as author. - -I had written several dramatic pieces already that had won sufficient -applause. Therefore I decided to have some of these printed in order to -meet my immediate expenses. I gave one of them to the printing -establishment of Herr Hübschmann, in Munich, and when the first folio -was finished, I made the proposition to Herr Lentner to take some or all -of the copies. He told me that I would have done better to let him have -the manuscript; but since it had been begun, he told me to make sure -that it be finished before the beginning of the Leipsic Easter Fair, in -which case he promised to obtain for me one hundred gulden net, after -deducting all costs. I begged Herr Hübschmann to finish the printing, -but, as he assured me that it was impossible, I took the remaining -folios to another printer. Despite this the play was not printed till -two weeks after the fair, and I received from Herr Lentner barely enough -to pay the printing cost. - -My hope of profit was lost. I had, however, seen the entire procedure of -printing, because I had spent many a day in the establishments. I found -that it would not be hard for me to learn, and could not withstand the -desire to own a small printing establishment myself. "Thus," thought I, -"I can print my productions myself, and so alternate healthfully between -mental and physical activities." I could earn a decent living, too, and -thus become an independent man. - -This idea controlled me so that I studied all sorts of ways to realize -it. If I had possessed the necessary money, I would have bought types, a -press and paper, and printing on stone probably would not have been -invented so soon. The lack of funds, however, forced me to other -expedients. At first I thought of etching letters in steel. These -matrices I planned then to impress on pear wood, in which the letters -would show in relief, somewhat like the cast type of the book printers, -and they could have been printed like a wood-cut. A few experiments -showed me the possibility of this, and I could easily have invented a -machine with which the moulding could have been done more quickly than a -printer could set his type. I reserve the right to use this possibly -fruitful idea in future with improvements. At the time, however, I had -to give up the whole thing through lack of implements and sufficient -skill in engraving. - -Then it struck me that if I had only enough types to set one column or -folio, I could press this into a soft material, transfer the impression -to a board covered with soft sealing-wax, and reproduce the relief plate -thus obtained in stereotype form. The attempt succeeded perfectly. I -made a sort of dough of clay, fine sand, flour, and coal-dust, which, -being firmly kneaded, took the impression very well, and was so dry in a -quarter of an hour that I could print warmed sealing-wax thoroughly well -with a small press. I inked these letters of sealing-wax relief with -printing-ink laid on with a leather roller stuffed with horse-hair and -obtained a result as clean as any obtained from ordinary types. By -mixing finely powdered gypsum with the sealing-wax I made the latter -harder than the ordinary type composition. Thus there was nothing in the -way of my making stereotype plates (which I did not know by this name at -that time), except a few minor appliances and a small stock of types. -But even this exceeded my financial power and I gave up the plan, -especially as I had conceived a new one during my experiments. - -This was to learn to write out ordinary type letters exactly, but -reversed. I planned that as soon as I attained the skill, I would write -them with an elastic steel pen on a copper plate covered in ordinary -manner with etching surface, etch, and let the copper-plate printers -print them. In a few days I had such skill in reverse writing that I -attacked the etching on copper bravely. Here, to be sure, I met greater -difficulties. Writing on copper over the etching surface was far more -difficult than writing on paper. Then the preparation of the plate, the -etching, etc., demanded some practice; but all this I hoped to conquer -in time. The one thing that troubled me was that I could not correct the -errors made during writing. The accessories of copper-plate engravers, -especially the so-called cover varnish, were quite unknown to me. I knew -no remedy except to paint the faulty places over with molten wax, but -the covering generally became so thick that I could not work through it -properly and had to leave the corrections for the graving stilus, which, -however, I could not handle at the time. - -As, however, the proofs were thoroughly satisfactory to me, I labored -desperately to overcome the difficulty. During my student years I had -attained much chemical knowledge, and I knew that most of the resinous -products which withstand acid, as well as the fats, wax, tallow, and so -forth, can be dissolved and diluted partly in etheric oils and spirits -of wine, and partly in alkalies. My problem was to obtain a thin mass -which would permit itself to be spread very thinly in cold condition -over the copper etching surface, dry quickly, become sufficiently firm -after drying without getting tough, and, above all, be something that -would not attack the etching surface. A few trials with spirits of wine -and various resinous forms gave no satisfaction. The one experiment that -I made with oil of turpentine and wax also failed, presumably because I -diluted the mixture more than necessary, which caused it to flow too -much and dissolve the etching surface, at which time several well-done -parts of the engraving were ruined. Besides, this mixture dried only -slowly to the degree necessary for working. Fortunately I made no -further experiments with this material, because then I should not have -invented stone-printing, as I know now how to make a cover varnish that -is quite satisfactory. - -I turned, instead, to an experiment with wax and soap, which succeeded -beyond all expectations. A mixture of three parts of wax with one part -of common tallow soap, melted over the fire, mixed with some fine -lampblack, and then dissolved in rainwater, gave me a sort of black ink -with which I could correct faulty spots most easily. - -Now I needed only practice in order to carry out my project of etching -my literary productions in copper. This presented a new difficulty. -After I had written on my single little copper plate, etched it, and -pulled proofs at the house of a friend who possessed a copper-plate -press, I had to spend some hours again laboriously grinding and -polishing the plate, a process which also wore away the copper fast. - -This led me to practice on zinc, which was easier to scrape and polish. -An old zinc plate of my mother's was requisitioned at once, but the -results were very unsatisfactory, because the zinc probably was mixed -with lead, and I had used only aqua fortis instead of more powerful -acid. - -I did not continue trials with zinc, because just then I obtained a -handsome piece of Kellheimer stone for the purpose of rubbing down my -colors on it; and it occurred to me that if I painted this stone plate -with my wax ink, it would serve as well for practicing as copper or -zinc, with very little labor in grinding and polishing. The experiments -succeeded, and though I had not thought originally that the stone itself -might be used for printing (the samples I had seen hitherto of this -Kellheim limestone were too thin to withstand the pressure exerted in -printing), I soon began to believe that it was possible. It was much -easier to do good work on the stone than on the copper. I observed also -that I needed weaker and much diluted aqua fortis. - -A stone mason told me that he could provide me with this sort of -limestone in plates from one inch to eight inches thick. Thus I needed -not to fear cracking of the stone; and the only thing that I needed to -invent, in order to use the stone just like copper, was either a way to -give the stone a better polish, or else a tint which would be easier to -rub away than the ordinary copper-plate printing-ink. The stone will not -take the polish that is demanded with ordinary printer's ink,--and -perhaps this is the reason why the stone has not been used long before -my time as substitute for copper, for I imagine that such attempts must -have been made. - -I tried all possible kinds of polishing and grinding without attaining -my purpose completely. The result was best when I poured a mixture of -one part of concentrated oil of vitriol and four or five parts of water -over the stone after polishing it. This mixture, which is very sharp, -has the property of boiling immediately when poured over the stone, but -ceasing instantly, so that one is tempted to believe that the vitriol -has sated itself and lost its power. This is not so, however; for the -same fluid, placed on an untouched part of the stone, boils again at -once. The reason is that a firm skin of gypsum forms at once on the -stone, and this remains impervious to the fluid. If now the etching -fluid is poured off and the stone is rubbed lightly with a rag, it -attains a shining polish. Unfortunately this is so thin and weak that -one can make barely fifty impressions without repeating the process, -which involves some loss to the drawing. But if one desires to print in -the present chemical style, that is, wet, and the stone is polished -before the drawing, one can make several thousand imprints, which will -be described in the proper place. - -All experiments to find a color easy to wipe away showed me that on a -stone prepared with oil of vitriol none was better than a light oil -varnish with fine Frankfurter black and some tartar. This mixture could -be washed off with a weak solution in spring water of potash and common -salt. However, it happened often that slight carelessness in washing -destroyed designed parts which took color again afterward only after -much trouble. Recollection of this occurrence, which I could not -understand clearly at the time, led me some years later to the invention -of the chemical stone-printing of to-day. - -I have told all these things fully in order to prove to the reader that -I did not invent stone-printing through lucky accident, but that I -arrived at it by a way pointed out by industrious thought. It will be -seen that I knew the ink, before I thought of its use on stone. The -stone I used at first only to practice writing. The ease of writing on -stone lured me then to try to make it available for direct printing. To -do this, I had to discover a way to rub away the black as completely -from all unetched parts of the stone as the copper-plate printer can do -it from his surface, in comparison with which the stone was but slightly -smooth. - -At this time my further experiments with this etched form of -stone-printing were entirely checked by a new, accidental discovery. -Until now I had invented little that was new, but simply had applied the -copper-plate etching method to stone. But this new discovery founded an -entirely new form of printing, which basically became the foundation of -all succeeding methods. - -Had the stone merely proved available as substitute for copper, I would -have returned to copper as soon as I could afford it, despite several -advantages of stone, and for the following reasons: first, the necessary -weight and thickness of the stones; second, because the printing process -was slower than with copper; third, because probably I never would have -become sufficiently skilled in the difficult manipulation of washing -off; but chiefly, because the necessary spur, the originality of the -discovery, would have been lacking, since I remembered that as a child -of five or six I had seen a music-printery in Frankfurt or Mainz where -the notes were etched in black slate-stone. I had played often with the -broken stones, which lay in a heap near our house. Enough, I was not the -first discoverer of stone-etching, nor of stone-printing; and only after -I made this new discovery which I will describe now, which led me from -the engraved to the relief process, with my new ink, might I call myself -the inventor of an art. - -At that time I could not guess that I was to invent a form of printing -different even from this new and original form, a method which was to be -based not on mechanical but purely chemical properties. Even this -method, new in 1796, still was purely mechanical in its purpose, whereas -the present printing method, which I began in 1799, may be called purely -chemical. - -I had just ground a stone plate smooth in order to treat it with etching -fluid and to pursue on it my practice in reverse writing, when my mother -asked me to write a laundry list for her. The laundress was waiting, but -we could find no paper. My own supply had been used up by pulling -proofs. Even the writing-ink was dried up. Without bothering to look -for writing materials, I wrote the list hastily on the clean stone, with -my prepared stone ink of wax, soap, and lampblack, intending to copy it -as soon as paper was supplied. - -As I was preparing afterward to wash the writing from the stone, I -became curious to see what would happen with writing made thus of -prepared ink, if the stone were now etched with aqua fortis. I thought -that possibly the letters would be left in relief and admit of being -inked and printed like book-types or wood-cuts. My experience in -etching, which had showed me that the fluid acted in all directions, did -not encourage me to hope that the writing would be left in much relief. -But the work was coarse, and therefore not so likely to be under-cut as -ordinary work, so I made the trial. I poured a mixture of one part aqua -fortis and ten parts of water over the plate and let it stand two inches -deep for about five minutes. Then I examined the result and found the -writing about one tenth of a line or the thickness of a playing-card in -relief. - -A few finer strokes had been injured slightly, but the others had hardly -lost breadth noticeably and not at all in depth, so that I had good -reason to hope that a well-written plate, particularly in type letter, -would be susceptible of much better relief. - -Eagerly I began inking in. I used a fine leather ball, stuffed with -horsehair, and inked it very gently with thick linseed oil varnish and -lampblack. I patted the inscription many times with this ball. The -letters all took the color well, but it also went into all spaces -greater than half a line. That this was due to the over-great elasticity -of the ball was clear to me. So I cleansed my plate with soap and water, -made the leather tense, and used less color. Now I found color only in -such spaces as were two or more lines apart. - -I saw that I could attain my purpose better with a dauber of stiffer -material. I tried at once with a piece of glass from a broken mirror, -and as this succeeded fairly well, I tried elastic metal plates. Finally -I made an entirely satisfactory appliance out of a thin board, very -smoothly planed and covered with a fine cloth. - -My further experiments with this relief plate succeeded far better than -my previous ones with etched letters. The inking in was much easier, and -hardly one quarter of the force was necessary for making impressions. -Thus the stones were not so liable to crack, and, what was the most -important for me, this method of printing was entirely new, and I might -hope to obtain a franchise and even financial aid. This hope grew when I -learned that Riegel of Munich, who had invented a new sort of -Frankfurter black, had received ten thousand gulden to erect a factory, -although no human being could use it as a sufficient substitute, as I -proved by many trials. I saw the great field for my stone-printing art -and did not doubt that I would obtain assistance, even should it be only -a twentieth part of what Herr Riegel had received for his entirely -worthless process. - -The new art was invented, and soon was sufficiently practiced; but again -came the need for a little capital, to buy a press, some stones, paper, -tools, and so forth. If I did not wish to give up my hopes again, I must -seek some way to obtain the necessary means. All my endeavors were -fruitless. Only one way showed itself. An acquaintance, who served in -the artillery, had offered to pay two hundred gulden for a substitute. -In my helplessness I offered myself. I thought: "Once you are in the -artillery and have mastered the exercises, you can get furlough and the -permission to do your printing. You can pay others to do your sentry -goes, and thus there will be only a few weeks a year in which the -regiment will demand your presence. As soon as you have earned a few -hundred gulden you can get a substitute yourself, or, at worst--how soon -six years will pass! Perhaps you can make your fortune in the artillery, -too! You will display zeal, and your knowledge is such that probably few -in the corps will be superior to you. Mathematics, and especially -mechanics and geography, were ever your favorite studies; you were one -of the first of the Munich Lyceum in these branches; therefore it is -certain that you will be noticed and promoted"--and other such -chimerical hopes. - -On the third day I went with a transport of recruits to Ingolstadt, -which then was the quarters of the Bavarian artillery. I entered that -city with feelings different from those with which I had left it as -Academician. But the thought of my invention elevated my spirit to a -certain dignity and comforted me with the prophecy of a better future. I -was presented to the chief of company and slept a night in the barracks, -where unpleasant remarks and the conduct of a vulgar corporal cast heavy -shadows over the coming soldiering. Next morning, when I was to be -enrolled and named Prague as my birth-place, I was informed that a -recent royal order shut out all foreigners from the Bavarian service. So -I started on my return, poorer by a hope, but not in entire despair. As -I looked down from the Danube bridge into the majestic stream, where as -a student I was nearly drowned once, I could not quite prevent the -thought that my rescue at that time had not been fortunate, since a too -unkind fate seemed to deny me even the one means of support, open to the -most helpless, that of the army. - -Still, though cheated by hope a thousand times, I ever followed her -lures again, and a new plan instantly formed itself to replace the one -that had just gone to wreck. I decided to give up my literary work for -the time being and work as a printer for wages. - -Some very badly printed music that I bought in Ingolstadt awakened the -idea that with my new printing process I could furnish much better work. -I decided to go at once to Herr Falter, the music-dealer of Munich, to -interest him in my invention and obtain a small advance of money. Had I -done this, my art might have been more thoroughly perfected long ago; -but, again, it might never have been developed as it has been, for it -was amply sufficient already for music-printing. My shyness, however, -prevented me from addressing Herr Falter. Twice I was at his door, and -each time I retreated. The second time I met a good acquaintance, a -musician named Schrott. In reply to my inquiry if he knew Herr Falter, -he said "No," but he told me that the court musician, Gleissner, had -paid recently to have several masses printed and intended to publish -some more church music soon. Who was happier than I over this news! - -Herr Gleissner was a good friend of old. While I was in the theatre I -had engaged him to compose several songs, and had found him a humane and -righteous man. Within half an hour I was in his house and explaining my -invention to his wife, he being absent. I aroused her interest so much -that she seemed thoroughly eager to have me hurry back with a little -press model, in order to show them both the working of the process. - -The entire behavior of the woman was so open and artless that I -dismissed my first thought, "I might be cheated out of my invention," -and hurried to Herr Gleissner in the afternoon with my simple apparatus. - -My printing succeeded absolutely. Gleissner marveled at the swiftness -and beauty of the impressions, and, knowing my penniless condition, he -offered of his own free will to pay for a small printery. - -My mother had given me a press already. It was the ordinary copper-plate -press with two cylinders. True, it was very roughly made, being a house -carpenter's work, but it had cost only six gulden. However, one could -make very pretty impressions from stone with it. To spare Herr -Gleissner's treasury, I contented myself with it for the time. I bought -a small stock of stones, paper, and other necessary articles. - -Herr Gleissner composed twelve songs with clavier accompaniment. I wrote -them rapidly on stone and made one hundred and twenty impressions with -the aid of a day laborer. Everything, composition, writing on stone and -printing, was finished in fourteen days. From Herr Falter, who bought -one hundred copies, Herr Gleissner received the sum of one hundred -gulden. Stones, which could be used over and over again, paper, color, -and wages had cost barely thirty gulden; thus we had a clear profit of -seventy gulden, earned in fourteen days, and I gained so much happy hope -that I thought myself richer than Croesus. - -We were gay and merry. Through his patron, Count von Törring, then -President of the Royal Chamber, Herr Gleissner had presented an -impression of our first work to the Kurfürst Karl Theodor, and had -received one hundred gulden out of the Cabinet Treasury, with the -promise of a franchise. - -A succeeding little piece of work, "Duets for Two Flutes, by Gleissner," -brought forty gulden more into our chest, and finally our finances, as -well as a bright success for our institution, seemed assured by a -contract closed with the Countess von Herting to print a cantata on the -death of Mozart by Cannabich, the musical director, which promised us a -profit of one hundred and fifty gulden for two or three weeks' work. - -During this time I had presented specimens of work to the Royal Academy -of Sciences, with a description of the advantages of the art, in which I -named particularly the cheapness, and said that the impression had been -made on a press costing not more than six gulden. To my amazement, -instead of the expected honorable mention, I received a sum of twelve -gulden from the vice-president of the Academy, Herr von Vachiery, with -the information that the members had voted favorably for my invention, -and that, as my expenses amounted to only six gulden, according to my -own statement, I would, no doubt, be satisfied with a sum double this. I -had expected an entirely different appreciation from the sentinels of -the arts and sciences, whose office was to test the value of this new -discovery and call the Government's attention to it if favorable. A mere -monetary reward, therefore, especially so small a one, could not -possibly give me much pleasure. - -Promising as our beginning was (1793), there came a sad period soon -enough for the art, for me, and also for Herr Gleissner. We had ordered -a new press as soon as our income permitted. I expected to produce a -masterpiece with the first impression. Instead of that, there appeared -the very opposite, a dirty and smeared imprint. We suspected that we had -made some mistake in method. The second attempt, however, was worse than -the first, if possible. To be brief, of twenty trials, made with the -greatest industry and toil, we obtained only two or three that were even -average. - -As long as I live I shall be unable to understand how we could have been -so blind at that time. We sought the cause of failure in everything -except the true thing,--an alteration that made the new press different -from the old one, which unfortunately had been already destroyed. Later, -after I had invented the so-called lever or gallows press, the thing was -clear to me at once. But by that time it had cost me and Herr Gleissner -two years full of toil, worry, and sorrow. In the contract with the -Countess von Herting the date of completion of the work had been -stipulated, because she wished to surprise Herr Cannabich with it on his -birthday. We had barely four weeks left and not a single sheet had been -finished. With press alterations, trial impressions, and so forth, we -had wasted money and time, and paper by the ream. Our loss amounted to -more than one hundred and fifty gulden, and still there was no prospect -of final success. Pressed for results by the Countess, our entire -reputation and the honor of my invention were at stake. Added to this -came many other annoyances, especially the complaints of Frau Gleissner, -who charged that I had destroyed the original, perfectly satisfactory -press against her will. These tested my courage sadly. - -The cause of all this trouble was so petty that I really must have been -half-stupefied by the fear of not keeping our pledges, otherwise I must -have perceived it at once. - -To make my first imperfect press I had bought a piece of wood from a -wheelwright in order to have it turned into two cylinders. Hardly had -the two been in the house a day before each one split so that a -longitudinal crack of two inches width appeared. As the upper cylinder -was thick enough to make an impression of a whole folio of sheet music -without revolving so far as to let the crack reach the stone, I -contented myself with it temporarily. Now, in order not to spoil the -impressions, I had to begin each revolution of the cylinder at the -crack, for otherwise the crack might have come at the middle or end of -the impression and given no imprint of that part. Therefore, as the -stone was pushed under the cylinder at the crack, it was already gripped -before the impression began, and was drawn through at once. With the new -press, however, the upper cylinder had to draw the stone between both -cylinders in order to bring it under its pressure. But in doing this, -the new press first pulled the linen stretched over the printing-frame -till it would yield no more and forced the stone powerfully under the -cylinder, during which of course the paper under the linen was pulled -over the inked stone and smeared. - -Several attempts to rectify this trouble were unsuccessful. Probably I -would have discovered the remedy finally,--either that the upper -cylinder must not first be pressed on the stone, which must be under it -before each impression began, or that I need only use tightly stretched -leather instead of linen. But I decided, instead, in order to complete -our work if possible, to have a press made in all haste by a carpenter, -of a style like the book-printers' press, wherein the force is applied -instantly from above. - -As everything was very rough, the new press was ready in eight days. The -first experiment, with a small stone, seemed to succeed. But the larger -stones would not give thorough impressions, probably because of the -uneven surface of the press, which was merely of wood. I increased the -power enormously. A stone of three hundredweight was elevated with -pulleys and released suddenly to fall ten feet. It forced a lever down -on the press with a pressure of more than ten thousand pounds. The -plates gave fair impressions by this means, but generally they were -cracked after the first, second, or third impression. - -To determine how much downward force was needed to print a sheet of -music, I took a well-ground stone a square inch in area, laid moistened -paper on an inked printing-stone, over this a sixfold layer of paper, -then a double layer of fine cloth, finally the square inch of stone, and -then weights ranging from one to three hundredweight. - -This experience taught me that the square inch of surface demanded three -hundredweights of force to make a good impression in a few seconds, and -almost less than half that weight when I allowed it to act for a whole -minute. According to this calculation the entire sheet, which contained -about one hundred square inches, would have demanded thirty thousand -pounds; and the stone could have withstood this without cracking, had I -been able to apply the pressure evenly. But the imperfections of the -press made it necessary to apply a pressure three times as great, and -this the stones could not bear. - -To correct the defects of this press was more than I cared about, -after I was nearly killed by the three hundredweights, which fell -accidentally, and, as I stood immediately under it, would have beaten -out my brains had not a miracle caused the load to catch and hold. The -thought that a similar accident might cause the death of one of my men -made me hate the whole press, all the more so as I had conceived what -seemed to me at the time an exceedingly happy idea for a very simple -and not costly printing-machine. - -Before I possessed a press of my own, I used to pull proofs of my work -in the following manner, in order to avoid the constant trips to a -printer. I laid the dampened paper on the inked stone. Over it I laid -some heavy paper, and then a sheet of stiff, carefully smoothed dry -paper. Then I took a piece of polished wood and rubbed this over the -upper sheet of paper, holding the latter firmly to prevent slipping. I -continued the rubbing, using more or less power according to whether I -wanted the impressions deep or pale. Thus I obtained impressions very -often that could not have been better. - -I wondered why this could not be done on a large scale, and proceeded to -try at once. I stretched a piece of linen firmly over a wooden frame two -feet long and wide. On this linen I pasted a sheet of strong paper, -polished on the upper side with wax. Then with two bands the frame was -fastened to an ordinary wooden table. Then the stone was fastened on the -table under the frame. Inside of the printing-frame was a smaller frame -with cords, to hold the paper, which had a layer of gray blotting-paper -under it. With a piece of polished wood, or a piece of glass such as is -used by polishers, I rubbed the upper waxed paper thoroughly, making -sure that every spot was touched. - -The first proof, and several succeeding ones, which I made myself, -turned out so excellent that probably few better impressions ever -have been made since. Two more presses were made at once, and six -printers hired. The work might still be finished in the stipulated -time. New hopes thrilled us. Hastily I inscribed the stones and the -printing began. But--oh, human weakness! Does it seem credible that -of my six helpers not one could master the extremely simple method of -manipulation, the mere matter of rubbing evenly and thoroughly? Of six -impressions hardly one ever reached perfection. There were blank spaces -here and there. Yes, even when, accidentally, they produced three -sections of a sheet correctly, the fourth invariably was a flat failure, -and thus ruined the entire sheet. We would have been glad enough had we -lost even one half the paper, if only we could have saved our credit by -completing the work, regardless of our money loss. But of three reams of -paper only thirty-three impressions were won in the end. - -I will merely touch on the painful scenes that ensued. The stipulated -time had almost expired and no prospect of results. The manuscript and -the paper remaining in stock were taken away from us and given to Herr -Falter, while we had to suffer severe censure from the Countess, and in -her name from others. Herr Gleissner had to pay for new paper, which -made a monthly deduction from his salary necessary. The grant of our -privilege was endangered, for the Kurfürst had obtained a poor opinion -of our process. Indeed, so long as the Kurfürst Karl Theodor lived, all -our efforts to obtain a privilege were fruitless. We could not even -succeed in having it proposed, although the referee, Herr von -Stubenrauch, made us promises from month to month. - -All the money we had earned was lost; debts burdened us; and a monthly -deduction of pay, with the mocking laughter of those who had been made -envious by our first successes, was the entire reward for our endeavors -to make a new art. As it was only the lack of a good press that had -caused our failure, I went to Herr Falter, with whom I had become -acquainted through Herr Gleissner, and told him the reasons for not -finishing the cantata in time. I told him that if he were willing to -have a proper press built, I was willing to print his works for him, in -his own residence, which was his stipulation, provided I could prepare -the stones at home. We agreed, and I ordered a great cylinder press made -at his expense. To avoid the old trouble I had both cylinders fitted -with cogs, which gave satisfactory results if both printers who handled -the press were careful to begin turning the cylinders at the same -moment. The double friction of the two rollers made them both pull on -the printing-frame and the stone, where, before, the lower cylinder had -done just the opposite. The greater periphery of the upper cylinder, -which was almost fifteen inches thick, helped also. And to this day I -consider this form of press the best for all methods, especially if the -stones are thick enough, if one has not to consider the very greatest -speed; for in speed this press is decidedly inferior to the lever press -and other styles. On the other hand, the pressure is much more gentle, -more perpendicular, and less liable to pull the paper out of place than -is possible with even the best so-called friction presses. Only there -should be added to the cogs an appliance by which the upper cylinder has -a screw adjusted over its centre, so that it can be forced down for each -impression after the stone is under it. Figure 1, plate I, is the -picture of such a cylinder press, made for stone-printing. - -As soon as the press was ready and erected, I began to inscribe on stone -the music of _Die Zauberflöte_, arranged for quartette by Herr Danzy, -and with Herr Gleissner we began the printing. - -But Herr Gleissner became dangerously ill. I trained two soldiers to do -the printing, left the entire printing process to Herr Falter, and -limited myself to the work of delivering the stones to him. The workers -ruined so much paper that Herr Falter could not make it pay, and -returned to etching on copper. - -During this time Herr Schmidt, professor at the military academy, had -begun to etch on stone. As I discovered long afterwards, he was a good -acquaintance of Herr Gleissner, who visited him often. Within the last -year there is a strenuous attempt to make this Herr Schmidt appear to be -the inventor of printing from stone, though probably he never desired -this. There have been publications about it already. I shall not notice -what has been said, and will let the matter speak for itself. From the -foregoing the reader will have seen the natural but laborious way in -which fate led me to this invention. If Herr Schmidt made a similar -discovery at that time, he was much more fortunate than I. According to -his own letter, printed in the _Anzeiger für Kunst und Gewerbfleiss_, -the course of his invention was as follows. He saw a gravestone in the -Frauen-Kirche, in Munich, on which letters and pictures were in relief. -"That must have been done with acid; it would be possible to print from -it!" thought he, and the invention was completed. - -If it is so easy to gain the honor of an invention, then, indeed, I was -unlucky to have undergone so much toil. But according to my opinion, -there was nothing new in the whole discovery. The thought that "this -was etched" assumed the invention and the use of etching beforehand. -That such coarse, thick, and highly relieved inscriptions as those on -gravestones could be inked and used for printing would strike anybody -who knew even a little of printing. If, however, Herr Schmidt added to -his idea the second, that fine and, therefore, only slightly elevated -inscriptions and illustrations could be inked and printed with the aid -of appliances to be invented for the purpose,--if he did this and -executed it before me, or, at least, before he had knowledge of my work, -then indeed the honor belongs to him of having invented mechanical -printing from stone, either before me or simultaneously. But as a matter -of fact, neither he nor I can claim to be the first who thought of using -stones for printing. Only the "how?" is the new thing in the case. - -At that time (1796) I had not invented stone-printing, but, firstly, an -ink available for writing on stone and resistant to acid, which ink I -invented out of my brains and not, like Herr Schmidt, out of an old -Nürnberg book: secondly, I invented a practical tool for inking the -slightly elevated letters: and thirdly, the so-called gallows or lever -press, of which I shall speak later. - -As I do not know what were the circumstances surrounding Herr Schmidt at -the time, and I cannot, therefore, make any inquiries, I am willing to -take his word if he will declare as an honest man that he printed from -stone before July, 1796. That his method of printing was different from -mine, and that he had absolutely not the slightest knowledge of chemical -printing from stone, which I invented in 1798, I know from indubitable -evidence. - -He made many attempts with his pupils to produce drawings on stones, but -presumably his impressions were not successful, for those stones that I -saw afterward at Herr Schulrath Steiner's had been etched first and the -spaces then engraved away very deeply with all sorts of steel -instruments, after the manner of wood-cuts, so that they might properly -be called stone-cuts in relief. He had these stones printed in the -Schul-fond's book-printery, and I hear that the impressions were very -good. I saw none myself. - -However, Professor Schmidt's experiments were the means of making me -acquainted with Herr Schulrath Steiner, who encouraged me so much that I -conceived many ideas in order to fulfill his wishes, so that at last the -art of printing from stone achieved its present honorable position. - -Herr Schulrath Steiner, an intimate friend of Professor Schmidt, was -director of the Schul-fond's printery. As such he was concerned with -many prints. Herr Schmidt's idea of publishing stone-etched pictures of -poisonous plants for school use was approved by him; and as the attempts -did not satisfy him, he decided to turn to me. At that time the -Schul-fond was to print some church songs. This gave him the opportunity -of visiting me. He asked me if the musical notes could not be so etched -or cut in relief in stone that they could be made up with ordinary -book-types and thus printed in the ordinary book-presses. I promised to -try it. However, the necessary deep engraving of the spaces was too -laborious, so that it would have been easier to do it in wood. As an -expedient we printed the text first with ordinary types in the -book-press and then printed in the music with stones in the stone-press. - -Meantime I tried to attain our purpose in other ways, connected with -some of my early experiments. My best success was with the following -method. On a stone polished with sand I painted a layer, equal to two or -three card-thicknesses, of burned, finely powdered gypsum, butter, and -alum, mixed with a proper amount of water. As soon as it was dry I -inscribed the music with steel needles of various sizes on the surface -of the stone, which was of a somewhat dark, almost gray color, so that I -could see it more easily through the soft, white mass. Having finished -the drawing I took warm sealing-wax smeared on wood, and applied it to -the stone while it was warm with a hand-press. After cooling, the white -mass was fast to the sealing-wax and quite loose from the stone, and it -was scrubbed away clean with water and a brush, after which the drawing -appeared on the wood in elevated wax extremely clear and clean, like a -wood-cut. The spaces were so deep that the plate could be printed in -regular book-printing manner. - -Later I made trial of a composition of lead, zinc, and bismuth, and -this succeeds thoroughly with proper care. So here we would have still -another printing process, which has the advantage over all others that -the inscription need not be made reversed, as the impression on the wax -or lead reverses it automatically. - -If the white mass is laid on more thickly, one can make the handsomest -patterns for calico much more quickly than has been possible heretofore -with wood-cuts. A little more care is necessary, because no stroke must -be made entirely through the mass, when it is laid on thick. My -experiments in that direction all exceeded expectations, and it is to be -regretted that I had no opportunity thereafter to perfect this invention -more, or use it practically. The experiments had no value even for Herr -Schulrath Steiner, for whom I made them, as he never had use for the -process afterward. Indeed, I would have forgotten the matter almost -entirely, if it had not been brought back to mind by this work of -writing my story. In the second part of this book, in describing -stone-printing itself, I will show various methods of making patterns -for work on cotton, such as I conceived later in Vienna where I busied -myself very much with cotton-printing. - -I happened to print for Herr Lentner a little song about the great fire -of Neuötting in Bavaria and used a little vignette showing a burning -house. This induced Herr Steiner to let me etch a few small pictures for -a catechism. So far as execution of drawing goes, they were very -ordinary; but he continued to encourage me to try if the new printing -process would not be available for art work. With the exception of Herr -Andre of Offenbach, he was the only one who reasoned thus: "These -strokes and points, of such great fineness and again of such great -strength, can evidently be made on the stone, therefore it is possible -to make drawings similar to copper-plate etchings. That this cannot be -done yet is due not to a fault in the art of stone-printing, but to the -insufficient skill of the artists." - -Even at that time he did not say: "The art is still in its infancy," as -many a would-be wise man does to-day, thus exposing his lack of -knowledge of the entire matter. Even at that time he was convinced, more -so even than I, that the art of stone-printing had reached its climax -when I gave him the first specimens of stone-printing improved by the -chemical process. Artists might cultivate and perfect themselves, -manipulation be simplified and processes be increased in number and -variety, but the art itself could not be improved greatly. - -To be sure, when I glance hurriedly over the manifold results of the -last twenty years, all that I have done myself for perfection, the -brilliant achievements of which this book will furnish proof, I am -tempted to think for a moment that the Now and the Then cannot be -compared. But considered correctly, I had invented and discovered the -entire art at that time. Everything that I and others have done since -then are only improvements. Everything rests still on the same -principle: ink of wax, soap, etc., then gum, aqua fortis or another acid -of which none has an advantage over the others, further oil varnish and -lampblack,--these are, ever and in the same manner, the chief elements -of stone-printing as they were then. Not the slightest thing has been -changed, improved, or invented in the fundamental principle. No -illustration has been published by any lithographer containing cleaner, -stronger, or blacker lines and points than my first proofs had in part. - -Therefore, those people are wrong who seek to excuse the lack of -assistance that I received in the beginning, by alleging that at the -time no one knew if the process could be used to any great extent. They -declare many productions of the present day to be far better, simply -because the illustrator is more skillful, though in truth the printing -is not so good as many of the first ones made by me. It has even -happened that the assertion has found its way into print that I had -invented only the rough part of the art, and never had been able to use -it for more than music-printing, whereas this one or that one are the -true artists, having succeeded in producing pictures. - -These gentlemen, who are so quick with verdicts, should inform -themselves a little. They would discover that aside from me (with the -exception of Professor Mitterer's invention of the cylinder press), -nobody has made a noteworthy improvement in the branches of lithography -without having received it primarily or indirectly through me. Further -they would have learned that these illustrators either made their first -attempts under my personal direction, or else owe their skill to persons -whom I taught; and lastly, that none of my critics can boast of having -penetrated into the very inmost spirit of the art like only Herr Rapp of -Munich, the venerable author of the work published by Cotta, _The Secret -of Lithography_. If they learned all this, they might feel a little -ashamed. But then, they would have much to do. - -Had my skill in writing and drawing on stone been greater at that time, -Herr Steiner would have given me opportunity enough and manifold. He -permitted me to do a small book, _Rules for Girls_, in German script, -which, on the whole, turned out of only average quality, as I had not -practiced this style sufficiently. - -Then he wanted me to draw Biblical pictures on stone or to let others -draw them. At that time he was having Herr Schön in Augsburg etch the -Seven Holy Sacraments after Poussin. As the etching was expensive, the -impressions could not be sold for less than four kreuzer each. Herr -Steiner wished to circulate these pictures so generally that they could -serve as gifts from the country preachers to their little Christian -pupils. He wished, also, to ornament various school-books with pictures -of this kind, and thus, gradually, to replace the miserably drawn -species of saints that generally fill the prayer-books of the pious -households. - -Only the utmost cheapness could make this possible, and this naturally -suggested the stone process to him. Even if the pictures were not so -fine as those etched on copper, they would serve amply if they were -correctly drawn, noble in design, and handsomely printed. It was -necessary either to draw myself and practice faithfully, or to train a -skilled artist to draw with fatty ink on stone. We preferred the latter -method and trained several young men, who produced various works, -sometimes good, sometimes inferior. - -Through all this I ran more and more danger of losing my secret. Indeed, -it was lost already except perhaps so far as concerned the exact -composition of the ink. But I hoped still to obtain the privilege for -Bavaria, toward which end the Schulrath promised me his best aid, and so -I let the matter proceed, and trained the men. But among all these -young men there was not one who did not desire a substantial reward for -his very first attempts, and when they found that they were expected -first to learn, they stayed away, one by one. Herr Steiner was hurt. I, -however, was indifferent, for I was just beginning to plan to use a new -and important discovery in such a manner that my stone-printing would be -greatly improved and we could hope to carry out our idea of -illustrations without the aid of artists. - -I had been assigned to write a prayer-book on stone for the Schul-fond. -It was mostly in a style of writing in which I was least expert. When I -wrote music notes, our method, proved best by experience, had been to -write the entire sheet in reverse on the stone with lead pencil to serve -as pattern. This was mostly Herr Gleissner's work, and being a musician -he had achieved great perfection. For me this preparatory work was far -less agreeable than the final execution with the stone-ink. Therefore, -as ever in my life, when a difficulty or a burden was before me, I -studied for some way to make it easier for me. Previously I had found -that if one wrote on paper with good English lead pencils, then -moistened the paper, laid it on a polished stone and passed it through a -powerful press, a good impression was the result. I had used the method -on various occasions. I wished that I possessed an ink that could be -used the same way. Trials showed that fine red chalk needed merely to be -rubbed down gently in a solution of gum, and that even the ordinary -writing-ink of nut gall and vitriol of iron would serve when mixed with -a little sugar. But this did not satisfy my ambition, which always -demanded the best and most perfect. The gum in one and the vitriol in -the other did not agree well with the stone-ink. In addition, the -impression often squashed. Therefore I tried a mixture in water of -linseed oil, soap, and lampblack which met my demands better. I had a -music-writer write notes correctly on note-paper with this ink, printed -it on the stone, and thus had an accurate pattern, which was at the same -time reversed, as was necessary. - -I now planned to do this with the book. But why could I not invent an -ink that would serve on the stone without making it necessary to trace -over it with the stone-ink? Why not make an ink that would leave the -paper under pressure and transfer itself to the stone entirely? Could -one give the paper itself some property so that it would let go of the -ink under given conditions? So reflected I, and it seemed to me not -impossible. At once I began to experiment. I had observed that the -stone-ink at once began to congeal and stiffen when it came into contact -with ordinary writing-ink, because of the action of the vitriol of iron, -which devoured the alkali that the stone-ink needed to keep it in -solution. Therefore I wrote with ordinary ink, into which I put still -more vitriol of iron. After it was dry, I dipped the sheet into a weak -solution in water of my stone-ink. After a few seconds I withdrew it and -washed it very gently in rainwater. I found that the ink had fastened -itself on the written places, and pretty thickly, too. I allowed the -paper to dry slightly and transferred the writing to the stone. The -impression was fair, but not sufficiently complete. I tried it -repeatedly but could obtain no transfers that were sharp and uniform -enough to represent a handsome script. So I tried another way. I painted -the paper with gum solution in which vitriol of iron was dissolved. -After it dried I wrote on it with my ordinary stone-ink and dried it -again. Then I dampened the paper and let it lie a while to soften, after -which I transferred it to the stone, which had been treated with strong -oil varnish diluted in oil of turpentine, laid on so lightly that it was -only like the blurring from a breath. - -These attempts were far more successful, but it was impossible to write -as delicately on this paper as I desired. Therefore I made new -experiments. I changed the mixture of my ink. I tried to make it more -adhesive with mixtures of resin, oil varnish, gum elastic, turpentine, -mastic, and similar substances. In short, I do not exaggerate when I -declare that this matter cost me several thousands of experiments. I was -rewarded sufficiently by succeeding. And at the same time through these -investigations I discovered the chemical printing on stone of to-day. - -As the transfer from paper to stone depended mainly on the greater or -lesser powers of adhesion between one material and another, it was -natural that in my many experiments with such various ingredients I -should observe that a mucous fluid, as, for instance, the gum solution, -resisted the adhesion of the greasy ink. Nearer still to the new -invention did the following experiment bring me: I noticed that if there -happened to be a few drops of oil in the water into which I dipped paper -inscribed with my greasy stone-ink, the oil would distribute itself -evenly over all parts of the writing, whereas the rest of the paper -would take no oil, and especially so if it had been treated with gum -solution or very thin starch paste. This fact led me to investigate the -behavior of paper printed with common printing-ink. - -A sheet of an old book was drawn through thin gum solution, then laid on -a stone and touched carefully everywhere with a sponge that had been -dipped into a thin oil color. The printed letters took the color well -everywhere and the paper itself remained white. Now I laid another clean -white sheet on this, put both through the press, and obtained a very -good transfer, in reverse, of course. In this manner, if I used great -care, I found I could make fifty and more transfers from the same sheet. -If I allowed such a transfer to dry thoroughly and then treated it like -the original sheet, why should it not produce transfers that are like -the original, not reversed? So thought I, and the result showed that I -had not been wrong! Only for the first transfer I needed to use a -somewhat stiffer color that had been dried more with litharge of silver, -and then to let the transfer dry for at least four or six days. - -So I came to find that I could print without a stone, from the paper -alone; and this process, depending solely on chemical action, was -totally, fundamentally different from all other processes of printing. - -Old books could be republished in this manner easily and without great -cost. New ones also. I needed only to invent a fatty ink, similar to the -printing-ink and drying thoroughly, and I could use every sheet of -printed paper instead of type. I invented this ink soon. Resin, finely -pulverized litharge of silver, lampblack, thick oil varnish, and potash -properly diluted with water gave me a good ink for the purpose. The only -obstacle that prevented me from using this process at once on a large -scale was the fragility of the paper, which tore into pieces under the -slightest carelessness in handling. The natural and simple thought that -was bound to come to me under the circumstances was this, Could not a -stronger material, perhaps the stone plate itself, be so prepared that -it would take ink or color only on the parts covered with fatty ink, -while the wet parts of the stone resisted it? I feared that the stone -might not absorb the grease sufficiently, and this really is the case -with many stones, such as slate, pebble, grindstone, glass, porcelain, -etc.; but experiments showed that exactly the opposite is true in the -case of the Solenhofer limestone. This stone has a great affinity for -fat, which often is absorbed so deeply that in many cases even extensive -grinding will not remove it. - -I took a cleanly polished stone, inscribed it with a piece of soap, -poured thin gum solution over it and passed over all with a sponge -dipped in oil color. All the places marked with the fat became black at -once, the rest remained white. I could make as many impressions as I -pleased; simply wetting the stone after each impression and treating it -again with the sponge produced the same result each time. The -impressions became somewhat pale, because the color on the sponge was -too thin; but I obtained perfectly black and handsome impressions as -soon as I used an ink roller of leather stuffed with horse-hair. - -I hurried to write a sheet of note music at once to print it in the new -way; but the ink flowed too much on the polished stone. Previously I had -corrected this by rubbing the stone with linseed oil or soap-water, -which checked the trouble entirely. But I knew that I could not do that -in this new method, because then the stone would have a coating of -grease all over, and would take color on the entire surface. However, I -was able to take this coating away after writing, by etching with aqua -fortis, though etching would not have been necessary otherwise in this -chemical form of printing. However, it was easy to see that a drawing -etched into relief would be easier to print from than one not etched at -all. It did not require much etching, and I saved a great deal of acid, -while the stone, also, remained useful for new work for a much longer -period. Therefore, without making further experiments, I adhered to my -old method, first washing the stone lightly with soap-water, drying it -well, writing on it with wax ink, and then etching with acid before I -finished it for printing by pouring gum solution over it. - -At first I imagined that I might do without the gum entirely; but I -found soon that it really formed a sort of chemical union with the -stone, making its pores more receptive to the grease and closing them -more effectively against water. I found also that neither aqua fortis -nor gum was so valuable alone as when both were used in the process. - -I needed to make only a few more experiments to obtain the proper -consistency of ink, and the new process would be practically perfect so -far as the fundamental principle was concerned. And, in fact, I made -such handsome, clean, and strong impressions after three days of trial -that few better ones have been made since. Now it was necessary merely -to train skillful workmen and artists as quickly as possible for this -new art, that was susceptible of innumerable valuable uses, as I could -see at once. - -It made no difference now whether the design was worked in relief or -intaglio, as good impressions could be obtained even when the drawing -was perfectly level with the surface of the stone. But all three methods -could be combined on one stone, if desired. If I reversed the method, by -rubbing oil over the stone instead of water, while for printing I used -an ink prepared with gum solution (of which I will describe the best -composition afterward), then the greasy places would resist color while -the wet ones took it, and thus I could print with all water colors, and -this is necessary sometimes with colored pictures because of the greater -height of the colors. The inscription with dry soap gave me the logical -idea toward crayon work, which I used afterward. My previous experiments -with etching, that recurred to my memory, now assumed entirely different -aspects and I could understand many things that had puzzled me then. - -It was a simple step now to the etched method, in which the stone is -prepared first with aqua fortis and gum, after which the design is -engraved in intaglio without first being treated with aqua fortis. -Indeed, this method was used for the first work that I undertook. - -A piece of music by Herr Gleissner (which afterward was greatly praised -in the musical paper) had been completed before I invented the new -process. Only the title-page remained to do. As I wished to make this as -handsome as possible, since Herr Gleissner intended to dedicate the work -to Count von Törring, I chose this new intaglio style, because I hoped -to do my best work in it. Any one who still possesses a copy of this -symphony can see by slight examination that the printing was done from -an etched engraving. Therefore Herr Rapp in Stuttgart is mistaken when -he assumes that he is the first who treated the stone in this manner. As -early as the year 1800 I deposited in the archives of the Patent Office -in London a full description of this and several other methods, some of -which have not been used yet generally, and in 1803 I had to submit my -descriptions to the Austrian Government when they gave me a franchise. - -A year before this, I had invented the lever press, with which I could -make several thousand of the handsomest impressions during a day. This, -combined with the new treatment of the stone, enabled me to enlarge my -operations greatly. I took in two of my brothers, Theobald and George, -who had been in the theatre hitherto, and taught them to write and etch -on stone. Also I took in two boy apprentices, sons of poor parents, to -train them properly. Herr Schulrath Steiner and Herr Falter, with -several others, gave me various orders, and a pretty good outlook began -to appear for me and Herr Gleissner. - -Until now we had been forced to suffer much grief, disappointment, -deprivation, and poverty. Herr Gleissner's salary was only three hundred -gulden a year. A yearly deduction of one hundred gulden was being made -from this by the Government to pay debts. Then there were new expenses -to repair the printery and keep it in some sort of order. My support and -that of the family Gleissner,--which consisted of five persons,--then a -larger residence, on account of the room needed for stones and for -printing, also had to be paid for. My own yearly earnings were barely a -few hundred gulden, as most of my time was used for experiments. It is -no wonder, then, that during this sad period of two years, we spent -almost all that could be spent of Herr Gleissner's estate, and still -made new debts, despite all imaginable economies. - -I can say for the honor of this man, and especially his wife, that, -despite all their losses and despite the warnings and inciting of their -friends and relatives, they remained unshaken, and by making all kinds -of sacrifices they enabled me to win at last. On my part they saw -faithful and eager will, and a restless endeavor that went so far that I -hardly took any time for eating or sleeping, but thought only of -improving my art. - -Now, however, our condition was changed at once. Many days we earned as -much as ten to twelve gulden; and at the same time we received an -exclusive franchise for fifteen years through the favor of King -Maximilian Joseph, who began his glorious reign then. This privilege -gave us the right to print and sell exclusively in all of Bavaria, while -infringers were liable to a fine of one hundred gulden and confiscation -of all stock and apparatus. - -We were determined to do our utmost, to work day and night, to establish -an honorable reputation for our printery at last, though we foresaw many -obstacles, owing to the entire lack of assistance. Already I had -half-determined to contract with the Schul-fond, permitting it to -establish a lithographic press for its own use, when an accidental -circumstance gave our whole undertaking a new direction. - -Depending on the protection given to us by our franchise, we were making -no further secret of any part of our process. We were quite content with -having the monopoly in Bavaria, and cared little that other printeries -might arise in other countries. Indeed, this expectation flattered my -vanity as inventor, and I thought that in time I might make commercial -connections with such establishments. For this reason I was very -hospitable toward every stranger who came to visit us. I hoped that -perhaps I might induce some such visitor to participate in our -undertaking, and therefore I exhibited all the advantages of the process -and permitted them to see the manipulations with their own eyes. - -Just then Herr Andre of Offenbach visited Munich on business. He read -about the grant of our franchise and asked his friend Falter about the -process. That gentleman showed him some sheets of music printed by us -and offered to introduce him to our printery, where, as technical -expert, he could decide for himself as to the value or worthlessness of -the new art. - -Herr Andre, who possessed an extensive musical publishing institution -and owned a large zinc-plate printing-plant, was delighted with the -beauty of our print, and was especially impressed by the fact that the -color did not off-set when rubbed with the hand, as was the case with -zinc printing. He accepted Herr Falter's offer at once and was -introduced as a merchant. The attention with which he noted even the -slightest operations led me to conclude at once that this man had some -especial interest in printing. I took particular pains to display the -whole process to the best advantage. - -Several plates that were already inscribed were etched and printed with -beautiful results. The speed (seventy-five sheets in a quarter-hour, two -being printed simultaneously each time), the quickness of drying, the -economy in color, were things that increased his interest to a high -pitch. He told who he was and proposed to me that I teach him the entire -art for an adequate remuneration. I accepted at once and agreed to go to -Offenbach within a few months, erect a press, and train men in all -branches of the process. For this he promised me the sum of two thousand -gulden, of which he paid down three hundred gulden on the spot. - -This change from poverty to comfort made me happy mainly on Herr -Gleissner's account. We could furnish our printery properly now and pay -our old debts. We were assured, also, of enough work to permit -enlargement of the establishment in future. What was there left to wish? - -In the very beginning, however, the behavior of my own family gave me -great displeasure. My mother demanded that I share my profit with my -brothers, as they had a better right than Herr Gleissner and his family. -I could not quite see this; therefore my mother ordered a press for my -brothers and bought the necessary stones. They went to Herr Falter and -asked him for his work, representing that I had made my fortune through -Herr Andre, whereas they were unprovided for. They offered at the same -time to furnish each plate for thirty kreuzer less than I charged. Herr -Falter permitted himself to be convinced, and when Madame Gleissner -discovered it she was intensely angry, and did not rest till the -Government ordered my brothers to refrain from utilizing the process in -Bavaria for their own account. - -My brothers went to Augsburg to erect a stone-press for Herr Gombart. -They must have been unequal to the attempt or there must have been other -difficulties: in brief, I know only that, after Herr Gombart had -incurred many useless expenses, he discarded printing from stone. - -During the three months before my journey to Offenbach I practiced my -art busily, and especially studied to attain thoroughness in one branch -that was of importance to Herr Schulrath Steiner. I have spoken already -of his idea for pictures for children. As soon as I had invented the new -chemical printing, I thought of inking an etched copper plate with a -composition of tallow, soap, lampblack, and oil varnish, making an -impression, laying this on stone, and putting it through the press. The -picture transferred itself to the stone as I had expected. Then I poured -the water and gum solution over it and inked it with the ink roller. The -design took the color well; and thus, if the stone was very clean in the -beginning and the proof from the copper had been made very carefully -indeed, I could print several thousands of copies which resembled the -original so closely that only a slightly greater degree of sharpness, -clearness, and strength gave the copper etching an advantage over the -stone impressions. At last I succeeded in perfecting the process so that -actually my best impressions from the stone were better than those that -had been made with less care from the original copper plate. - -The main requisite in this process was that the ink be firm enough not -to spread in printing, and still so greasy and tender that the very -finest lines would come out. The copper plate had to be washed with -extraordinary care, for the least bit of grease that should off-set on -the white paper would, of course, transfer itself to the stone and make -that part take color. - -This latter circumstance was intensely difficult to overcome. It -occurred to me to treat the copper plate chemically, like the stone, so -that its surface would resist the ink. I succeeded, as, in future, I -succeeded with other metals. The fundamental principle in each case -remained the same. Only in the choice of materials for each metal was -there a difference. I discovered soon that there are two kinds of -preparations, one acid and one alkaline, for all solid bodies which have -the property of taking and absorbing oil colors. The alkalines seemed to -be best for use on copper plate, and I obtained such clean impressions -that the stone did not take on even a vestige of ink in any spot except -the design. At the same time I found that chemical printing does not -limit itself to stone, but can be done on wood and metal, as well as on -paper, as stated already. Yes, though apparently it is incredible--even -fats, such as wax, shellac, resin, etc., can acquire the attribute, -under certain circumstances, of resisting color, and, therefore, are -available for chemical printing. This fact gave me hopes of discovering -a sort of artificial stone some day, which might be less costly, less -massive, and less fragile; and, as a matter of fact, I succeeded in -inventing an artificial stone-paper in 1813, a stony mass that is -smeared on paper or linen and looks somewhat like parchment. - -Since the illustrations on etched copper plates were so readily -transferable to the stone, Herr Schulrath Steiner could now let the best -masters etch his pictures. The sales of the original impressions as -works of art always covered the costs. He paid me five gulden for each -transfer that I made from the copper to stone. For this extremely small -sum he obtained a stone plate from which there could be made countless -impressions, which, although not so fine as those from the copper, -answered his purpose of circulating good pictures by making them -extremely cheap. Lively prosecution of this process was prevented only -by the delays of copper etchers, so that we were able to utilize it only -five times on a large scale before I had to leave Munich. - -Herr Gleissner, who wished to visit a friend in Frankfurt, accompanied -me on my way to Offenbach. I started at once on the new work and within -fourteen days I pulled the first proof on Herr Andre's own press. He was -so well satisfied, and, besides, had so thoroughly considered the -advantages of stone-printing, that he proposed to me to leave Munich -entirely and, with him as associate, extend the art in the best possible -way. He had three brothers, none of whom was engaged in a fixed -occupation. He intended to bring these into the partnership. Two were -in London, the youngest and the eldest. The latter was to return soon. -One brother had lived long in Paris, and was well acquainted with that -city as well as with French affairs. So he laid out the following plan. -We would try to obtain exclusive franchises in Paris, London, Berlin, -and Vienna. Then a stone-printery and art publication house was to be -opened in each city. His brothers should manage affairs, one each in -London, Paris, and Berlin, while I was to take the management in Vienna. -Offenbach and Frankfurt would remain under Herr Andre's management and -be the centre of control and union. - -The plan seemed to be easy to realize, as there was no lack of means. I -could look for one fifth of the profits which would be earned by the -combined, very considerable capital of the Andre family. In addition, -Herr Andre possessed all the requisite knowledge and owned a great -business already. Therefore I agreed gladly, after making the condition -that Herr Gleissner was to remain a partner of mine and receive a decent -remuneration till the business was in working order. - -Herr Andre was well content, for Herr Gleissner could be used as -compositor, corrector, and writer in the business, which was to consist -largely of music publication in the beginning. - -Herr Gleissner and I returned to Munich to arrange our affairs there. He -intended to ask for three years' leave of absence. I planned, in order -to save Herr Steiner any embarrassment, and also to maintain our -privilege in Bavaria, since one could not tell how the Andre undertaking -might turn out, to so arrange that our work could be printed properly -during our absence, whether done by the Schul-fond, the Government, or -private persons. It gratified me also to have an opportunity to satisfy -my mother's wishes in regard to my brothers; and I gave my brothers, -Theobald and George, my press, my stones, and everything else that was -on hand, also the two trained apprentices, and only stipulated for -myself that I should have one fourth of the net profits, leaving the -accounting entirely to their sense of honor. They promised to keep -accurate books and work steadily and economically, and they received -from me minute instructions about transferring from the copper for Herr -Steiner. I taught them also how to handle the crayon process, which -promised an early harvest. - -As soon as all was done I went to Offenbach with the whole Gleissner -family. A good quantity of stones had arrived there, and a few men, -previously trained, had been practicing in transcribing music. We were -able to begin on a large scale at once. Herr Andre had ten copper- and -zinc-plate presses at work. He stopped five and used the workmen for -stone-printing. He went to London, partly for business, partly to get -his youngest brother and to inform himself thoroughly about the -procedure necessary to obtain English patents. - -One of our chief speculations in England was to be the application of -stone-printing to cotton. Once, when Herr Steiner conceived the idea of -illuminating pictures with stencils in the way used by card-makers, I -had made many experiments in that line. I cut out the parts to be -colored in oil-soaked paper, laid this on the picture, and passed a -roller over it with the desired color. The color was more even than with -a brush, but not everything could be cut out, because the stencils had -to have the necessary connection. Therefore I needed two stencils for -every color shade. Again, these thin stencils easily slipped out of -place, a defect that displeased me. Now, it happened that at times when -I was a little careless, the whole stencil would roll itself up on the -ink-roller. I found that it was possible to work even more surely when -this happened, provided one found the exact beginning of the stencil and -applied it minutely. But it was not possible to make more than twelve -impressions. Then the stencil had to be taken from the roller that the -latter might be inked again. - -In this work the stencil paper often tore. To overcome this there was -only one remedy, which was to make the roller hollow and feed it with -color from inside. I did not have the time to try this and worked out -another plan. I cut out the places to be colored in felt or leather, -applied paste to their obverse sides, laid them face down on the exact -parts of the picture which were to be colored, rolled a perfectly round -roller over them, and the pieces adhered to the roller in their right -places. Then the roller was inked with the required color, and of course -took it only in the elevated parts. At both ends the roller had a strip -of leather of the same thickness as the cut-outs, thus making it certain -that it would not touch the ink except in the proper places. In this way -pictures could be illuminated very quickly, and several shades of color -could be obtained if the pieces were of different qualities of leather, -or of leather, cloth, and cotton, according to the shades desired. A -very moderate pressure sufficed for good and even work. - -What could be more natural than that I should deduce that this sort of -printing might be utilized for cotton? Once inked, the roller was good -for ten to twelve impressions, if the operator merely used a little more -pressure as he proceeded. I saw also that the roller could easily be -colored by attaching another to revolve with it and convey the ink. That -would give us a form of cotton-printing that would proceed -automatically. - -The idea was too important to be left untried. I took a little roller, -two inches in diameter and six inches long. I glued a piece of calfskin -completely around it and then cut a design into it. Then this roller was -so adjusted with relation to another of exactly the same dimensions that -both touched perfectly. On this second one, which was to convey the -color to the other, there rested a little box without a bottom, so that -the roller itself represented the bottom as soon as the box was pressed -on it, which was most easily done with two screws. The color was poured -into this box. Now when the lower roller was passed over linen or cotton -which was stretched on an evenly planed board with an under layer of -cloth, a continuous print was obtained, without off-set, and with such -celerity that it could be reckoned easily that with this process several -thousand yards a day could be produced. - -When I invented the chemical printing afterward, I held that a stone -roller could be used for this work as well as a wooden one. I had too -little knowledge of the industry at that time and believed that cotton -print was done with oil-colors; for I thought that water-colors would -wash out. I was a complete stranger to this work. Therefore, I drew a -pretty cotton pattern on a stone plate and printed from it with oil -varnish and finely pulverized indigo. The impressions turned out very -handsome, so that I considered the matter settled and made no further -experiments. I imparted this idea to Herr Andre, who saw its importance -at once and determined to obtain a patent for it specially. - -However, we had much to learn. As soon as he arrived in England he -discovered that rollers with the design on them were in general use in -England. So I had imagined mistakenly that my invention was new. -However, printing from stone was in itself valuable for a patent, but -Herr Andre unfortunately received the incorrect information that the -inventor himself must appear in England, and he decided to send me -there. I did not care to go; firstly, because I was vexed at the failure -of my hopes in regard to cotton-printing; and secondly, because I wished -to go to Vienna. However, I yielded to his representations, and within a -few weeks journeyed to London with one of his brothers who spoke -English. - -We went through Hamburg to Cuxhafen and thence in an English packet-boat -to Yarmouth, where we landed after a six days' stormy passage. - -My sojourn in London did not achieve its purpose, which was to establish -printing from stone. The exaggerated caution and precision of Herr -Philip Andre, who had been named as the man who was to manage the London -negotiations, caused a waste of seven months, during which nothing was -done to reach our object. - -We lived with Herr Philip and he kept me at home most of the time, for -fear that I might betray our purpose, in which case some speculative -spirit might take out a patent before us and then compel us to buy him -off for some heavy sum. He did not reflect that a mere declaration is -not sufficient in England, but that an exact description of a process -must be deposited with the Patent Office. - -As he could have rendered all these fears unnecessary by simply taking -out the patent, I could not understand why he delayed from month to -month, and at last I voiced my suspicion that he was not honest with me -and had some unknown designs. I declared that nothing would keep me -longer in England, which had become wearisome to me owing to my constant -seclusion; and my suspicions were increased by the entire lack of all -news from the Gleissners and from my family. When Herr Philip Andre -realized that I could be held back no longer, he went to work at last, -and in twelve days we had the patent in our hands. As I had trained Herr -Philip already in the art of stone-work, there was nothing to keep me -longer, and I began my homeward voyage at once with my former companion, -Herr Friedrich Andre. - -My seven months' sojourn in London had the following results for myself -and for lithography:-- - -First, I had decided in Offenbach to use my spare time entirely for the -study of chemistry. Particularly did I want to learn everything that was -known about color, that I might use stone for cotton-printing. I bought -the best books and worked steadily, testing the teachings by experiment. - -Second, I made many experiments with stone-ink, to find the very best -composition. The ingredients which I utilized in course of the time were -about as follows:-- - - Soap--_a_, common tallow soaps; _b_, Venetian soap. - B, wax. - C, tallow, butter, and other animal fats. - D, spermaceti. - E, shellac. - F, resins and Venetian turpentine. - G, gum elastic. - H, linseed oil. - I, the fat contained in chocolate. - L, various resinous products, such as mastic, copal, dragon's - blood, gum elemi, quajac pensoe, etc. - -Then I used various solvents besides the soap, such as-- - - M, vegetable alkalies, among them tartaric acid. - N, similar mineral alkalies. - O, animal lyes, spirits of sal ammoniac, and sal volatile with - spirits of ammonia. - P, borax. - Q, various metallic solutions. - -It is evident that with these substances an endless number of -experiments can be made, not to count the variety of proportions. -Certainly it is not exaggeration when I say that during that time and -later I made many thousands of experiments, only to confirm my -experience that accidentally I had discovered the best compositions -during the first twenty or thirty investigations, and that my time after -that had been wasted, unless I counted the knowledge I had gained of -chemistry. - -Thirdly, I made my first attempts at that time in the aqua-tint style, -and also practiced printing with several plates, which I had begun -previously under suggestion of Herr Steiner. The son of the Swiss -idyllic poet, Gessner, was in London at that time and was a good friend -of Herr Philip. He made some neat sketches for us in the crayon process, -which I had invented in Munich immediately after my invention of -chemical printing. I had exhibited the process to Professor Mitterer at -that time, and he thought that it might become valuable for art. - -Thus my residence in London was not unimportant for lithography. The -complete lack of disturbance, the adequacy of all needed material, -enabled me to discover more than I might have learned in Offenbach. I -left England with a certain satisfaction, gained from the certainty that -I had raised my art to a high degree of perfection. - -I am satisfied even to this day that the world would have many -masterpieces as the result, had I come into contact at that time with an -enterprising art publisher who would have engaged the needed artists and -undertaken interesting works. As it was, however, and as I shall show, -circumstances forced me into untoward positions, so that little or no -opportunity was left me to use my knowledge practically and in an -important way. - -Immediately on my arrival in Offenbach, I received the displeasing news -that Herr Andre had sent Madame Gleissner to Vienna to claim the -exclusive franchise for the new printing process, and to enter lawsuit -against my mother, who had gone to Vienna with the same purpose. - -The reason for this was as follows: My two brothers, Theobald and -George, who could not earn enough in Munich, had been engaged as -lithographers by Herr Andre in Offenbach on my request. In a -confidential mood I told them that I hoped to go to Vienna and open a -great printing establishment and art publication house with assistance -of Herr Andre, and that this establishment should make my fortune as -well as that of my family. - -Probably they did not believe my promise, or they did not care to depend -on my fraternal feeling for something which they believed they could get -for themselves: enough, they wrote to my mother that it was unfair to -let Herr Andre become exclusive proprietor of the new process -everywhere, and as I was well established in London anyway, she would -better travel to Vienna and ask for a franchise. They sent her several -good proofs from the Andre press. - -Would to Heaven this plan of theirs had succeeded! I should have been -spared many a succeeding sorrow, and I would have been glad for their -sakes. The world was large enough for me, and certainly it was not -thoroughly fair that they, the nearest relatives of the inventor, should -be shut out by the far-reaching plans of Herr Andre to obtain exclusive -franchises everywhere. To be sure, I had told them that I would give -them the Bavarian franchise; but as they had enjoyed it for several -months with little profit, this did not seem to them a tempting -equivalent. - -The news of my mother's journey to Vienna had been brought to Madame -Gleissner quite accidentally, and it made her almost frantic. - -When she used to charge me with depending so completely on Herr Andre's -promises, without possessing anything in writing, I used to comfort her -by pointing out his righteous character, and also by reminding her that -it was all agreed that I and Herr Gleissner should undertake the -printery in Vienna as part of the general enterprise, and that we were -to obtain the necessary advance funds as soon as I returned from -England. The repeated complaints that she made, many of them in the -presence of my brothers, possibly helped to give them the idea of trying -themselves for a franchise in Austria. They may have thought, "If our -brother is careless enough to depend on empty words, we will be wise -enough to obtain a certainty. It remains open to us always to share our -fortune with the inventor." - -Madame Gleissner had entertained great hopes about living in splendid -Vienna and having means enough to take part in its brilliant life. This -made the news about my mother's errand all the more irritating. She did -not consider that an Imperial franchise is not easily obtained by women -who are not even well informed on the case at issue. She succeeded in -imparting her fears to Herr Andre, and as he himself was prevented from -going, he entered into her fool's counsel to send her to Vienna at once. -She had strong hopes of success, because as a matter of fact the -Bavarian franchise had been obtained entirely through her efforts, and -she also calculated that the Austrian Government would pay more heed to -the inventor himself than to his brothers, who could not equal his -attainments. - -Herr Andre had kept it all, even to the journey of Madame Gleissner, a -secret from me, presumably because he wanted to save me annoyance and -also to prevent my hasty return from England. - -Unfortunately I had conceived some suspicions in England, and these were -increased when I received this unexpected news on my arrival in -Offenbach. What was worse, Herr Gleissner gave me a letter from his -wife, in which she adjured me to hurry to Vienna with all speed, as -Andre was planning to deceive me and set me aside as a mere tool as soon -as I had founded his own fortune. - -This letter, which contained no evidence but only lamentations, was -accompanied by another from her landlord in Vienna, a very reputable -merchant. It seemed to bear her out, for he warned me in it to be -cautious in my relations with Andre and to hurry to Vienna if I wished -to obtain the franchise, which could not escape me as a most influential -man had come to our support and it depended merely on the evidence to be -furnished by me. - -Greatly as my suspicions were increased by this, I hoped that everything -was due merely to misunderstanding, and I proposed to Herr Andre to let -me go to Vienna, where I would inform myself thoroughly and make strong -efforts to obtain the franchise. He denied my request, saying that there -was nothing more to do in Vienna, as the Government had turned both -women away, and the whole plan was spoiled as the whole art and -copper-etching trade had become apprehensive and was united in -opposition to the new process. He said that I should rather go quickly -to work to transfer his music from zinc plates to the stone, because he -had an excellent opportunity to sell his entire stock of zincs, which -would give us a new capital of forty thousand gulden for the greater -enterprises. - -I realized the good sense of this, but would not admit that a delay of -three or four weeks could interfere with it, as the entire transfers -could not be completed in less than a year, and the slight delay, -therefore, could be made up by additional work or by engaging a few more -assistants. I insisted on my demand, all the more as I had spent seven -months in England on his account. In the heat of the succeeding dispute -he reminded me of the helpless position in which he had found me, and -said that as partner in his business, I owed him all my present fortune. -Conscious as I was of my honest intention to help him to the best of my -ability, and also of the unbounded trustfulness with which I had -imparted to him far more than was called for in our contract, I was so -deeply hurt that I forgot myself and tore up our agreement, which had -been signed only the day before and which assured for me one fifth of -all profits of the Andre business. I threw the pieces down with the -exclamation that I did not wish to make my fortune through his means. - -This was one of the most important moments in my life, and in the -process of lithography. It gave my work an entirely new direction, -hurled me into a mass of troubles, and brought it about that Herr Andre -himself did not gain anything like the expected profits from the new -art. Indeed, he lost heavily in London and France, whereas, had we -remained together, lithography might now be highly perfected in both -these countries and produce no small wealth for its users. - -When Andre saw that I was determined to go to Vienna, he yielded, but -assured me that I would go in vain and achieve no result. - -The lawsuit between Madame Gleissner and my mother, which Herr Andre -considered the greatest obstacle in his way, still continued; and in -order to get it out of the way once and for all, I took my brothers, -George and Theobald, who had been dismissed by Herr Andre, to Vienna -with me to combine with me. Andre told me afterward, after our -relations had reached final rupture, that this act had annoyed him most, -and that it was the main reason for giving up all dealings with me, -because it was inconceivable to him how any one, without the utmost -weakness of character, could forgive such treachery as theirs. He did -not reflect that I, who knew selfishness only by name, had not felt -their affront so keenly, and that my brotherly affection excused it and -made me trust that it never had been their intention to shut me out -entirely from any gains they might make. - - - - -PART II - -FROM 1800 TO 1806 - - -It was in August, 1800, that I went to Vienna with my brothers. In -Regensburg we met my mother, who had come to visit one of her daughters -because the decision of the Imperial Austrian Government had been -delayed too long for her patience. She assured me that when she -petitioned for the privilege she had named not only my brothers but me, -too, and had asked it for us three. - -This assurance gave me great joy, and I determined absolutely to urge -Madame Gleissner to accept my brothers as partners. I thought that if we -three worked industriously and unitedly, we would succeed much better -and more quickly. I entered Vienna with excellent hopes, based mostly on -a letter from Madame Gleissner, saying that the influential man who was -interested in our cause had promised to advance us six thousand gulden. -But these fine things retired into dark shadows when I learned, in my -first conversation with her, that all these promises were made dependent -on conditions. - -The whole understanding rested on the following: Madame Gleissner lodged -with a prominent family. Andre himself had told her that she was to live -well and exhibit no lack of money, because she was much more likely to -obtain the franchise if the Government were led to expect that it would -bring wealthy people into the country. Therefore Madame Gleissner -considered it necessary to take part in all amusements and fashions of -her hosts. Her monthly expenditures were beyond the sum considered -necessary by Herr Andre's friend in Vienna, who had been authorized to -pay her an allowance. Friendly solicitude caused him to write to -Offenbach that Madame Gleissner knew nothing of economy, and that it was -to be feared if the franchise were not granted in Herr Andre's name, he -would have too little power to check her extravagance in the future. He -added that judging from her utterances and her present behavior, with -the franchise still in question, it was only too likely that she -intended to spend Herr Andre's money for show and society instead of for -the business. - -Therefore, he advised that, unless Andre was sure that Senefelder had -enough character to oppose her with the necessary firmness, we be -treated solely as subordinates and thus be prevented from using his -credit to his loss. - -Well meant as this counsel was, it simply furnishes an addition to the -thousands of cases where exaggerated timidity, coupled with secrecy, -does more harm than good. - -Andre knew my intense gratitude to Herr Gleissner and his family, and he -suspected that I would always live in a certain dependence on them and -would pay little attention to their financial doings. The Gleissners had -awakened a fear of their extravagance in him before this time. He knew, -for instance, that I had kept little of the money he had paid me for the -secret of our process, but had turned almost all over to them. Again, he -had granted us the sum of one thousand six hundred gulden for our -support in Offenbach until the business should be in operation. Of this -Herr Gleissner was to draw six hundred gulden and I one thousand gulden. -I was a bachelor and did not need so much as a family. Therefore I -reversed this, and gave Herr Gleissner one thousand gulden, keeping six -hundred for myself. But the latter also went into the Gleissner -treasury, because Herr Andre, who had come to like me very much, made me -live in his house and eat with him. He even kept a horse for me, that I -might have the exercise necessary for my health, and if he bought -himself a new article of dress I was sure to get one like it; and I had -to take part in all the amusements of his home, though many times I -would rather have worked. - -Thus I had absolutely no needs and did not require money. All the more -did Madame Gleissner require. She strained everything to be very elegant -and could not get along with the money she received, but asked for -further, quite considerable advances while I was in London, and Herr -Andre granted these willingly through friendship for me. - -Therefore Andre's suspicions seemed well founded; and as in his heart he -was firmly determined to treat me as a brother, he believed that a mere -outward formality and my hitherto quite unknown name would make no real -difference, but rather that the Vienna undertaking would benefit if it -had his own well-known name and excellent credit at its head in the very -beginning. - -So he wrote to his friend in Vienna that he agreed with him, and he gave -authority to him to act as he thought best for the mutual good. - -This gentleman told Madame Gleissner at once that Herr Andre had decided -to ask for the franchise in his own name to give value to the -undertaking, and that she was to appear before court and declare that -she withdrew her petition and turned it over to him. She suspected a -trick and refused. A dispute followed, and there came rebukes for her -heavy expenditures. The climax was reached with the threat that, if she -insisted on her refusal, Herr Andre would cease from that moment to let -her have any money and would let her support herself. - -This last, which Madame Gleissner wrote me in a very bitter letter, -outraged me; for I held it cruel to send a woman to a strange city where -she had no relatives or friends, and then to tell her: "Now do my will, -or I will leave it to bitter necessity and your own helplessness to tame -you." To be sure, it was only a threat, and surely it never lay in Herr -Andre's mind. His friend never ceased to give her money. But the harm -had been done. - -Madame Gleissner appeared at her host's table with signs of tears that -aroused the sympathy of her host, Herr von Bogner, a most worthy and -reputable merchant. She told him everything, complained bitterly about -my gullibility, and generally painted everything in such colors that -Herr Bogner could not well help thinking that Herr Andre did not -consider promises any too sincerely. It was only then that he learned -Madame Gleissner's business and was told that the new art promised a -great profit. - -Herr Andre's far-reaching plans for foreign exploitation seemed to him -to confirm what she said. Herr Bogner thought that Herr Andre would not -invest so much money if stone-print were not a valuable invention, and -he asked Madame Gleissner, point-blank: "Why do you need Herr Andre at -all? Try to obtain the Austrian franchise for yourself, and then, if you -choose, you can take him into the company. Then he will be obligated to -you and will have to meet your wishes, whereas now the reverse is the -case." - -Madame Gleissner interposed that Herr Andre had the capital necessary -for establishing the process on a large scale, to which Herr Bogner -responded that it was better to begin modestly. "A good thing," said he, -"grows of itself. And you must not imagine that we here in Austria have -no appreciation of useful inventions and undertakings. There are many -who will assist the arts and industries. There is even a special fund -from which as much as one thousand gulden may be advanced to develop an -invention that has proved itself to be of merit. I myself might not be -disinclined to become a partner after I have examined the matter -properly; also I can recommend a very enterprising, active man, who has -much weight with the Ministers and even with His Majesty the Emperor, -and who has obtained exclusive franchises for others. He is named von -Hartl, is Imperial Court Agent, and is a very sensible and honorable -man, who will surely tell you at once whether or not anything can be -done here with the process." - -Herr von Bogner kept his promise, and introduced Madame Gleissner the -very next day to Herr von Hartl. She explained our relations with Andre -and described the new invention, wherein, to be sure, she did not fail -to boast of its advantages and beauties. Among other specimens she -produced a piece of cotton which I had printed in Offenbach. - -This was very pretty, the print being so sharp and clear that it seemed -to exceed the best English work. It happened that just then a great -company with a capital of one and one half million gulden had been -formed by Herr von Hartl to introduce English machine-spinning in -Austria. They had secured a very skillful English mechanic named -Thornton, who had been under contract to erect similar machines for a -Hamburg merchant. They had paid a great sum to have him released from -this contract, had bought his machines, and had done enough sample work -so that it had been resolved to push the enterprise through even if -several more millions were needed. The chief objection that was urged at -that time was that an adequate sale of the products was doubtful because -of the widespread business that the English controlled. The reply was -that they must seek to work up a great part of their product -themselves,--that is, combine with their spinnery the industries of -weaving, dyeing, and cotton-printing. - -As soon as Herr von Hartl heard that the new invention promised great -advantages for cotton-printing, he pledged himself to lay the matter -before His Majesty at once, and he promised that if I would come to -Vienna and produce the necessary proofs he would surely get the -exclusive franchise for me. Furthermore, when Madame Gleissner told him, -in reply to a question, that we would need about six thousand gulden in -the beginning, he announced his readiness to furnish that sum himself if -I could convince him that a real benefit was to be produced by the new -art. - -Madame Gleissner wrote to me, but withheld the condition of Herr von -Hartl that I must convince him. I would have taken care not to give such -greedy heed to her, for I knew from experience how difficult it is to -convince most people. But, I was determined to show my friend Andre that -I and my art were by no means at a loss without him. Besides, I always -had the royal Bavarian franchise to fall back on. His secrecy had shaken -my confidence, and I was determined to find out everything for myself. - -Many years later, when I reviewed everything calmly, I was sufficiently -convinced that Herr Andre always had meant honestly by me; and I count -myself fortunate to have him still as my friend. But at that time -various misunderstandings brought it about that he did not give me full -knowledge of everything, before he took steps contrary to our agreement -and without my cognizance that could not fail to impress me as strange, -since I was ignorant of the circumstances. Besides, he defended himself -against my accusations in a manner that affronted my vanity deeply, for -he gave me to understand plainly that my past weakness in the matter of -the Gleissners' extravagance proved that I should always have to dance -to their tune. It angered me that he should turn against me, as -weakness, my recognition of the patient faithfulness of the Gleissners -through the many sorrows that had overwhelmed us since the beginning of -the process; and the more so as I was giving them merely that which I -did not require and which was my own undisputed property. According to -that, I would have earned the reputation of being a firm, strong man had -I used my superfluous earnings to buy a few watches, a ring, or some -garments, rather than to use it to pay a debt of gratitude! Besides, -whatever Herr Andre had advanced to them was something that had been -done without my knowledge; therefore I accounted all his charges as -being only empty words, used to cover a proposed piece of trickery. - -After my first conversation with Madame Gleissner, but more especially -with Herr Andre's representative in Vienna, I realized that the latter -could not be censured for his measures of prudence, and I repented that -I had so easily given way to my quick sensitiveness. The _franchise_ -evidently was very uncertain. The only hope for it lay in the assistance -of Herr von Hartl, and, therefore, depended on my ability to convince -him. I had spent my money traveling, and instead of finding Madame -Gleissner in funds, as I had assumed from her letter, I found her ill -with only a few guldens, and in addition I had two brothers on my hands -who also were penniless and looked to me for their support. - -Madame Gleissner assured me that Herr von Hartl would assist us and that -I could reckon also on help from her host, who had counseled her to part -from Herr Andre and seek the privilege for herself. I mustered up -sufficient courage to explain our situation to the latter gentleman and -to ask him if we could count on his help for the beginning. This request -must have been unexpected by Herr von Bogner, as Madame Gleissner's -manner of living had indicated anything rather than lack of wealth. -However, he liked my frankness, and promised active aid. He gave me a -handsome room, and I and Madame Gleissner ate at his own table. He paid, -also, for the lodging of my brothers in another house. - -Two days after our arrival, I and my brothers visited Herr von Hartl in -his country residence in Dornbach. We were received most kindly, and he -promised me his aid if I could give satisfactory proofs. So far as the -franchise was concerned, however, he showed me that it could be taken -out only in my name, and this, he explained, would be difficult enough, -as all the art dealers were against it. To ask for it in the name of -three brothers was out of the question. Neither, said he, would it be -necessary, as I could make a separate contract with them through which -they could be partners with me. - -Herr von Hartl, who, as Court Agent, naturally knew all that was to be -done, would not have said this without good reason. My brothers, -however, were highly incensed, and declared that they would not be -dependent on me, but would be their own masters. Had they possessed the -money necessary to travel they would, no doubt, have carried out this -resolve at once, for they had been angered already by the fact that Herr -von Bogner kept only me as his guest. My representations were without -effect. They told me that they would return to Munich and practice the -Bavarian privilege in my name if Herr von Hartl would give them the -journey money; otherwise they would be forced to listen to the -proposition of several Viennese art dealers and sell them the secret of -the stone-printing art. - -As this would have destroyed all chance for getting an exclusive -privilege, Herr von Hartl gave them the money, and Theobald and George -Senefelder returned to Munich, after making a contract with me which -permitted them to establish a printing business and, if possible, an art -business, my share in which was to be one third of the net profit after -deducting the cost of their own support. This contract was necessary to -authorize them to practice under my privilege. - -Meantime I had a small hand-press made and produced several pieces of -work for Herr von Hartl, which gave him a clearer idea of the new art, -and convinced him finally that it was worth while to risk something on -it. He made a full contract with me, in which he bound himself to -furnish money and everything necessary, and use all his influence to -further the business, while I was to give all my time and knowledge. The -profits were to be divided into two equal parts, one of which was to be -his, while the other was to be divided between myself and Herr -Gleissner. He allotted a proper sum for my support, told me to rent a -comfortable residence, and authorized me to buy some large presses. He -told me frankly that the use of stone for cotton-printing had the most -interest for him, and that he cared about the other forms of printing -only as paying for our expenditures. When the big spinning-shops were -ready, said he, he would give me so great an opportunity that I could -let Herr Gleissner have all the art- and music-printing to himself. - -What glorious prospects opened themselves to me! What could I think -except that it would require merely industry to become a famous, happy -man in a short period? - -Here I must interpolate the account of a happening that brought about a -total rupture with Andre. Until now our relations had not been wholly -severed. His last word was that I would, no doubt, go to Vienna in vain, -and in that case I should return to him, as he would receive me with -open arms. When I saw his correspondent in Vienna and learned from him -that he had orders to let me have money if I wanted it; when I perceived -further that Madame Gleissner had been too hasty, and that all the -tangle was caused by misunderstandings, I dismissed all anger and wrote -to my friend Andre at once, telling him that I had found things not -nearly so bad in Vienna as he imagined. It was true, I said, that the -two women had failed to obtain the franchise, but mostly because they -could give no demonstrations. It was quite different, now that the -inventor himself was petitioning for it, especially as Herr von Hartl -had promised absolutely to take our part. If, therefore, Andre were -willing to spend at most one thousand gulden for a press and to pay for -our support and necessary working expenses for six months, there would -be absolutely no doubt of fortunate outcome. - -Had I had the happy thought to ask Herr von Hartl to add a few lines, my -letter might have had the intended result. But I considered my word -sufficient, and unluckily my letter reached Offenbach when Andre was -absent, and was answered by his brother in about the following fashion: - -His brother, he said, was absent; but as he knew his opinion exactly, -he would not keep me waiting. I must not be offended, but he believed -that my ready trustfulness, caused by my good-heartedness, had played me -a prank again. He was completely convinced from the advices of their -Vienna friends that the privilege would be granted only if his brother -removed bag and baggage to Vienna and had himself naturalized there, -something which his affairs did not permit. I would discover, soon -enough, that the lovely promises made me were nothing but air. - -Then he went on to say that even if the sum of one thousand gulden -really were only a trifle, it would not produce the desired result. -Madame Gleissner, said he, had incurred debts of one hundred and fifty -gulden since she had broken with his brother, and as she had used this -sum not for his good but rather for his harm, it was only fair that she -pay it herself. I, probably, would be in debt nearly one hundred gulden, -now that I had been in Vienna some weeks with my brothers. If I wanted -to build a press in Vienna where wood is dear, it would cost easily one -hundred and fifty gulden. Then there would be one hundred gulden for -stones, etc. I would need a dwelling, for which I would have to pay at -least one hundred gulden in advance. This would leave only four hundred -gulden. The winter was at hand, neither my brothers nor Madame Gleissner -had the necessary clothing, everything would be needed. In brief, he -assured me, before many weeks the one thousand gulden would be spent and -in the end there would be no press, no stones, and no specimen work. - -Therefore, he concluded, I should not feel affronted if he told me his -heartfelt thoughts. The aspect of the Vienna matter would, probably, be -different if my over-great good-heartedness did not put fetters upon me -that must prevent anybody from placing full confidence in my advice. I -would better, therefore, dismiss the plans, and be sure that nobody -meant it more sincerely with me than, etc. - -It may be supposed that this letter gave me little pleasure; and I made -up my mind to show Herr Andre that he had made a mistake and had thrown -away a great profit idly. I made the contract with Herr von Hartl, and -we went to work actively at once. I had a large lever press built and -asked the Austrian Government to appoint a commission to examine the -process. This was done, and besides the Mayor, there appeared the -factory inspector, Herr von Jaquin, who was a Professor of Chemistry, -and the director of the academy of copper-plate engravers, Herr -Schmutzer. I showed them the various methods of printing from stone on -paper, cotton, and calico, and explained the difference of my process -from all others. My demonstrations were applauded, and the commission -certified most heartily in favor of my petition for the exclusive -privilege. - -In addition, Herr von Hartl went with me to a meeting of the Imperial -Councilors, then to the Imperial Counsel of State, von Gruber, to Count -Lazansky, and, finally, to His Majesty, the Emperor himself. Everywhere -I had to make demonstrations with my little hand-press, at which time -Herr von Hartl, to my great joy, always acted as cicerone and eagerly -described the manifold advantage which the new art had for so many -branches of the arts and sciences. - -Everywhere we received praise and were promised the speedy issuance of -the privilege. As, however, the matter had to take a regular course, and -it was evident that some time must elapse, we petitioned meantime for a -mere license to work, which we received within a few weeks, so that I -was able to begin printing without further delay. - -Herr von Hartl became more friendly each day, and opened for me the most -beautiful outlook on the future. My easily moved imagination interpreted -his speeches as brightly as possible, and I imagined that I saw fortune -and position close at hand. I worked all the harder, therefore, to -fulfill his expectations; and as his chief object was printing on cotton -I threw myself zealously into the study of color, as absolute permanence -was needed besides beauty of printing. - -During this time Herr Gleissner had left Offenbach and had returned to -Munich with his children. As I was in partnership with him, and he could -make himself useful in the printing of music, Herr von Hartl decided to -have him come to Vienna, and his wife took it on herself to get him and -arrange for an extension of his leave of absence. She found him in the -saddest of circumstances. In his ignorance of such things, he had sold -all the furniture in Offenbach for a mere joke of a sum. Most of this -money had been used to defray his traveling expenses, and she found the -family stripped of even necessaries. What was to be done? Her husband -and children needed clothing that they might not make a bad impression -in Vienna, her husband's debts had to be paid, and then came the -traveling expenses. The money advanced by Herr von Hartl was not nearly -enough for all this. She wrote to me to ask him for an additional sum of -three or four hundred gulden. - -This was exceedingly unpleasant for me. I should have to tell him the -truth, and thus place Herr Gleissner in a bad light right in the -beginning. Furthermore, he had received no too favorable a report about -the domestic management of the two, either from Herr Andre's friend in -Vienna or perhaps from Herr Andre himself. It was torture for me to ask -him for money, especially if it was to be used for something not -absolutely necessary for the business in hand, as I knew his opinions in -that respect. Willingly as Herr von Hartl gave money when it was needed -to achieve a useful object, so reluctant was he if he deemed that it was -to be wasted. In my embarrassment I dropped a hint as to the situation -to our hostess, Madame von Tannenberg. She counseled me at once not to -ask, as the family would lose the respect of Herr von Hartl entirely, -and offered voluntarily to advance Madame Gleissner four hundred gulden -herself, if I would guarantee the payment of it in half a year. Nothing -seemed more certain to me than that I could save such a sum in that -time. I accepted her offer and sent the money to Munich on the same day. -I would not mention this apparently trivial matter, if it were not for -the fact that in the end it was the cause of the ruin of all my hopes in -Vienna. - -The dealers had spared no pains to oppose my franchise in the beginning, -before they knew of my connection with Herr von Hartl, and while they -still considered me an unimportant foreigner, who had neither friends -nor influence. When they discovered the truth, their noise became -clamorous, for they had to fear in earnest now that their trade would -suffer, since so eminent and rich a man was associated with the new art. -The more important art dealers feared it less than the smaller ones, -among whom Herr Sauer and the new Industrie-Komptoir were my most active -enemies. Despite this, there opened a way suddenly by which I could -make peace with the art dealers and even draw considerable profit from -them. - -Through Herr von Hartl, I became acquainted with a skillful -clavier-player, Teuber, who was also a composer, and at once showed -great interest in my invention. He spoke to his acquaintances, Herr -Sonnleithner and Herr Ricci. Through their intervention the art dealers -asked me if I would abstain from establishing a music-printery of my -own, providing they guaranteed me a sufficient amount of work. I -calculated that I could print six thousand sheets of music a day with -the three presses that I had planned. This, at the low price of -twenty-five kreuzer per hundred impressions, would amount in all to a -sum of twenty-five gulden. Also if I accepted, say, work that would -average three hundred impressions, there would be needed ten stones, -counting two sheets to each stone. Thus there would be a further -engraving profit of ten gulden, because I received fifty kreuzer for -each sheet, but paid my note-writer only twenty kreuzer. For house, -color, acids, polisher's wages, etc., there must be reckoned four gulden -a day. The six printers to operate the three presses would cost four -gulden a day also. Now if I reckoned two gulden a day for possible -accidental errors, etc., there would still remain twenty-five gulden a -day profit. This meant seven thousand and five hundred gulden clear -profit in the three hundred working days of a year, without the least -risk. - -As I considered this a satisfactory profit for one single branch of my -art, I told Herr Sonnleithner that I would attempt to induce Herr von -Hartl to give up the idea of establishing his own publishing house, -provided that the united art dealers would guarantee me that amount of -work and agree also to reimburse me if the presses were not kept busy, -excepting through my own fault. Herr Sonnleithner welcomed the proposal, -not doubting that the dealers would need all the work stipulated, and, -indeed, declaring that the Art and Industrie-Komptoir alone might give -me twice that much. - -I knew that Herr von Hartl had entertained little regard for this branch -of work. Therefore I thought it would delight him to find that he could -not only relieve himself from further expense in this line, but gain -several thousand gulden. I was mistaken. He deduced that music-printing -was not so unimportant as he had imagined; and he told me to inform the -dealers that I would take as much work as they offered at low prices, -but that we could not make ourselves dependent on them. - -As the dealers refused decidedly to give me the means with their own -hands of building up a great establishment, the project fell entirely. - -However, Herr von Hartl now had declared himself in favor of -establishing a music-printery; and a few days later there came a highly -favorable opportunity to start one at once under happy auspices, -together with a complete art publishing establishment. - -An acquaintance of my landlady, to whom I had showed my printery, sent -for me to tell me that Herr Eder, an art dealer, wished to give up his -business because of illness and was willing to sell reasonably. This -friend enlarged on the luck it would be to obtain this well-situated -shop, which earned several thousand gulden by printing birthday and New -Year's cards alone, at the very easy terms which Herr Eder had suggested -provisionally. He desired me to see him at once, under the pledge of -secrecy, which pledge Herr von Hartl was to give also, as Herr Eder did -not wish to injure his credit by offering his establishment openly for -sale. - -Herr Eder did, indeed, offer most favorable terms, according to my -opinion. He showed me that on the average the net profit of his business -had been ten thousand gulden annually during the last ten years. (At -that time the gulden notes stood at par.) Furthermore he estimated the -value of all his printed stock only at the cost of manufacture, and the -great stock of copper plates, many newly etched, at merely their value -as copper. The large stock of different papers, with the many writing -and drawing materials, were estimated at cost value, also. For his -trading rights, and for his excellent rental contract which had many -years to run, he did not ask anything. The sum that he asked for -everything was forty thousand gulden, of which only ten thousand gulden -were to be paid at once, the rest being paid in annual installments -during the following ten years. - -If Herr von Hartl had accepted this, there would have been four thousand -gulden net profit a year in it. And by combining with it the advantages -of the new process, the profit was certain to be greater. To begin a -new publishing house without mercantile knowledge, without knowing what -the public wanted, would be far more difficult than to continue one that -already was in operation, especially so as Herr Eder had offered to -remain for a year as associate to teach me the business. - -I cannot yet understand why Herr von Hartl discarded this proposition. -Perhaps he feared that he would be overreached in some way. He might -have been more receptive had he been able to foresee that his new -establishment would cost him a sum of twenty thousand gulden within a -very few years without advancing toward being even the ghost of a -business. Perhaps I did not possess the gift of convincing others. At -any rate, both projects failed to meet with approval. That Herr von -Hartl could be convinced, however, even to his plain injury, I will -prove later. For lithography the failure of this plan was a great loss, -because it would have given me opportunity to get into the art line ten -years earlier than I did, and make useful application of my inventions. - -The family Gleissner now arrived in Vienna and brought one of my former -apprentices, Mathias Grünewald. Meantime some presses had been -completed, and we could begin to print. Gleissner's symphonies recently -had been much praised in a musical paper of Leipsic, and he proposed to -us to begin with a few of his works. Of course it would have been wiser -to begin with a good work by a famous man, whose name was sufficiently -popular in Vienna. I did visit Herr Doctor Haydn, but received the reply -that he could not compose any more and would only review old works -thenceforth. - -Immediately at the commencement a stock of stones was needed. As we -could foresee that we should need some thousands of stones in the course -of time, Herr von Hartl decided to make a trip with me, by way of Munich -and Augsburg, to the quarries of Solenhofen that we might inform -ourselves on the spot about the best way to get stones. - -A further inducement to make this journey was that he wished to examine -the estate of Niedau, which had been described as being very favorably -situated for the erection of manufactories. Herr von Hartl already had a -large spinnery in operation. This, and perhaps the printery, he planned -to establish in Niedau, because there both workers and property were -cheaper. He intended to leave only the business offices in Vienna. - -The establishment of this spinnery had so important an effect on my fate -as well as on the future of lithography that I must describe it here. -When I arrived in Vienna, Count von Saurau had just gone to Petersburg -as Austrian Ambassador. Being a patron of home industries, he had -advanced ten thousand gulden some time before to an expert spinner named -Mistelbauer, to erect looms for manufacturing fine English and French -stuffs in Austria, a work for which Mistelbauer was perfectly qualified. -When the Count departed, Herr von Hartl took charge of several of his -interests, among them the Mistelbauer spinnery. Thus at the next Vienna -Messe (market-fair), Mistelbauer visited Herr von Hartl to make an -accounting. The goods that Mistelbauer had brought convinced Herr von -Hartl of his skill and technical capacity. The details of his processes, -and his ingenuity in operating so many looms with so little capital, -indicated to Herr von Hartl that increased capital would bring -enormously increased results. As the spinnery company had as good as -decided that a good part of their own products should be further worked -by themselves, Herr von Hartl considered it a lucky circumstance to meet -a particularly good weaver and also a cotton-printer, who alleged that -he could print the home-made cottons exactly as well as the English -printers and possibly at smaller cost. - -He wrote to Count von Saurau that he was willing to assist Mistelbauer -with more money. Count Saurau agreed, and Herr von Hartl advanced money -to Mistelbauer till it reached a sum of forty thousand gulden. He -appeared only as a creditor, however, and held a mortgage on the entire -spinnery, with all its present and future stock, in order to be covered -should the operations fail. - -Now Mistelbauer was a man who had little or no mercantile talent. He did -not understand book-keeping, and though he had managed the original -small establishment pretty well, he was not equal to the bigger one. A -factor should have been appointed to manage the commercial end and the -accounts. Another trouble was that Herr von Hartl, in order to satisfy -himself, continually demanded new sample work from him, which, on the -other hand, pleased Mistelbauer, as it enabled him to show his skill. - -Thus, instead of working steadily along the original sound lines, he -kept going into new things. Among others he erected looms to make color, -and print Manchester fabrics. Regardless of the fact that I (as he well -knew) was working at cotton-printing, and that Herr von Hartl intended -to work my inventions, he managed to induce that gentleman to let him -erect a cotton-printery, a matter which he did not understand in the -least. - -Mistelbauer had been a poor peasant boy of Helmannsöd by Linz. He had -gone into foreign lands in his youth, but when he obtained the ten -thousand gulden from Count Saurau, he selected his native place for the -works. Even at that time his improved condition aroused the envy of the -village; but he lived in a poor hut and differed in nothing from the -other inhabitants. When Herr von Hartl assisted him, he succeeded soon -in convincing him that they needed more room, and obtained his consent -for building. Instead of erecting a factory, he erected a considerable -dwelling, the cost of which was far beyond the original estimates. On -account of all the other work undertaken at the same time, nothing could -be finished in time, and Mistelbauer was continually too late for the -markets with his product. As a result, instead of being punctual with -all his payments as he had been heretofore, he could not even pay his -interest, and Herr von Hartl had to make new advances all the time. -Naturally Herr von Hartl began to feel apprehensive, and he decided to -visit Mistelbauer on the occasion of our journey to Solenhofen. - -When we reached Helmannsöd, Herr von Hartl shook his head dubiously, -especially when he found the accounts in the greatest disorder. But the -great stock of goods, though most of them were only half finished, and -the thought that everything could be made to go smoothly again with -better management, encouraged him, and he instructed Mistelbauer, -showing him how to establish order in his works as well as in the -accounts. - -Then we continued our journey. In Munich, where we remained three days, -I visited my mother and my brothers, who all lived together and were -operating a press that worked mostly for Herr Falter. According to their -assurances, their income had hardly sufficed to support them. - -In Augsburg, Herr von Hartl contracted with a paper dealer for the paper -necessary for music-printing, and in Solenhofen he bought several -hundred stones for this work and made arrangements for future supplies. -Then we returned through Regensburg and Passau. This whole journey was -one of the greatest pleasures of my life. The weather was excellent, and -Herr von Hartl was so kind to me that I was more than ever convinced of -his sincere desire for my success. - -We engaged two writers of music immediately on our return to Vienna. One -was J. Held, a young man recently married, who earned his living by -teaching and copying. The second was his brother-in-law. They -comprehended the process quickly and soon were so skillful that each -earned twelve gulden and more a week, despite the fact that we rarely -paid them more than twenty and twenty-four kreuzer for each sheet. - -The new smaller works of Herr Gleissner were finished very soon, and it -became necessary to find more work to keep my etchers and four printers -busy. I asked Herr von Hartl to buy some compositions from Vienna's best -musicians, such as Krommer, Beethoven, etc. He was willing, but desired -to wait for a proper opportunity to speak to Herr Krommer. Thus some -weeks passed, and in order to keep the force busy, Herr Gleissner -composed continually and printed his work. Nearly a whole year passed -that way, and still Herr von Hartl had found no opportunity (owing to -his many affairs) to arrange with Herr Krommer or other composers. - -So it happened that, with the exception of a few overtures, our whole -stock of paper and a whole year's work were used solely to print Herr -Gleissner's compositions. I myself had hardly anything to do with this -printing, which was managed entirely by Herr Gleissner; for I devoted -all my time to the study of color and to the necessary thousands of -experiments. - -Here I had made the unpleasant discovery that most of what was in the -books was incorrect, or so incompletely stated that, before one could -understand the instructions, one needed to know the entire process of -cotton-making and printing. I cannot understand now why it never struck -Herr von Hartl or me that I did not need this knowledge at all, and that -all that was necessary in order to apply my method to cotton-printing -was for me to demonstrate how the printing could be done well and -quickly. To get color results it was necessary merely to engage a good -color expert, who could analyze colors and decide if they were available -for my process. That would have saved us a year and a considerable sum -of money which my experiments had cost. I confess that I had a mistaken -ambition on this point, wishing to understand everything myself. Then -the study of chemistry was most attractive to me, because I found myself -discovering new things of importance for my art all the time. - -When at last I was completely informed in the matter of color, I went -with Herr von Hartl to the great machine-spinnery in Pottendorf. Here I -became acquainted with Herr Thornton and his remarkably complete -installation. With his assistance we made a stone-press for cotton, to -print the cotton from large plates. But the correct register of each -impression made so much trouble for us that I foresaw the need for many -further experiments and inventions. Besides, Herr Thornton was too -partial to the English process of cylinder-printing to feel particularly -favorable to the stone-process; and in the end it was considered best to -order a great piece of stone from Solenhofen from which we might make an -eight-inch cylinder. - -It was six months before we obtained the requisite stone. During this -period it struck me that perhaps the cylinder did not need to be stone, -but that we might use copper cylinders, as in England. Herr Thornton -objected that copper cylinders must be engraved with the graving tool, -and that patterns for cotton should not be etched, since, if etching -were practical, the English, who understand etching perfectly, no doubt -would etch the cylinders. - -To be sure, I could not answer this argument, but I was convinced that a -deep-etched stone would print as perfectly and handsomely as the best -copper plate. Why, then, could it not be done with copper, since copper -permitted itself to be etched so well? I made a little experiment at -once, and it succeeded perfectly. Herr Thornton proposed to make -completely sure. He had a small model press from England, the cylinder -of which had been engraved by the best cotton copper engraver of -England. Though it was only six inches long and three inches thick it -had cost twenty pounds to engrave. He proposed to have an exactly -similar cylinder made, which I was to etch in the same design, so that -competitive impressions could be made with both cylinders. The -proposition was accepted. To save money, it was decided to make a -cylinder from zinc instead of from copper. - -After a few days it was ready and I drove with Herr von Hartl to -Pottendorf, where we arrived at half-past ten o'clock in the morning. I -started eagerly to do the drawing. As I perceived immediately, it -consisted purely of circular lines, and therefore I succeeded in -preparing the cylinder, drawing the design, and etching it before two -o'clock, at which time we were to have luncheon. - -Mr. Thornton, who had expected that I would need at least eight days, -was astonished by my speed. To all appearances, the etched cylinder was -as good as the engraved one, and now it was merely a question of the -printing. He made the first impression with the copper cylinder, which, -of course, produced a very pretty piece of work. But when mine was -adjusted and the first impression came out, the astonishment of all -present reached its maximum, for the impressions were exactly as clear, -but at least twice as strong and therefore more beautiful. The reason -for this was that the engraving became narrower at the bottom, and -therefore held hardly half as much color as the etched lines. - -The practicability of my etching process was settled; and Herr von Hartl -waited only to lay the matter before the society at the next general -meeting before proceeding to its exploitation on a large scale. - -Truly it was high time for him to get some returns for his many -expenses. The stone-printery had cost him at least six thousand gulden -to this date. In return for this investment he had a good quantity of -stones, several presses, and a great stock of Gleissner's music, which -represented an income of twenty thousand gulden, if it could be sold. - -At last we obtained the long-sought franchise (in 1803), and Herr von -Hartl decided to begin the business. I proposed to him to rent a shop -and engage an experienced man to manage it. But he replied that I was -merely suggesting another burden of nearly two thousand gulden a year, -with no certain prospect of a penny's income. Rather, said he, I was to -give the finished work to the dealers and let them sell them on a -percentage, so that we could see how the public liked stone-printing. - -Herr von Hartl was trying at this time to rid himself of all expenses -that were not absolutely necessary. He was growing more and more -dissatisfied with Mistelbauer, his health was poor, and irritating -business troubles were anything but good for him. He expressed his -regret many times because he had undertaken so many things. His many -enterprises, which up to this time had proved anything but profitable, -took so much of his time that he had to give up his far more -advantageous interests as Imperial Court Agent, and thus lost heavily in -that direction also. The stock of spun wool kept piling up in the -company's magazines, and this, too, seemed to promise no greatly -satisfactory results. - -However, I could see that I could expect only small sales in Vienna if I -depended on the dealers, who were my opponents and would hardly be very -eager to aid my success. Therefore, I conceived the thought, equally -unpractical, as it turned out, of putting our work into the hands of a -book publisher; and as I had just observed much empty space in the shop -of Peter Rehm's widow, I agreed with her to turn over our stock to her -at twenty-five per cent discount. - -It was arranged that there be an accounting each month, and I looked -forward to the end of the first month with great impatience, because I -hoped for a considerable income. It was highly necessary, to help me pay -off the debt that I had loaded on myself to defray Herr Gleissner's -traveling expenses,--a debt that now had stood for two years, and that -the skillful manipulations of my dear landlady and her faithful legal -adviser had increased from four hundred gulden to two thousand. Many -times during the month I inquired as to the sales and received the -answer that they were good. I was satisfied, and did not require further -statements, as I did not wish to anticipate the pleasant surprise that -I expected when the month's accounting was made. But alas! How I was -shocked at the end of the month when the sum of ten gulden and -forty-eight kreuzer turned out to be all! I did not know how I could -appear before Herr von Hartl with the news. My walk to his house was one -of the bitterest of my life. I was not received as badly as I had -expected. On the contrary, Herr von Hartl comforted me and advised me to -have patience, that all beginnings were slow, etc. In short, I enjoyed -the most pleasant anticipations again. Unhappily, at the end of the -second month the accounting gave us one gulden, thirty-six kreuzer. Now -the patience of Herr von Hartl reached its end. - -He had just lost heavily again in the Mistelbauer affair. It worried him -seriously, and as his health continued poor, he inclined to listen to -the advice of his wife, who represented to him that he did not need to -burden himself thus, and that he would better pocket his losses and -retire from all the matters that worried him. - -Therefore, when his secretary, Steiner, advised him to send a certain -Grasnitzky to Helmannsöd, he accepted the suggestion, and Grasnitzky -went there with unlimited power to do what he thought best. Now of -course it was vital that Grasnitzky be absolutely honest, as otherwise -it was certain that he would make the worst possible report in order to -get everything into his own hands. Hardly had he made a superficial -inspection before he reported that Herr von Hartl was being cheated by -Mistelbauer. As soon as he had driven the man and his family out of the -house and had gained possession of the finished stock that was on hand, -he took away everything that was in the hands of the local weavers, and -transported it to Linz to be finished and sold. - -Hardly had Herr von Hartl received the alarming news that only the -highest degree of commercial talent could save the capital that he had -invested in this business, before worse news came. While Grasnitzky was -in Linz, fire started in Helmannsöd and spread to Mistelbauer's house, -which Grasnitzky had locked up. The peasants saved their own houses and -were not at all displeased to let the handsome new building, with all -its machinery and stock, burn down. - -The hard blows were too much for poor Mistelbauer, who was now reduced -to total beggary. He became ill and died soon afterward in great misery. -Nothing was left now except for Grasnitzky to finish the goods he had -saved, and to sell them as well as possible. - -Naturally the loss was considerable, despite all efforts; and of course -it was an unfavorable circumstance for me that this affair should be -contemporary with my failure to sell the sheet-music. Herr von Hartl -lost all hope of success with stone-printing, and probably would have -given it up entirely, had his secretary, Steiner, not advised him to -continue. He pointed out that the small sales were due not to the -printing, but to the unwise selection of work, which was almost wholly -the composition of a composer quite unknown in Vienna. He said that they -needed a man as manager who had the necessary knowledge and who also had -a good shop for making sales, and that thus stone-printing would become -a veritable gold mine. He proposed the antiquarian Grund, who had a shop -in the same street as Herr von Hartl's house. Herr von Hartl agreed. - -I was informed that hereafter I was to communicate only with Herr Grund -about work, and that he would make all payments in Herr von Hartl's -name, select the works to be published, and make quarterly accountings, -at which he would deduct thirty per cent for himself. - -I was glad, because it relieved me of many cares and I foresaw success -once more. New life came into the work. We hired two more writers, and -printed bravely. Grund succeeded in inducing Herr von Hartl to increase -his investment during the first year so that the original capital of six -thousand gulden that was already sunk in the work had grown to twenty -thousand gulden. But when at last the fourth quarter passed without an -accounting from Grund, and still there was no dividend, he lost patience -again, and no doubt Steiner had to bear some censure because of his -unfortunate suggestion. To soothe his master he proposed to take -everything out of Grund's hands and establish a publishing house. As -this would demand more capital, Herr von Hartl declined, being quite -sated. Then Steiner came out with the project: he would seek to induce -Grasnitzky, who had done so much already, to undertake this business -also; he added that he himself was disposed to put in some capital and -take a personal part in the business, for a third part of the profits. - -Just then I was in fatal embarrassment. The legal adviser of our -landlady pressed harshly for payment. He even went to Herr von Hartl. -That gentleman sent for me immediately and declared that he would try -Steiner's plan, and that it would be his last attempt, and that I could -see myself that there was nothing else to do. Since he promised to pay -my debt, and I hoped for good results anyway from Herr Steiner's -coöperation, I agreed willingly. - -Now passed another year, during which a number of pieces of music were -printed under Grasnitzky's and Steiner's directions, and some -experiments made in art work. An artist, Karl Müller, learned to draw -nicely on stone partly with the pen, partly with the brush. Among many, -often very excellent efforts, one of his most successful was a copy of -Preissler's drawing-lessons. The first number was printed under my -direction and came out very well. The other numbers, which were printed -when I was in Munich again, were reported as not having been so good. -The reason probably was that they were printed with a new press ordered -by Herr Grasnitzky, which did not have the power necessary for printing -from stone, thus making necessary a softer color not satisfactory for -pen-drawing. In the end Herr Steiner is credited with having improved -this press very much. I shall describe it in its most complete form in -my description of presses which will follow. - -Judging from the amount of printing done, Steiner and Grasnitzky -appeared to understand their business. In a short time they actually -printed a second impression of some of the Gleissner compositions, which -met with good sales, especially in Poland. - -I was delighted with this activity, especially as I hoped for a part of -the profit for myself at the end of the year; but Herr Steiner, instead -of accounting to me, assured me that I could entertain no hopes for ten -years, as Herr von Hartl's investment of twenty thousand gulden would -have to be repaid before there could be any question of dividing -profits. I realized what this meant; and to avoid bringing a lawsuit, -for which I lacked the means anyway, I decided to sell Herr Steiner my -interests. He offered me six hundred gulden, and when, at last, I -accepted it, he paid me fifty gulden because he had a claim on Herr -Gleissner for five hundred and fifty gulden, something of which I had -been in ignorance. - -The loss of this business pained me, but Herr von Hartl comforted me -with the example of other inventors, who had received no better returns. - -Now the cotton-printery was my only hope. A third of the Pottendorf -Company had declared itself in favor of erecting a factory, and in fact -one thousand two hundred gulden had been appropriated to make a trial on -a large scale. I went to Pottendorf and ordered a machine in which the -cylinders were of cast-iron instead of copper, because Herr Thornton had -two very handsome iron cylinders, two yards long and eight inches in -diameter, which had been intended for another purpose but were -sufficient for my trials. - -As soon as the printing-machine was ready, Herr Thornton had it -connected with the water-wheel of the cotton-spinnery, so that one -needed only to pull a cord to set the cylinders in motion and see the -printing of the cotton proceed without human help, as if of itself. -Nothing was needed now except to etch the design in the upper cylinder. - -The design consisted of a simple little flower, many times repeated, and -it seemed to me to be anything except difficult. But after I had covered -the cylinder with the etching surface and started to work with the -graver, I saw, after a very few strokes, why it had not been possible -before this to produce cotton patterns by etching and why engraving had -been necessary. - -It was not possible for me to draw even three of the little flowers into -the etching surface with the free hand so firmly and evenly as this sort -of printing demanded if it was to appear thoroughly accurate to the eye. -This was in spite of the fact that I had first drawn the design -carefully in measured squares on stone and transferred it in red to the -black cylinder. My strokes were too trembling and uneven, so that I -nearly gave up the hope of ever doing anything excellent in this way, -unless I were to expend as much or more time than would be needed for -the regular process of engraving. - -The failure of this attempt, and the disgrace that would come to me as a -result, spurred me on to invent some method to overcome the difficulty -of drawing. I succeeded so unexpectedly that the very failure became the -means to greater perfection. - -To cover the entire surface of the cylinder it would be necessary to -draw thirty thousand flowers. Had I not experienced the slightest -difficulty, I still would have needed half a minute for each flower, and -thus I would scarcely have been able to finish an entire cylinder inside -of a month. But I invented a drawing-machine with which, though I was -not a skillful draftsman, I could draw the entire design within two -days, and with an accuracy that hardly could be attained by the -engraving-tool. With this instrument I drew the design on the black -etching surface of the cylinder, etched it and made a sample printing -which, when it was repeated afterward in presence of Fürst von Esterhazy -and other members of the company, earned universal praise. - -Herr von Hartl planned to obtain an exclusive franchise for this -cylinder cotton-printing, sell it to the company, and have me appointed -as director, something like Herr Thornton, who drew not only a decent -salary but also a fourth part of the profit from the entire spinnery. As -I could see readily that a company with such enormous resources could -soon bring a cotton-print establishment to a great stage, it did not -seem impossible to me that the annual income might rise to a million, as -in the Ebreichsdorfer factory. If the net profits were only five per -cent, there still would be more than twelve thousand gulden annually for -me, and I was sure to be a rich man in a short time. So I thanked Herr -von Hartl heartily and continued to perfect my process in every tiny -detail. - -The fear had arisen that iron cylinders might affect the handsome reds -and other fine colors. Herr Thornton, who had become my friend, promised -to make for me cast copper cylinders with iron cores: and his -preparations for this work were almost completed when again fate ruined -all my hopes. - -Napoleon had just completed the Continental blockade; and the English -cotton stuffs were not to be had anywhere. This forced all the weavers -and manufacturers of the inland to buy from the Pottendorfer Works, and -the sale of their output became so great that the formerly overcrowded -storehouses were emptied in a short time. "Why should we erect a new, -different factory? Rather let us enlarge the present one." This was the -general and entirely sensible decision of the company. Herr von Hartl -would not interest himself further in the process, because our hope of -an exclusive franchise had been ruined through the treachery of a -foreman in the spinnery, who had made drawings of our machine and sold -them to various cotton-making establishments, who were already imitating -the process. So there was nothing left for me except to seek my fortune -elsewhere. - -In my pain over my oft-ruined hopes I complained to a good friend, Herr -Madlener, a tinner in Pottendorf, and this noble man was ready at once -to seek another opportunity for me. The very next day he told me that a -cotton-printer in Vienna, Herr Blumauer, would pay me five hundred -gulden for a small model press for cylinder printing on cotton. This -turned out true. Fourteen days later he made me acquainted with the -brothers Faber, who had a cotton-works in St. Polten, and who, on -Madlener's recommendation, made an extremely satisfactory contract with -me for the erection of a complete cylinder printery. - -I thought myself happy to come into relations with this firm at whose -head were two of the noblest of men, and was just ready to go to St. -Polten, when my destinies received a new direction through a strange -chain of circumstances, that opened for me an excellent prospect again -of making great advances in improving my lithographic invention. - -My brothers had written to me several times while I was in Vienna, -complaining about scarcity of work and their resultant poverty. -Therefore it is not to be wondered at that I did not exactly long to -return to Munich, despite the fact that my hopes in Vienna had become -steadily less. Probably I should have returned again to Herr Andre in -Offenbach, as Gleissner and his family were pretty well placed with -Steiner and Grasnitzky, had not Madame Gleissner conceived the idea of -making personal inquiries about the conditions in Munich. - -Shortly before, a Bavarian court musician had visited Vienna and had -visited his friend Gleissner. From him we learned that my brothers were -doing very well. They had good positions with the Feyertag School and -had sold their franchise for stone-printing to the Royal Government. It -was even reported that they had formed a company with Herr von Hazzi to -establish a press and publishing house, and that they expected to get a -comfortable building from the Government. - -Madame Gleissner went to Munich at once and ascertained that the report -was true. She also met our old apprentice, Grünewald, who had left -Vienna in 1804 with one of our note-writers, Held, to erect a -stone-printing establishment for Breitkopf and Härtl in Leipsic. He had -just returned to Munich, and he induced Madame Gleissner to join him in -erecting a small printing-house, which she did all the more willingly, -since she hoped that it would earn her expenses for her in Munich. This -occasion led to her acquaintance with Abt Vogler, who gave her several -pieces of music to print. - -Stone-printing pleased Abt Vogler so much that he proposed to Freiherr -Christoph von Aretin, Royal Court and Central Library Director, to -establish a printery and take into partnership the inventor as well as -Herr Gleissner. Freiherr von Aretin was willing, and they made a -provisional contract with Madame Gleissner, under which I and her -husband were to go to Munich and establish a stone-press, for which -Freiherr von Aretin and Abt Vogler would furnish the money. - -I was pleasantly surprised when Madame Gleissner returned to Vienna with -this news. Freiherr von Aretin was one of my old schoolmates in the -Munich Gymnasium; and as he always used to gain the first prize in -everything from the lowest class to the highest, I had entertained the -greatest respect for him since youth. I would have thought myself -fortunate even then to make his nearer acquaintance, because I ever have -had a decided admiration for remarkable persons. - -In later days it happened once that my mother dwelled in his house and -could not pay her rent, owing to certain misfortunes, and when she asked -him to excuse the delay he made her a present of the entire sum. This -proof of a noble soul was not calculated to lessen my regard for him. -Therefore I snatched at the proposal with joy. - -She had been urged earnestly to hurry matters, as Abt Vogler had various -works which he wished to have printed as soon as possible. Unfortunately -my contract with the brothers Faber, which I had signed the day before, -would have delayed me for many months. I tried, therefore, if I could -induce them to permit me to spend a few months in Munich before I -started their work in St. Polten. The excellent men agreed gladly, and -even advanced money to me that I might have various copper cylinders -made in Munich, so that I would be able to go ahead without delay later -in St. Polten. - - - - -PART III - -FROM 1806 TO 1817 - - -I left Vienna with Herr Gleissner and his family in October, 1806. First -we traveled to Cloister Atl near Wasserburg in Bavaria, which Freiherr -von Aretin had bought recently, and where Abt Vogler awaited us. He -proposed to erect the printery in the cloister; but when he saw that I -was not at all pleased with the idea, he started with us for Munich. - -Hardly had we arrived there before Abt Vogler suggested several plans -which all contemplated only his own profit, and which would have -redounded to Freiherr von Aretin's disadvantage. When he realized at -last that we would not agree to his demands, and when Freiherr von -Aretin insisted that Herr Vogler pay his share of the capital at once -and in cash, instead of paying it by furnishing music whose value he set -very high, he severed his connection with our company. There was also -the added reason that the Royal Academy of Sciences did not reëlect him -as a member, a fact which made him wish to leave Munich as soon as -possible. - -At this time a former workman of my younger brother Karl, a man named -Strohhofer, commenced a printery. Madame Gleissner stopped this unlawful -violation of our rights with the aid of the royal police, and this -impelled Strohhofer to seek Abt Vogler, probably in order to gain his -intercession with Freiherr von Aretin. - -Vogler thought that he had made an important discovery, as the man knew -how to speak very impressively of his knowledge and skill. He imagined -that he could publish his works without our aid, perhaps even without -cost. Therefore he promised to assist Strohhofer, made an appointment -with him for a future day, and suggested to him how he could support -himself meantime by selling the secret of the art. - -Stuttgart was one of the towns suggested to him. Strohhofer circulated a -pompous proclamation there, boasting of his talents and offering his -services to anybody and everybody. Thus he came into communication with -Herr Cotta. The inferiority and incompleteness of his knowledge were -perceived very soon; but as even the imperfect results hinted at the -importance of the new printing process, the result was that finally, -through the assistance of an art-lover, Herr Rapp, the book, _The Secret -of Stone-Printing_, was published by Herr Cotta. It was the first -publication that showed true appreciation publicly of the art. - -Immediately in the beginning of our establishment in Munich, our -enterprise gained brilliant aspects through Freiherr von Aretin's -activity. Several presses were operated, for music, for governmental -work, and even for art. Then came the publication of Albrecht Dürer's -_Prayer-Book_, which gave us an honorable reputation. This work was -acclaimed by all art-lovers, and the conviction gained ground everywhere -that the new process which hitherto had possessed few friends, was not -so unimportant as had been believed generally. - -The professor of the Feyertag School, Herr Mitterer, had done important -preparatory work in Munich to gain a favorable decision. My brothers had -imparted to him the entire process. He had found that the so-called -crayon process, of which I had shown proofs as early as 1799, was best -adapted for his purpose of reproducing elementary drawing-lessons, and -he had succeeded in inducing the Government to establish a lithographic -institute under his direction, in which my brothers were employed as -lithographers. To be sure, this was a violation of my franchise; but the -reason was that the authorities supposed my brothers to be the owners of -the franchise, both on account of the name and because they had -conducted the Munich printery for some years in my name. - -Freiherr von Aretin counted on the sole use of the franchise, which he -had believed to be unassailable when he formed our company and advanced -the necessary money; but when in time he complained because the Royal -Government as well as private persons established printeries, he -received the reply that the art had long ceased to be a secret,--as if a -condition of the franchise had been that a useful process must be kept -secret. In that case I could not have employed any man either for -drawing or printing, as that would have involved the loss of secrecy and -thus the loss of the franchise. - -My connection with Freiherr von Aretin lasted four years. During this -time I turned out a great amount of government work, such as circulars, -statistical tables, charts, etc., besides many specimens in various -forms of art. At that time the idea was first conceived for the present -text-book of lithography, and, indeed, we published the first -installment of the sample plates. Still, our enterprise was far less -successful than Freiherr von Aretin and I had hoped. - -It was very difficult to obtain skillful workmen, especially writers and -artists. Even Strixner and Pilotti, whom we had engaged and who worked -at producing facsimiles of the Royal Manual Drawing Cabinet, were very -slow to gain the necessary perfection and speed. And again we lacked the -manager, namely, a man who understood business and knew what to produce -and how to sell it. - -I myself was heavily burdened, as I had not only to exercise continual -supervision of the five presses, but also was practically the only one -who could prepare the plates for those presses. Added to this was the -fact that the printers were almost all uneducated men, some of whom -could not even read, and they spoiled many plates that I had to -reproduce. This caused so much loss of time that already was -insufficient, that it is no wonder that several presses came to a -standstill frequently. Luckily there were government jobs at times that -demanded fifteen thousand and more impressions. This enabled me to -prepare new material while the presses were busy. On the whole, however, -this work had the disadvantage of demanding such speed that usually all -the five presses had to work at it, so that, when it was done, they were -all at a standstill together, sometimes for weeks; and then the wages, -etc., consumed the previous profit, so that in the end little or nothing -was left. - -Thus it was natural that Herr von Aretin, who was being annoyed at this -time by other affairs, began to lose his enthusiasm for lithography. -Therefore, when he had to go to Neuburg as Governmental-Director, and -could not participate personally any more, and when, at the same time, -Herr Gleissner and I obtained situations with the Royal Tax Service, he -sold the establishment to Herr von Manlich, the Director of the Royal -Gallery, and to Herr Zeller, a merchant. - -Although our connection was broken in this manner, and despite the fact -that we had not won the expected results, still stone-printing had -attained respect and support through Freiherr von Aretin's patronage. We -had to thank him for the fact that our institution was praised by the -most celebrated native and foreign statesmen, and even by their Royal -Highnesses, the Crown Prince of Bavaria and his most noble sister -Charlotte, present Empress of Austria. Our beloved Crown Prince wrote on -paper with the so-called chemical or stone-ink, "Lithography is one of -the most important inventions of the century." And his noble sister -wrote the short but eloquent words, "I honor the Bavarians!" These lines -were printed on the stone in their presence. - -His Royal Highness the Crown Prince exhibited so much interest in this -Bavarian invention that he condescended to order the sculptor, -Kirchmeier, of Munich, to model my bust in plaster, so that in the -future, when lithography should have attained an honorable place in the -whole public estimation, it could be carved in stone and erected among -the most celebrated artists of Bavaria. - -In general my connection with Freiherr von Aretin had given me several -well-founded prospects for an active and honorable future. He promised -that, when his circumstances permitted, he would put me into position to -use my entire time only for making useful inventions, for which purpose -I should have all the material and workers that I might need. We would -then investigate all branches of art and industry, to discover -possibilities of improvement. He possessed the true viewpoint, -appreciating how I could best be useful to the fatherland, and perhaps -to all humanity. I shall ever consider it as my greatest misfortune that -circumstances made it impossible to carry out this plan, and thus to -justify the great confidence that he reposed in my inventiveness and -ability. - -A second beautiful hope arose in France, where I was encouraged by -Freiherr von Aretin to expect the management of an imperial lithographic -institute, with a great financial allowance, Herr von Manlich, and the -French artist, Herr Denon, who was in high favor with Napoleon, having -made strong efforts to that end. This hope also met disappointment owing -to the circumstances of the times. - -A third hope of no less importance was to erect a cotton-printery in -Munich or Augsburg in association with His Excellency Count von Arco, -Court Chamberlain of Her Royal Highness the widowed Kurfürstin of -Bavaria. This was ruined by the clumsiness of a Munich wood-turner, who -made such uneven cylinders that we could not produce any satisfactory -specimens. Although I made arrangements at once for a large English -machine, like those used by Mr. Thornton, its manufacture was so slow -that two years elapsed, and during this time our entire lithographic -establishment was dissolved. - -The idea of a cotton-printery was an unfortunate one, which not only -cost much time and a great sum of money, but also had the unpleasant -result that I could not fulfill my contract with the Faber brothers and -thus, in addition to the resultant personal financial loss, had the pain -of appearing before these most noble men in a poor light. - -All this trouble was caused as follows. On invitation of Count von Arco, -his brother-in-law, Count von Montgelas, Royal Minister of State, -visited our institution and examined our work. At the request of -Freiherr von Aretin I made an experimental printing with the little -model cotton-printing press that I had brought from Vienna. It won his -approval. Freiherr von Aretin intended to ask for a franchise for this -process in Bavaria, where it had not yet been introduced. The Minister -promised this and also held out the hope of a considerable financial -assistance from the Government. Then I was foolish enough to try to -increase his interest by telling him of the value that foreign lands set -on this process, and thus I informed him of my contract with the Fabers. -But this had an unexpected result. His Excellency heard the information -most ungraciously, and said that I must not hope for the least -assistance in Bavaria if I permitted myself to be used for the -advantage of another state. He even declared that there was a royal -rescript forbidding Bavarian subjects from using an art in foreign lands -if its exclusive use were of importance for Bavaria. This rescript, said -he, fitted my case exactly, and it was forbidden to me, under pain of -highest disfavor, to proceed farther with the Austrians. - -This embarrassed me mightily. Freiherr von Aretin and Count von Arco -promised to urge the Minister to permit me to go to Vienna, on the -ground that this method of printing cotton was no invention of mine, -having been used long ago in England and for some time in Austria. But -Freiherr von Aretin was not very desirous that I should absent myself -for several months in the very beginning of our enterprise, and thus -time passed without the hoped-for permission. - -As the Fabers pressed me earnestly to fulfill my agreement, I devised a -subterfuge that might permit me to keep my promise and still not lay -myself open to too great a responsibility. I wrote to them advising them -to have their correspondent in Munich demand through the court that I be -forced to fulfill the contract. I considered that the city courts in -Munich would have no particular knowledge of the royal rescript or, at -least, that they would not immediately remember it, and that, when I -admitted the existence of the contract, they would command me to keep it -at once. Then I would obey immediately, and afterward could justify -myself with the Bavarian Government by pointing to the court's decree. - -It would surely have succeeded had not the correspondent of the Fabers -failed in business after bringing suit, owing to which the matter got -into another lawyer's hands. This man immediately adopted a new strange -course. Instead of demanding a fulfillment of the contract, he sued for -twelve thousand gulden damages for their loss of time. Of course I had -to fight for my skin now; and as he refused to content himself with my -agreement to fulfill the contract, I was forced at last to defend myself -by falling back on the royal rescript. Thus I escaped by merely repaying -the money already advanced; but I lost the considerable sum that would -have been assured to me had I been permitted to spend only two months in -St. Polten. - -Thus none of the good prospects that opened themselves through my -connection with Freiherr von Aretin proved so good as I had been -justified in hoping: nay, it seemed as if I had only labored day and -night to give others the benefits accruing from my painful labors, while -I barely supported existence. - -Freiherr von Aretin wished that the management of the business be in the -hands of a man who possessed his own fullest confidence, but whom I did -not consider at all suitable, as he was a royal official and as such -could not do business in a public shop. Consequently the trade was -carried on in his own residence, which was known to only few people and -where nobody looked for the manifold things that we could have produced -to good profit. This at last lowered our establishment to a mere job -printery, which finally could not maintain itself, because more and more -similar establishments were started in Munich, and the prices for work -became lower and lower through their hungry competition. - -It may not be uninteresting to tell briefly how so many printeries -happened to be undertaken. - -The first was established by Gleissner and myself, and was continued -afterward in my name by my brothers Theobald and George, until 1805. -They sold the secret to the Feyertag School, where an excellent art -institute developed gradually under Herr Mitterer. - -Strohhofer learned the elements of the process from my brother Karl, and -associated himself, in 1806, with Herr Sidler, royal court musician, who -had studied first with my brothers, then with Madame Gleissner, and then -in the Aretin printery. When Strohhofer left Munich, Sidler erected a -stone-printery for the Government, and after he had obtained an official -permit before the expiration of my franchise, he established his own -institution, producing very good work. - -During this time Madame Gleissner had petitioned the Government -frequently for sufficient work to assist her, and had obtained the -promise through His Excellency the Minister of State, von Montgelas. -Then it happened that the chief of a newly organized bureau, Freiherr -von Hartmann, having a great deal of writing to do in beginning his new -work, decided to introduce lithography for the purpose of saving labor. -His intention was to have it all done in our institution. No doubt he -had communicated this plan to von Montgelas; for as he met Madame -Gleissner about this time, and she asked again for work, he said that he -had given Senefelder enough work to keep ten presses busy, and if he had -not yet received it, he would get it soon through Freiherr von Hartmann. -There evidently was a misunderstanding here on account of the name. When -Freiherr von Hartmann sent one of his subordinates to call Senefelder to -him, he brought my brother Theobald, who immediately got orders to -establish a lithographic office, and shortly afterward was appointed -Inspector of Lithography. Beside a considerable salary, he received the -following other incomes, first, excellent pay for all work that was -turned in; second, an agreement that if his ten presses could not be -sufficiently employed by the bureau, he might work for other -governmental bureaus and for private persons. Thus he received a great -deal of work, among other jobs the printing of passports for the -Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which earned large sums for him in a short -time and placed him in very good circumstances. - -He could not conceal his good luck, and so it came that many people -imagined that stone-printing was a means for getting rich quickly, which -resulted in a disproportionate growth of new shops. Out of his own there -sprang two, namely, those of Helmle and Roth, who erected their own -printeries under the permit of the police. - -At the same time a lithographic institution was erected in the Royal -Asylum for the Poor on the Anger; and a Herr Dietrich, of a government -bureau, also established one. - -My own prospects became worse and worse toward the year 1810. Though I -may flatter myself that I perfected myself very greatly through -unceasing practice and thousands of experiments, still, without a -fortunate accident, it might well have happened that I would have been -forced to think it lucky if I could obtain work under one of my former -apprentices. - -I even suffered the insult of having the papers declare that though I -had invented the art roughly, I had kept it secret for a long time -through selfishness, and had never understood how to use it for anything -except merely printing music. The falsity and humiliating character of -this statement were bound to pain me the more bitterly, since all other -stone-artists and stone-printers had learned only from me, and not one -(not even Herr Mitterer, the most expert and, perhaps because of that, -the most modest) possessed the art as a whole, in all its parts, as -perfectly as I did. I hope that my text-book will prove this. - -So far as the secret was concerned, the statement was an evident -falsehood. Since the moment when I received the exclusive franchise in -Bavaria, in the year 1799, I had made no secret of any part of my -process toward any living being. I showed the whole manipulation to my -workmen as well as to all strangers. Those who knew me more intimately -and realized, therefore, that I could not resist the desire for -communicating anything that I discovered to benefit mankind, often -censured me severely for my frankness, saying that I could have been a -millionaire had I kept my art a secret. But this was equally erroneous. -I never could have succeeded to any degree with my own means. - -The false belief that I desired exclusive enjoyment of the results of -stone-printing, is in direct contradiction of the fact that the lack of -secrecy was held to invalidate my exclusive franchise. The idea may have -arisen, at least partly, through the circumstance that several of my -former workmen, or others who learned something of the art, made a -wonderful secret of it, in order to be considered more important. This -was carried to such an extent that some traveled from place to place and -sold their knowledge to many people for large sums under the seal of -confidence. I pity those who thus received in exchange for their money -something of little or no use, when they could have learned from me for -practically nothing, as it always was my greatest delight to converse -with intelligent men about those subjects that interested me so deeply -as inventor. - -After making this little excursion, which was needed for my -justification, I return to my story. - -There were, then, in 1809, six public printeries in Munich besides mine, -without reckoning those which several artists had made for their own -use. The foremost among the latter was Herr Mettenleithner, Royal -Copper Plate Engraver. He was one of the first to whom I had shown -specimens, as early as 1796, of the new process, but he had paid little -attention to it. Partly through various very excellent specimens from -Herr Mitterer's print, and partly through the work of Strixner and -Pilotti, he was induced to make experiments. A son of Herr von Dall' -Armi, who was taking lessons just then in drawing and copper etching for -his own pleasure, interested himself in the process. As a result, the -latter established a lithographic institution in Rome, which, so far as -I know, never achieved any decided success. - -Soon afterward Herr Mettenleithner, in association with one of the best -of the Aretin printers, a man named Weishaupt, laid the foundation for -the stone-printery of the Royal Tax Commission (Königliche Unmittelbare -Steuer-Kataster-Kommission), which is now the most important of all the -lithographic institutions of Munich. A little later a similar -institution was founded for reproduction purposes by the Royal Privy -Council, through Herr Mettenleithner's son-in-law, Herr Winter. - -Herr Mettenleithner was appointed director of the great establishment, -which employed some thirty engravers, to etch the plans of the -Steuer-Kataster, which received fifteen to twenty thousand impressions -each. At this time the Kingdom of Bavaria was being charted in great -detail for tax-regulation purposes, under the management of Privy -Councilor von Utzschneider, the man who has done so much for Bavaria's -home industries. There were required at least two exact copies of each -map, and close calculation proved that it would be possible to etch the -charts on stone and make several hundred impressions for the money that -these two copies would cost if done by hand. In addition, each of these -impressions was good enough to serve as an original. - -The lithographic institution of the Royal Steuer-Kataster had been in -operation for some time when a trivial occurrence had the most important -effect on my fate. - -It became necessary to print a sheet of such great size that there -happened to be no stone in Munich large enough. Weishaupt remembered -that he had seen stones in my possession which I had purchased partly -for map-work and partly for printing cotton and tapestries. He sent a -printer to me with a letter from Royal Tax Councilor von Badhauser, -requesting that I sell the Government a stone of the necessary -dimensions. Herr von Badhauser was a friend of my father, and I myself -always had entertained the highest respect for him. He was also a friend -of Herr Gleissner, and had done many things to oblige him. I embraced -the opportunity of doing him a favor with joy, and the matter probably -would have had no further consequences, had not Madame Gleissner arrived -just as the stone was being taken away. - -She suspected that the stone might be desired for a purpose other than -the one stated, and sought Herr von Badhauser to ascertain the truth. On -this occasion she complained to him that the Government, not content -with infringing our franchise by erecting its own printeries, also took -away our workmen after I had trained them with much labor and expense. - -Herr von Badhauser was surprised. He said that Privy Councilor von -Utzschneider had wished to turn work over to me, but that my reply to -his proposal, which had been laid before me by a designer named Schiesl, -had been that it was against my arrangements to collaborate with any -other establishment, and that, on the contrary, it was my intention, -with the assistance of Freiherr von Aretin, to press our suit against -the Government for infringement. - -This Herr Schiesl, a pupil of Herr Methleithner, had worked for us -occasionally, and, indeed, was one of the first to use the new process -for drawings, especially pen-drawings. As he was rather adept and showed -great interest, I gave him full instructions in everything, and he knew -all my circumstances exactly. Thus he understood thoroughly that my -future depended on the turn that Freiherr von Aretin's affairs might -take, and that our situation was precarious, owing to the competition of -so many establishments. Therefore, I cannot understand how he came to -utter a statement so contrary to the truth. - -Madame Gleissner hurried to Herr von Utzschneider and explained my real -intentions to him. He promised to consider the matter earnestly. - -Herr Professor Schiegg, an excellent geometrician and astronomer, was -member of the Steuer-Kataster-Kommission, and had the supervision over -the entire institution. He was not well satisfied. Too many costly -proof-prints were being made, and the impressions did not please him. -Accidentally he saw my receipt for payment for the stone which I had -furnished, and he observed that I did not ask more for it than the -Commission had to pay for stones only half as large. Also I charged only -twenty-four kreuzer for polishing, whereas the Commission had been -paying one gulden for stones of four square feet. He took occasion to -represent to the Commission that it might be well to give me the -management of the establishment. - -Herr von Utzschneider sent for me and asked for a proposition. After -discussion with Freiherr von Aretin I proposed that the Commission let -me print their etched plates for two kreuzer per impression, in return -for which I would pay the workmen, defray the cost of all printing -material, and also keep the presses in repair, pull necessary proofs -without charge, and bear the cost of all imperfect work. - -This plan seemed very fair to me, as the Royal Commission would save two -thirds of the expenses it had defrayed hitherto; but it met with such -opposition that Herr von Utzschneider advised me to make another -proposition, preferably one that involved a good salary for myself and -Herr Gleissner, which, probably, would be received with more favor. He -added the flattering statement that the Royal Commission would be proud -to have me, the inventor of the art, in its employ, and thus to reward -my struggles in the name of the fatherland. The excellent man fulfilled -the expectations thus raised, and became my greatest benefactor and -founder of my fortune; for through him I won the prospect of an unvexed -old age, and was placed in a position where I did not need any longer to -consider my art merely as a livelihood. Everything useful that I have -invented since then, and I hope it is not inconsiderable, is due to the -serene and happy position in which I was placed through his goodness. - -At the time I thought also that, if we were both employed by the Royal -Steuer-Kataster-Kommission, it would save Freiherr von Aretin the burden -of supporting us, without causing him damage, as according to the -preliminary promise of the Commission we should have time enough left to -manage his institution. So I agreed to assume supervision over the -Commission's printery, to give it my best knowledge, and give the -workmen complete instructions and training, for which there was to be a -salary for life of one thousand five hundred gulden for me and one -thousand gulden for my friend Gleissner, with the rank of Royal -Inspector of Lithography, and with the right to maintain and conduct our -own printery. My terms were graciously accepted, and in October, 1809, -we received our appointment. - -Only in the beginning were my personal services especially necessary. -Later, as the workmen grew equal to their tasks, I found more and more -leisure for dedicating myself to inventing improvements. I was rather -fortunate in this endeavor, and the various processes invented since -1809 would now be generally known through the publication of many -interesting works, had Freiherr von Aretin not been forced to leave -Munich to assume his new duties in the Royal Service. This left my art -without his assistance, and our partnership reached its end just as it -was beginning to attain fruit. My own circumstances did not permit me to -continue the establishment on its former scale; therefore, Freiherr von -Aretin turned over part of it, especially the art-branches, to von -Manlich, the Director of the Royal Gallery, and another part to Herr -Zeller. The latter soon gave up the printing business as incompatible -with his other interests, but he did a great deal for domestic art and -industry later by opening a warehouse for its products, also by -publishing a paper and issuing many lithographic art productions. - -I kept one or two presses for myself, and as I married the daughter of -the Royal Chief Auditor Versch in January, 1810, I hoped to teach my -wife to manage a small business. In the very beginning I obtained a -large order for passports from the Royal Commission of the Isar, which -kept the presses busy for a month. At the same time I contracted with -the Royal War Economy Council to furnish all their printing. Besides -this, I had many orders from another Royal Commission and from Herr -Falter, so that my little establishment was very busy. Unfortunately it -happened that I was not paid at once by the Royal Commission of the -Isar, but only after four years. Added to this, after some months I had -to support my workmen in idleness for several weeks, because there -happened to be no work for them. This gave my wife so ill an idea of the -business that she kept at me till I promised her to give up the whole -thing. - -Madame Gleissner was not so timid. She offered to take over my men if I -would turn over to her the government work that I had. At first she did -very well, because just then orders came from many directions. She might -have made a great success, had her husband not been stricken with -paralysis, which rendered him so miserable that at last he lost his -mind. Then came the ever-growing competition and at last the government -bureau installed its own plant. Her daughter lost her eyesight almost -wholly at this time, so that the family fell into a woeful condition, -which would be still worse now if they were not sustained by faith in -the mercy and grace of our best of kings, who will surely reward their -efforts for lithography, which art, according to the belief of all -experts, will ever remain a beautiful flower in the shining wreath of -the noble Maximilian. - -As soon as I did not need any longer to give up my time to earning a -mere livelihood, I began seriously to plan publication of my -lithographic text-book, the first number of which had appeared -previously and been well received. But the skill of the various -lithographers made noticeable advances every day, so that I was not -content with the specimen pages that had seemed so satisfactory a year -earlier. At last I fell under the delusion that it was absolutely vital -to my honor that everything that might appear in my text-book must -represent the _non plus ultra_ of the process. Therefore I decided to -suppress the first number entirely, because there were sample pages in -it that represented a style which had been done much better since then. - -However, many obstacles opposed me. For instance, good artists are very -costly, especially if they must learn new methods and practice them. I -felt, also, that many of my inventions still demanded many improvements -before I could intrust them to the hands of any artists. Still, I hoped -finally to accomplish my plan for publishing a splendid work which -should be unique, because I invented improvements and perfections -daily. When my dear friend Andre came to Munich in 1811, I laid my -project before him and he was so taken with it that he offered his -cordial coöperation. We agreed that the work was to be done by -Frankfurter artists and printed there. But when I journeyed to Offenbach -some months later, I discovered that the right kind of artists were not -so easy to find as Andre had led me to hope. Some, who might have been -competent, demanded such exorbitant terms that the work would -necessarily have been published only at a huge loss. "Copper-etching," -said they, "we understand. Stone-etching we must learn. The latter seems -to us, who are unpracticed in it, three times as difficult. Therefore it -is but fair that we shall be paid three times as much." This sort of -reasoning led me to return to Munich to print the work there. - -Now two years passed with many experiments. Many a plate was made, -printed, and discarded because meantime I had found something better. -Then I lost my beloved wife in child-bed, and in my anguish over this -loss, irredeemable as I thought at the time, I forgot all my projects -till my second wife, a niece of our worthy Choir-Master Ritter von -Winter, reconciled me with Providence, notably through her truly -motherly behavior toward the son left behind by my first wife. I -considered it my duty now to publish my work, that in case of my death -their claims to honor should be established. Without this incentive, it -would have been much more indifferent to me what men might think of my -art or its inventor. - -In 1816, Herr Andre came to Munich again, and I imparted to him many of -my recent inventions in regard to lithography. On this occasion we -decided ultimately which of our plates should be put into the work and -which should be discarded. I promised to get seriously to work and we -looked forward so confidently to the completion of the entire -publication that Herr Andre circulated a preliminary notice of it in the -Easter-Messe at Leipsic, whither he went after leaving Munich. - -Despite this, there came many delays, the chief one being caused by my -meeting Herr Gerold, book-dealer and printer of Vienna, who invited me -to establish a printery for him. As my presence in Vienna would be -needed for only three months, I believed that this would cause no delay -in the publication of the text-book, because the plates ordered from the -Munich artists could be completed during that time, while I could -furnish the text as well in Vienna as in Munich. But I had the -misfortune of becoming seriously ill soon after reaching Vienna. A great -weakness remained as result, and this made it impossible for me to -undertake the return voyage in the bad weather that marked the winter of -1816-17. - -Lithography did not progress particularly with Herr Gerold during my -stay, because he could not obtain the franchise, though he had -petitioned for it a year ago. The greatest blame for this was due to -Herr Steiner's opposition. This man, who had done but little for the art -in the entire time during which he enjoyed the exclusive Austrian -franchise that I had turned over to him, did this from pure ill-will, -because he had suffered similar ill-luck, as he said. - -So Gerold could not establish so complete a printery as I wished, -without going into expenses based on an uncertainty. However, various -drawings were made that served to show art-lovers what could be done -with lithography. It would be easy to perfect this art immensely in -Vienna, because there is no lack of excellent artists. Among those who -interested themselves at the very beginning in Herr Gerold's undertaking -were Herr Colonel von Aurach, Herr Captain Kohl, and Herr Kunike, the -drawing-master for the family of Prince von Schwarzenberg. They -convinced themselves with many experiments that lithography was -eminently suitable for the easy reproduction of many styles of drawing, -and recommended the method to all their acquaintances. Through the -experiments of Herr Kunike I gained the conviction that one could print -true originals by using a method of touching up the impressions. - -The crayon method in combination with one or two tint plates is the -method that is easiest for the artist to handle. Now this method is very -difficult to print, demanding great practice if good, strong, and clear -impressions are to be produced. Since there are as yet no complete -printeries where an artist can have his own plates printed without -danger of damage, there is nothing left except to print them himself, -which causes many imperfect impressions that must be destroyed for the -credit of the artist. Herr Kunike had this experience; but he took his -imperfect impressions, when they were not entirely spoiled, and worked -them over with black crayon. It developed that twelve impressions could -be so well touched up by hand that they would fittingly pass as -originals, in the time which would be required to copy a single picture -properly. As this treatment of illustrations produces their value only -by merit of the final finishing, they may be considered as being the -same as copies that are made by an artist of his own work, wherein it -happens often that the copy turns out better than the original. - -Just as I was preparing to leave Vienna I received several numbers of -the _Anzeiger für Kunst und Gewerbfleiss_, in which Herr Direktor von -Schlichtegroll, General Secretary of the Royal Bavarian Academy of -Sciences, had inserted several letters suggesting an inquiry into the -invention of lithography. He had used the information obtained from my -brothers and from other inhabitants of Munich. On my arrival there I -visited him at once to thank him for his patriotic endeavors, and to -make some corrections of the story told by him. I had the fortune to win -him as a steady friend, who became continually interested in giving my -work a greater field. - -The completion of this text-book is due to his steadfast encouragement. -He furnished me with the opportunity to meet many worthy men and also to -demonstrate my many improvements before the Royal Academy of Sciences, -the Polytechnical Union, and at last even before their majesties, our -most gracious King and his most highly venerated spouse, that -illustrious connoisseur and protectress of the arts. Never to be -forgotten by me will be the moment when the gracious applause of the -royal pair rewarded me for all the exertions of my life. Oh! If only -human life were not so limited, if it were granted to me to execute only -one tenth part of my designs, I would make myself worthy of this great -honor by making many another useful invention! But the time passes -swiftly during our helpless wishing and striving; and when twenty or -thirty years have been lived, there remains for us only amazement at -beholding how little has been done of all that which glowing -imagination and fiery energy painted as being so easy to carry out. - -When I saw before me the first successful impressions from a stone, and -conceived the plan of making the invention useful for myself, I did not -think that it would demand the greatest part of my life. Rather, because -it seemed to be a cheap process, I considered it merely a first step -toward putting me into a position where I would be able to make -inventions far more useful and important. I must, however, count myself -fortunate among thousands, because my invention received such thorough -recognition during my lifetime, and because I myself was able to bring -it to a degree of perfection such as other inventions generally attained -only after many years and long after the inventor himself was dead. - -Herr von Manlich, the Director of the Royal Gallery, has had his skilled -pupils, Strixner and Pilotti, copy many collections in the Royal Drawing -Cabinet (Königliche Zeichnungs Kabinett), and many of these sheets are -so good that competent critics have declared them to be perfect -facsimiles. - -But on the whole the publication of the Royal Gallery of Paintings is -still more excellent and has aroused general attention, which would be -even greater if the printers had been as expert as the artists were. -Many of these pages would leave nothing to be desired if the pictures -appeared on the paper in perfection equal to the perfection of the -drawings on the stone. - -The method used for these illustrations is the crayon method, with one -or more tint plates. It is the easiest method for the artists because it -demands little previous experience. To give it its correct emphasis, -however, one must know especially how to get the best effect out of the -tint plates. If this is done just right, and if, of course, the drawing -bears the impress of a masterly hand, and if the printer understands his -art, the impression will be perfectly like an original drawing, so that -the most skilled etcher in copper hardly can attain the same effect. -Therefore this method, which has the further advantage of being a quick -one, is excellently well adapted for copying paintings. - -Hereby I wish to express my deepest gratitude publicly to the worthy -Herr Direktor von Manlich and his industrious pupils for the service -they have done for the fame of lithography by utilizing my inventions. -To their labors, as well as to those of Herr Professor Mitterer, is due -the ever-growing sympathy and interest of the public. - -Herr Mitterer now has attained such perfection, especially in the simple -crayon method, that many of his productions probably will remain the -_non plus ultra_ of this method. Lithography also owes to his unresting -energy the triumph of having been become the mother of many useful works -of instruction, which are so cheap that they only require the active -work of a good art-dealer or book-dealer to become widely circulated. - -Besides this, Herr Mitterer is the inventor of the so-called cylinder or -pilot-wheel press, which he has improved so much lately that it does -almost everything that one can demand from a perfect press in point of -power, speed, and ease of operation. - -Since 1809, I have dedicated myself almost uninterruptedly to -improvements, and to the work of reducing all manipulation and processes -in all branches to their simple elementary principles. Thus some of my -earlier inventions--such as transfers from paper which has been -inscribed with fatty inks, and the transfers from new and old books and -copper-plate impressions--have been brought to a high degree of -excellence through my manifold experiments, so that one can make -lithographic stereotypes in the easiest manner. - -Furthermore I have made such progress in color printing that, besides -pictures illuminated with colors, I can also produce pictures quite -similar to oil paintings, so that nobody can discover that they have -been printed, because they possess all the distinguishing points of -paintings. - -At the same time I have invented a new method for printing pictures, -wall tapestry, playing-cards, and even cotton, which enables two men to -make two thousand impressions of the size of a sheet of letter-paper -daily, even though the picture may contain a hundred or more colors. -Incredible as this may seem, I surely shall produce extraordinary and -amazing proofs of this in a few years if I remain alive and well. - -Among the other methods that I have invented since this time the most -excellent are some aqua tint processes, the spatter-work method, the -intaglio crayon method, the conversion of the relief method into -intaglio and vice versa, and the machine-written text for editions de -luxe. - -Among other things I also sought to remedy the difficulty which arises -from the great dependence on the skill and industry of the printers. -Therefore I planned a printing-machine wherein the dampening and inking -of the stones should be done not by hands but by the mechanism of the -press itself, which, in addition, could be operated by water and thus -work almost without human intervention. With this invention I believed -that I had set my art on the pinnacle of completion; and when in 1817 I -exhibited a model of this press (which also was adapted by me for -utilizing the principles of stone or chemical printing on metal plates) -before the Royal Academy of Sciences in Munich, I was so fortunate as to -receive its golden medal in sign of universal approval. - -But the most important of all my inventions since my employment in the -service of the Royal Government was, without question, the invention of -a sufficient substitute for the natural limestone plates, which often -incurred well-founded censure because of their unevenness, weight, and -fragility, and have the further fault of demanding a great deal of -storage room. - -Before the Royal Academy of Sciences, and also before the Polytechnical -Society of Bavaria, I demonstrated that chemical printing could be -utilized with advantage on metal plates; but that still more useful was -a composition of artificial stone which could be painted on metal, wood, -stone, and even on plain paper or linen, and used in all processes -exactly like the natural Solenhofen stone. - -The countless experiments that I have made in the past four years with -this substitute (or, as some call it, stone-paper), in order to prove -its usefulness under all circumstances, have filled me with the absolute -conviction that it replaces the natural stone completely without having -the many faults that in the nature of the case are inseparable from the -use of the latter. In many respects it is far superior. The fragility of -the Solenhofen stone requires the use of thick slabs for printing. If -the impression is to be letter-sheet size, the stone must be at least -one and one half inches thick if it is not to crack under pressure. If -the stone is to be used for more than one job, the thickness must be two -to three inches. To be sure, it can be ground and used over again some -hundreds of times, a valuable consideration in view of the capital -invested in a stone. But such a stone weighs from sixty to eighty -pounds, sometimes more, and occupies considerable space. Add the -investment necessary for laying in any great number of stones, and it -becomes a difficult matter financially to undertake work that requires -that the stones be held for a number of years, to be used for new -impressions according to the sales of the work. Therefore it is -necessary, generally, to print a maximum quantity at once, so that the -stones may be ground and used for new work. - -If the stones are of thickness correctly proportioned to their area, the -danger of cracking under the press is fairly remote; still, it does -happen occasionally that a stone incurs damage through clumsiness of -workmen. It can occur also through careless warming, or through sharp -frost. In such cases even a strong stone will crack, especially if the -workmen apply undue pressure. - -Besides, the necessary stones are not to be found in all places, so that -the cost of transportation prevents the establishment of lithographic -shops in many regions. - -All these objections are overcome by the invention of stone-paper. The -material advantages of it are as follows: (1) The cost is much smaller -than that of a stone of equal size. (2) The weight is inconsiderable; a -plate of letter-sheet size weighs scarcely four ounces. (3) Hundreds of -such plates piled on each other require scarcely as much space as a -single stone, and can, therefore, be stored or shipped easily. (4) They -resist the most powerful press better than do stone, copper, and even -iron plates. Their inner elasticity supports the most extreme pressure -without alteration if only they are handled properly. (5) The -application of fatty inks, and also engraving with the steel graver is -easier. Indeed, because of the great toughness of the stone-paper, the -engraving process approaches copper engraving more closely. (6) Inking -and printing are easier, and demand no such powerful pressure, because -the artificial stone receives and imparts color more readily, than does -the natural stone. (7) Finally, they are so excellent for all methods of -printing that it is possible to reproduce the original plates at will -merely by transferring a fresh imprint to another plate. And this can be -done with such accuracy that none of these plates can be distinguished -from the original, so that the stone-paper surely must become of -enormous importance for stereotyping in the book-printing trade. - -These advantages, and others to be described on suitable occasion, -elevate this invention unquestionably to the highest importance in the -art of chemical printing, despite all that may have been said recently -by a certain writer whose lack of knowledge forbade correct judgment. -The matter already has attained a degree of perfection that makes every -further improvement unnecessary, nay, almost impossible. - -My many employments, mostly caused by the publication of this text-book, -thus far have prevented the erection of my own manufactory for making -these artificial stone-plates or stone-paper. I hope to do it soon, and -then everybody can convince himself of the truth of my assertions, if he -will use the material according to my instructions. - -This invention will facilitate the introduction of lithography in all -places, because one can make the stones himself. However, lithography -has expanded very considerably in its present form, and has been brought -into use in the foremost cities of Europe. For instance, it was -introduced into France and England, first by Herr Andre, in latter days -by the Count von Lasterie in Paris and Herr Ackermann in London, being -utilized for many kinds of printed work. In Berlin, Herr Major von -Reiche has erected a great institution. In Petersburg the art has -existed for some years, and is being especially well cultivated now by -Freiherr von Schilling. The art has entered even Philadelphia, and, more -extraordinarily, Astrakan, and, so far as I can learn, has been welcomed -heartily. - -I desire that soon it shall be spread over the whole world, bringing -much good to humanity through many excellent productions, and that it -may work toward man's greater culture, but never be misused for evil -purposes. This grant the Almighty! Then may the hour be blessed in which -I invented it! - - - - -SECTION II - -TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE - - - - -CONTENTS - - -INTRODUCTION - -EXPLANATION OF THE PRINCIPLES AND THE PECULIARITIES OF STONE-PRINTING -AND OF CHEMICAL-PRINTING IN GENERAL - - -PART I - -General objects and principles governing-- - - (1) the stone. - (2) the ink, crayon, etching surface and color. - (3) the acids and other preparing materials. - (4) the necessary tools. - (5) the paper. - (6) the presses. - - -PART II - -Enumeration and description of the various processes and particular -objects in manipulating them, such as:-- - - RELIEF PROCESS-- - to which belong-- - - (1) Pen and brush designs. - (2) Crayon drawing, simple and with several plates. - (3) Transfer and Tracing. - (4) Woodcut style. - (5) Two kinds of Touche drawing, one of which is similar to the - Scraped style, while the other is done in the usual way with - the brush. - (6) Spatter-Work. - (7) Touche drawing. - (8) Color printing with several plates. - (9) Gold and silver print. - - INTAGLIO PROCESS-- - - (1) Carved or engraved. - (2) Etched. - (3) Drawn with prepared ink; with spattered aquatint. - (4) Aquatint in copper engraved style, and with etching ground. - (5) Aquatint through crayon ground. - (6) Intaglio crayon through tracing. - (7) Touche drawing with etching color and citric acid. - - MIXED METHOD: RELIEF AND INTAGLIO UNITED-- - - (1) Pen drawing combined with engraving. - (2) Intaglio drawing with relief tint. - (3) Intaglio and relief with several plates. - (4) Transformation of relief into intaglio, and vice versa. - - -APPENDIX - - (1) Printing simultaneously with water colors and oil colors. - (2) Simultaneous chemical and mechanical printing. - (3) Application of the stone for cotton-printing through wiping--a - unique printing method. - (4) Color print through wiping. - (5) Oil painting print through transfers. - (6) Stone-paper. - (7) Applying the chemical printing process to metal plates, etc. - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -Printing from stone is a branch of a new process, different in -fundamental principle from all others, namely, the chemical process. - -Heretofore there have been two leading printing processes for -manifolding writings and drawings, one working with characters in -relief, the other with sunken characters. - -Of the first kind is the ordinary book-printing, in which the characters -are made of metal or wood in such form that only those lines and points -are elevated that are to take color, everything else being depressed. -The wooden forms for cotton-printing are made thus also. - -Of the second kind are all copper and zinc plates, and the cotton-print -process with copper plates or cylinders. In this method the lines and -points to be printed are depressed, being either engraved, etched, or -stamped. - -As is well known, the first method of printing is as follows: The -letters, which are all at the same elevation and, therefore, furnish a -plane surface, are inked with a leather ball, stuffed with horsehair. -As the ball is so firm and elastic that it can touch only the -elevated parts, these alone can take the color, which adheres because -of its sticky nature. The same is true of the carved wood used in -cotton-printing, with only the difference that, instead of rubbing with -a leather ball, the wooden plate itself is laid on a cushion covered -with the color, and then, being placed face down on the cloth, is -hammered gently to produce the imprint. - -In copper and zinc printing the method is reversed. In order to force -the color into the depressed parts, which alone are to be printed, the -entire plate is coated with color, and then the elevated surface is -cleansed again carefully. The cleaning rag cannot reach the depressed -grooves, so that more or less color adheres to these according to their -various depths. Under the powerful press, which forces the paper into -all the engraved parts, this color transfers itself and thus gives the -desired impression. - -It is evident that both methods rest on purely mechanical principles: -book-printing being based on the fact that the color adheres only on -those places that it can reach, and copper-plate printing depending on -the fact that the color remains only in those places from which it -cannot be removed by cleansing. - -It is different with the chemical print. This does not depend on either -elevation or depression of the design. It depends on the fact that the -design is coated with a preparation of such nature that afterward the -printing color, which is made from a related substance, adheres because -of its chemical similarity; and furthermore, because all parts of the -plate that are to remain white, have been so treated that they repel the -color. These two purely chemical objects are attained fully with the new -process. Daily experience proves that all fatty bodies, such as oil, -butter, tallow, fish oils, etc., and all such as easily dissolve in oil, -like wax, resin, etc., refuse to unite with any watery substance without -the aid of some third body that will bring about such union. The chief -solvent for this purpose is alkali, which, under proper manipulation, -always produces a sort of soap that then is soluble in water. Sometimes, -to be sure, an apparent union can be produced by violent shaking or -mixing, without the use of the alkali, but at the first opportunity the -fatty substances separate themselves again from the watery ones. - -It is on this fact that the entire method of the new process is based. -It is termed chemical printing with perfect propriety, as the reason why -a fatty color, say, linseed oil varnish, will adhere only on the -designed parts of the plate and is repelled by the rest of the surface, -is due to the chemical properties of the materials. - -It might be maintained that in the other forms of printing, color -adheres from the same reason. This is true, to be sure; for it is a -general law that water and oil will adhere to all bodies that are dry. -But it is not the case with these fluids mutually; and in this fact lies -the unique difference between the older and the new processes. A dry -plate would take color over its entire surface. If, however, it is -dampened, it will take oil color only on those places that are in a -condition opposite to dampness. Therefore, the repelling of the color -from those parts that are to remain white is the novelty. - -It must not be imagined, however, that to print chemically it suffices -to dampen certain parts of the plate and to coat others with fatty -substance. With most of the materials available for printing, mere water -does not suffice to produce a sufficiently repelling obstacle between -the plate and the color. - -With flinty and clayey bodies,--for example, glass, porcelain, slate, -etc.,--one can manage with mere water; but then the slight adherence of -the fatty color to the plate produces an opposite difficulty, by -preventing any large number of impressions. Still, by using very firm -and readily drying fatty substances, such as linseed oil varnish dried -with litharge of silver it is possible, in case of need, to succeed -fairly well. - -But with such bodies as attract the color powerfully, such as all -metals, wood, limestone, artificial stone-paper, etc., it is necessary -so to treat all the parts of the plate that are to remain white that -they attain an especial resistance to color, and thus change their -natures, so to speak. - -That this is possible under certain circumstances and with the proper -means, with all bodies belonging to this class, I have proved by many -experiments, and I shall describe the methods in this book. - -Thus the new process is not to be used only on limestone, but is -applicable to metal, etc.; and stone-printing or lithography is to be -considered only as a branch of general chemical printing. However, as -this book is to teach mainly lithography, I will occupy myself chiefly -with it. - -Among the bodies available for chemical printing, limestone maintains an -eminent place. Not only has it an especial property of uniting with -fats,--sucking them in and holding them,--but it has, also, the same -propensity for taking all fluids that repel fats. Indeed, its surface -unites so thoroughly with many of the latter that it forms a chemical -union with them, becoming practically impenetrable for oil colors and -remaining constant thereafter in repelling them so that they cannot -adhere perfectly. Therefore when a plate thus prepared is dry and -covered entirely with oil color, it still remains an easy matter to wash -it completely, using merely water for the purpose. - -This good property, combined with the low cost and the ease of obtaining -the stone in Bavaria; then the advantage that it is easily polished and -prepared; the further advantage that a stone of medium thickness can be -ground as often as a hundred times and utilized for new work--all these -properties combined made me willing to overlook a few faults, such as -their weight, great volume, frequent unevenness of quality, and lastly -the occasional danger of cracking. Thus I came to use these stones as -the principal means for making my countless experiments, whose happy -result has been to elevate stone-printing to an art by itself. - -Having stated the process and the character of this form of printing, it -remains only to say a few words about its value. - -With every new invention there arises the question if it is useful, and -if so, in how far, for science, arts, and industry. Therefore all who -have no sufficient knowledge of lithography, will ask justly: What is -its value? What advantages does it give that are not to be found in any -other forms of printing? - -To answer this, let me say the following merely in advance till later -descriptions of the various processes will convince in themselves. - -It is the nature of earthly being and of human imperfection that rarely -is anything found that combines in itself everything to be wished for -and required. So it may be said of stone-printing that it makes neither -book-printing nor copper-plate printing entirely superfluous. It is -possible that in the future, by perfecting the presses, lithography may -equal book-printing in point of speed, as it does not now; but the -convenience of the latter, enabling the printer, by merely setting cast -characters side by side, to do with speed, accuracy, and symmetry what -the writer can hardly do with all his skill and industry, gives -book-printing its own eminent value. When, however, we come to many -things produced hitherto by book-printing, such as statistical tables, -letters, circulars, letters of exchange, bills of lading, visiting-cards -and addresses, and other similar work, we find that these can be -produced more conveniently, more readily, more cheaply, and faster and -handsomer with lithography. - -As to copper-printing: in the future, as lithography extends, there -probably will remain an advantage with the copper in the case of only -two styles, the engraving done with the engraving needle, and the -etching, the latter being worked up with the graver and the cold needle. -In this respect, however, the skill of the artist must be taken into -account, for a good man can produce better work on stone, even in those -two styles, than a less skillful man can produce on copper. We can -declare the same of the stipple style in copper, when done in the style -of Herr Bartolozzi, or even like the very foremost of the copper -engravers in this style, Herr John of Vienna. - -All other methods (and even these three if done with less care or skill -on copper) must yield place to a good design on stone; especially if one -takes into account the ease of execution, the lesser need for skill, the -greater speed of printing, and the almost countless impressions that are -possible. - -For instance, printing music from the stone has a decided advantage over -zinc plates, both because of smaller cost and greater beauty. It is -easier to produce all kinds of script on stone, both with fatty inks and -with the engraving needle. Therefore lithography serves excellently for -charts and similar work, which can be done at least three times faster -on stone than on copper. - -If copper-printing is to reach a high degree of perfection, the printing -itself must be done by very excellent workmen. Indeed, some persons -allege that the very best German copper-plate printers do not yet equal -the Parisians. Printing from stone is not so difficult, and only a few -particular methods demand especial care or unusual knowledge. Because of -the greater ease of inking, the speed of stone-printing may be assumed -to be at least five times as great, often ten times, and especially so -when large plates are to be printed. Besides, it is much easier to make -corrections on stone than on copper and zinc. - -From all this it appears that lithography makes it much easier to write -and design and then to print swiftly and produce any desired number of -impressions, of all those works that heretofore could be produced only -on copper or zinc, providing they do not demand the very greatest degree -of delicacy, strength, and sharpness obtainable with copper; in a word, -so long as it is not vital to attain the utmost possible artistic -beauty. Further, most of these works done on stone, by only average -artists and printers, usually are more beautiful than if they had been -done by the same men in copper or zinc. - -This property alone gives lithography a preëminent value, the more so as -no great expense is incurred in establishing a plant. But in addition to -this, there are several art methods peculiar to it, which cannot be -imitated by book-printing or copper-print, and which make it possible -for almost every writer or artist to manifold his works without any -especial skill. - -I will mention now only the crayon process, which enables every artist -or painter to make several thousand impressions of his original -drawings; also the transfer method, by means of which all that is -written or drawn with fatty ink on ordinary paper can be transferred to -the stone, giving countless faithful impressions. This latter process is -particularly useful for government bureaus, and is being used already -with great profit. - -All this I believe that I can claim for lithography with fullest -confidence, and I hope that everybody who becomes sufficiently -conversant with it will share my belief. Thus, besides the properties -of the art, we have stated its uses, and I proceed to the real -instructions, through which I hope to make good artists and printers on -stone. - - - - -PART I - -GENERAL PROVISIONS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -OF THE STONES - - -I - -The stone that has been used exclusively hitherto in Munich for printing -is a stratified limestone, found in the territory from Dietfurt to -Pappenheim, and along the Danube down to Kellheim; hence the name -Kellheimer plates, presumably because in past times the stone was -quarried there first, or else found in its best quality. Now the -Kellheimer quarry is exhausted, and the trade in the stones has -transferred itself to Solenhofen, a village in the judicial district of -Mannheim, three hours distant from Neuberg-on-the-Danube. All the -inhabitants of Solenhofen are quarrymen, and the entire surrounding -country seems to have a surplus of the stone, so that even with the -greatest demand no scarcity is to be feared for centuries. - -When the upper layer of earth is removed to the depth of six to ten feet -in Solenhofen, the stones are found in strata lying horizontally on each -other. First come strata of brittle stone, which often are composed of -hundreds of plates as thin as paper. With proper care, each plate can be -loosened and lifted whole. These layers are useless, being too brittle, -and yet being too firm and not white enough to permit their possible use -as chalk. - -The Solenhofen stone consists chemically mostly of lime earth and -carbonate. It is almost wholly soluble in nitric and other acids, the -carbonate being liberated in gaseous form and disappearing. Since the -various kinds of marble have almost the same component parts, one might -suppose that marble should be available for lithography. But the many -dark, uneven colors of marble and chiefly the many cracks and veins make -considerable difficulty. However, I have found many evenly colored -greenish, gray, bluish, and brownish Bavarian and Tyrolean marbles very -useful for some methods, especially because of their superior hardness. -Still, the Solenhofen stone will retain the advantage because of its -light color and its greater cheapness. - -The white Parian or Carrara marble is still lighter in color, to be -sure, and really is rather useful for pen and crayon work. But though in -part it is harder, on the whole it is much more porous and not so finely -grained as the Solenhofen stone, and therefore not at all available for -the intaglio method. - -Since lithography began to arouse general interest, there have been -attempts to find a stone similar to the Solenhofen, and there has been -some fair success in France, Italy, England, and lately in the Kingdom -of Prussia. With the enormous masses of limestone which cover the -surface of the earth, it is not unlikely that this stone will be found -in many places, either in layers of plates one, two, or more inches -thick, or in great blocks which can be cut into plates. - -In the Solenhofen stones one layer is not as good as another, and even -in the same layer there may be a decided difference. Therefore, if one -would produce perfectly beautiful work, it is necessary to obtain -selected and perfect stones. This should be stipulated beforehand with -the quarrymen, who now know pretty well how the best stones should be -constituted. - -A good stone must have the following properties:-- - -(1) _The proper thickness._ Thickness must be proportionate to the size. -Smaller plates will resist the pressure of printing even if they are not -so thick as the larger ones must be. But it is best to buy no stone less -than one and one half or more than three and one half inches thick, -because the thinner ones will not bear frequent grinding and the thicker -ones are too heavy and inconvenient, besides taking up too much room. -The best thickness of a stone is two to two and one half inches. - -(2) _Good mass._ There are soft and hard stones. Sometimes the same -stone is hard above and soft underneath, or the reverse. Often, also, a -stone may consist of several thin and unequal layers. In the latter -case, if the union is good and the layers are not easily separated, it -will make no difference, so long as the stone is good in other respects. -On the whole, however, it may be assumed that the harder stones are the -best for all methods, so long as their mass is entirely uniform and they -are not marred, as is the case with many, with white dots and patches. -Then, to be sure, they are not worth much for any process, and at best -can be used only for pen designs or for such of the intaglio processes -where the lines need no particular sharpness. Such stones, generally -gray, very hard, with softer, somewhat lighter patches or specks, are -very hard to grind evenly because the softer parts are most powerfully -attacked by the grinding material and become depressed. This produces -the following defects:-- - -(_a_) In pen work, the pen will catch often, whenever it comes to such a -place. This, however, is not so important: but - -(_b_) In the crayon method there will be defects and lights in the -shadings on the softer places, which are very hard to correct. - -(_c_) In the etched or engraved methods, the needle will sink in much -deeper when it passes over such softer spots, making a deeper and -broader line which injures the clearness of the drawing. In etching, -also, the softer places are more affected by the acid; and it is better, -therefore, to use a soft stone whose entire surface is uniform, than to -have a stone that is hard but uneven. - -A very soft stone cracks easily in the press, unless it consists of -several layers, the lower of which are hard. But it is easier to -engrave, and as a rule gives blacker impressions, because it sucks more -color in, and holds it because of its greater porosity. Printing, -however, is somewhat more difficult, because these stones take dirt -readily; nor is it possible to get so many impressions. They are not -useful for crayon work because the finest shadings are too easily etched -away; and pen work is difficult on them, because the steel pen easily -cuts into the stone, fills its point with fine dust, and thus gives no -ink flow. This softest stone in Solenhofen generally looks yellow, or -is marbled with red and white or has many yellow veins. - -Even those stones whose uniformity, thickness, and hardness make them -best for all methods, often have defects, such as so-called glass spots -or tiny, sometimes invisible holes, broad veins and cracks. All these -must be avoided when selecting stone. Very small deep veins, which often -are fine as hairs, yellowish and grayish spots, impressions of fossil -plants and fishes, etc., are not harmful. It is rare to find a stone as -large as a sheet of note-paper that is entirely free from these little -defects. - -(3) The form of the stones also is to be considered, and must be -selected according to need. To be sure, a small design can be drawn on a -large stone; but apart from the inconvenience, the construction of the -press demands that the stone be not much larger than the drawing. -However, at the end where the impression begins and stops, there must be -at least an inch margin to give sufficient room for the roller to take -hold, as will be explained more particularly later. - -When one has to print small things like visiting-cards, etc., it will -not be profitable to use large stones, especially if they are to be -saved for future use. Small stones of the size of an octavo sheet are -better. Therefore it will be wise to have stones cut to various sizes in -the beginning. It would be well also that one of the printers, or the -polisher, strive to attain skill in cutting stones to size. Sometimes -polishing discloses defects in a stone, making it useless for a design -of any size. But it is possible to cut it up into many small ones that -are perfect. Sometimes a stone cracks under the press or breaks through -accident. Skill in cutting will enable one to make small and good stones -out of the pieces. - -It is essential for good work in the press that the stones be cut very -true. The stones that are used for flooring in churches, etc., usually -are cut so that the upper face is larger than the lower. This is done to -make them set better in the mortar and to enable the stone-cutters to -fit them closely together on the top. But this must not be done with -stones for printing, because such stones could not be tightened properly -in the press and would lift during the printing. Printing-stones must be -cut absolutely true vertically. Indeed, in work where several plates -are to be used to make one complete impression, and where steel -guide-points in the frame are used instead of laying the paper on the -plate, it is beneficial to cut the stones conically, so that the base is -one fourth inch greater than the top. The plate can be tightened better -and is less likely to be moved from its place during the impressions. - -Despite their hardness the stones are brittle, and a single light but -sudden blow with any hard body, such as a steel tool, may cause a crack -in the thickest stone. It is necessary to exercise great care to avoid -all shocks. - -This property of the stone is used in Solenhofen to cut the stones -according to desire. A small hammer of hard steel, weighing scarcely two -ounces, is used. Its end is somewhat like a stone-chisel, but not nearly -so sharp. With this hammer, which is set on a thin handle two or three -feet long, the workman strikes light but very swift blows along the line -of desired cleavage, each tap being about an inch from the preceding -one. The stone is so laid that its greater part is free, resting on -nothing. This light operation is sufficient to cleave the largest -stones. - -The cleavage is not always uniform and true. Therefore the stone usually -is finished with a sharp stone-chisel. It is possible also to divide a -stone as desired by supporting it at both ends so that there is nothing -under the part to be split, and then cutting along the line with a -chisel of hardened steel, not too sharp, which is tapped lightly with a -light hammer. The varying sound tells at once when the stone cracks, and -then a few light taps with the hammer on the other side suffice to -separate it. Before one attains the necessary skill, however, he will -smash many a stone. Therefore it is not advisable to try this on a stone -that has a design on it, for a single incorrect or over-heavy blow often -will split the stone in the wrong direction. Blows that are too light, -on the other hand, often make it almost impossible in the end to cause a -cleavage along the desired lines. - - -II - -POLISHING - -The stone plates that come from Solenhofen, even if polished according -to stipulations, rarely are available for printing, but must be -specially polished by one who understands the work thoroughly. - -The first requisite for this is a straightedge of iron or brass, as true -as possible. This ruler must be laid on the stone in various directions, -and the lithographer must note all parts where there is space between -the straightedge and the stone. The greater the space, the greater the -unevenness of the stone; and those that show especial unevenness should -be set aside from those that have little. - -When this has been done, the very uneven stones must be ground with a -coarse sandstone and plenty of water applied to the elevated places till -the straightedge can be applied in all directions without showing any -material interstices. Then these ground stones may be placed with the -others that were fairly even in the beginning. - -Now we take one of these stones, and lay it on a strong, firm table, the -best being one to be described later. Finely grained sand is sprinkled -over its surface. In the absence of sand, a substitute can be made by -powdering a common sandstone of the kind used for coarse grindstones. A -spoonful of water is poured over this. A little soap may be mixed with -the sand. It facilitates the grinding and makes the sand take hold of -the stone better. Now another stone is laid on the first one, and is -moved back and forth continually in all directions. The sand and water -must be renewed often. Thus both stones, the upper and lower, will be -ground simultaneously, and very evenly and true, if the work is done -right. - -One must take care never to draw the upper stone far beyond the lower -one, because that would throw the centre of gravity of the upper plate -too near its ends, as a result of which the upper plate would become -concave and the lower plate convex. To avoid this defect, the upper -plate should be moved around only in small circles. It is good also to -change the plates around frequently, so that the upper shall be the -lower. Another good plan is not to use two stones of equal size, but to -take for the upper stone one only half as large as the lower. It is -necessary also that the straightedge be applied frequently. The stone -must always be cleansed thoroughly before this test. - -Once one has the proper experience, it is possible to tell by mere touch -if the plates have been sufficiently ground. So long as they still have -uneven spots, a certain resistance is noticeable, so strongly sometimes -that it is impossible to move the upper plate further without lifting it -and sprinkling new sand. Sometimes this friction is so great that manual -strength does not suffice to separate the stones, especially if they -happen to dry. If tools are used to separate them, it happens often that -pieces are torn from the stones, because they adhere so mightily. In -this case a very simple and convenient remedy is the best. An ordinary -table-knife is inserted gently and then tapped very lightly, when the -stones will separate at once. - -Whenever sand is applied, water must be applied also, but not too much, -as in that case it would only wash away the sand. Here, too, practice -must teach the exact proportions. - -From the stone-cutter's work, as well as from the primary grinding with -sandstone, the plates will have visible furrows and scratches made by -the coarser grains of sand. Under the polishing all these disappear bit -by bit, and there appears a fine grain, consisting entirely of fine -dots; and this is the finer in proportion as the sand is crushed by the -process of polishing and also according as less fresh sand has been -used. - -When the marks of the sand have vanished completely, it is fairly -certain that the stones are polished sufficiently. To make sure, the -straightedge can be applied again. It must not be imagined, however, -that it is necessary or possible to polish a plate so perfectly that -there will be absolutely no spaces between any part of its surface and -the straightedge. A perfect and mathematically level plane surface is -hardly likely ever to be produced. If the stone is almost level, and the -unevennesses do not exceed the thickness of letter-paper, it is quite -sufficient. - -Although this sort of polishing, with two plates at once, is not used -in all lithographies, some preferring to polish with small pieces of -sandstone, I give it here as the best, because it demands little skill -and is quicker, so that one can grind off four stones in the time -required for one under other methods. - -In this matter of smoothness of the stone it is impossible to be too -careful. The beauty of the imprint depends upon it. Errors in the -polishing cause great trouble afterward. Therefore the manager of a -lithography must pay close attention to this work. In the Lithographic -Institute in Berlin the rule has been adopted that no engraver shall -accept a plate that he has not found thoroughly good, under penalty of -reimbursing the printers for all extra trouble and work. - -This first polishing, however, is only the general preparation of the -stone. Afterward they must be polished and prepared especially for each -particular method, as will be explained in the proper place. - - -III - -SORTING AND STORING - -When the plates have been polished, they are cleansed with water and -sorted for their various uses. Now it is easier to see just what quality -the stones have, their defects, and consequently, what work they are -best for. Those not uniform are best for coarse pen work. Those of -uneven coloring, but hard and thick mass, can be used for the finer pen -drawings, for etching and engraving, or for transfer work. For crayon -work the clearest and most evenly colored stones of extreme hardness are -to be selected. - -They can be stored anywhere that is not too damp and not too much -exposed to winter cold. Dry cold does not hurt them; but if they are wet -through and through and then freeze, they will crack. In constant -dampness, too, saltpetre and other salts enter them and they crumble. In -clean water they do not undergo any changes. - -I will describe the storage of etched and designed stones later. - -If the stones are to be used after being stored in any damp place, they -should be kept for several days in a temperate and dry place till they -have dried thoroughly, as otherwise they are not easy to work in any -style. This is not necessary if their place of storage has been -perfectly dry. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -OF INK, CRAYON, ETCHING, AND COLOR - - -I - -CHEMICAL INK - -The first and most necessary material in a stone printery is the -so-called chemical ink, which would better be named fatty or alkaline -ink, since it is a mixture of fatty and resinous materials with alkali. -It is used partly to write or draw directly on the stone, partly to -cover the stone as with an etching surface, and partly to transfer to -the stone from paper. - -The purpose of this ink is, first, to cause a mass of oily, fatty -substances to soak into the pores of the stone and also make certain -portions of its surface fatty; and secondly, to resist acids according -to requirement in such degree that the stone shall remain fat where -needed, that thus the design, applied with this ink, shall be left -untouched by acid. - -I have remarked before that countless different mixtures can be made, -most of which fulfill the purpose. But there enters the consideration -that it must be an ink easy to use, that handsome work may be done by -the artists with perfect ease. - -Various mixtures answer this purpose very well, and I have found -sometimes that men could work better with mixtures made by themselves -than they could with those that I used for my own work. Perhaps this was -a matter of imagination, or the real reason lay in the pen-cutting, it -being well known that one man can use a pen that is absolutely worthless -for another. - -I myself have tested the values of some mixtures so thoroughly that I -can declare almost positively that it will not be easy to find better -ones for any purposes. I will describe these fully. - -First of all, stone-ink is divided into two great classes. One is -thicker, being used for drawing on stone. The other is more fluid, being -used for transfers. - -The following mixtures of the first kind are the best:-- - - (1) White Wax 8 parts - Soap 2 parts - Lampblack 1 part - -This ink does not really serve for writing or drawing on the stone, but -is used mostly for coating those places that are to be protected from -the etching fluid. If this ink is needed in a thickened form, the wax -should be heated in an iron pan till it burns and the combustion should -continue till one half of it is consumed. The longer it burns, the -harder will be the remnant. - - (2) White Wax 12 parts - Tallow (Ox Fats) 4 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 1 part - (3) Wax 12 parts - Shellac 4 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 1 part - (4) Tallow 8 parts - Shellac 8 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 1 part - (5) Wax 8 parts - Shellac 4 parts - Mastic 4 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 1 part - (6) Wax 8 parts - Tallow 4 parts - Shellac 4 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 1 part - (7) Wax and Gum quajak 12 parts - Tallow 4 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampbblack 1 part - -The wax and gum are melted in equal proportions, the undissolved portion -is discarded and of the mixture twelve parts is used as above. - - (8) Wax 6 parts - Shellac 4 parts - Tallow 2 parts - Mastic 3 parts - Venetian turpentine 1 part - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 1 part - -There is no important difference between the inks in the seven last -formulas. Those that contain shellac remain fluid a little longer but -are harder to prepare. It is not necessary to be painfully minute about -the proportions of the various materials, providing the proportions of -soap and lampblack be correct. The soap is about one fifth and the -lampblack about one twentieth part of the whole. If too much soap is -used, the ink will dissolve more readily, but the solution will become -slimy more quickly. Too much lampblack would make the ink run. - - -MAKING THE CHEMICAL INK - -In making any of the inks mentioned, first divide the required quantity -of soap into two equal parts. Put one part into an iron pan with the -other substances, and heat till the mass begins to burn. Let it burn -till almost one half is consumed. Then cover the pan with an iron lid, -or place it very carefully into a basin of water to extinguish and cool -the mixture. - -One part of the soap is mixed in at once, that the combustion may make -it mix well with the other substances. But it loses some of its strength -and sates itself with carbonic acid, so that it is not quite so powerful -as before to attack the fats. Therefore a second part is added after the -combustion. Then the complete mixture is heated again, but only to a -degree sufficient to melt the soap. - -Now take up a bit of the mass with a clean knife and see if it is easily -soluble in river or rain water. If the soap was good (something not -always the case), the quantity named in the formulas always suffices. If -it does not contain enough alkali, little pieces of soap must be added -till the mass is soluble. Then the lampblack is added while the mass is -being stirred without cessation. - -The lampblack must be of the finest sort, and should be roasted and -burned in a closed vessel until it ceases to give off any yellow smoke. - -When everything has been stirred till the mass is nearly cold, it is -kneaded into any desired shape, sticks being the best, and so saved for -use. - -The following remarks are to be noted especially:-- - -(1) The soap is to be the ordinary soap made from ox fat and lye. In the -formulas its weight is calculated in fresh form, which, of course, -includes considerable water. If the soap is very dry, less must be used. - -Venetian or vegetable oil soap is not so good because the ink easily -becomes slimy afterward when dissolved in water. It does not resist -acids so well, either. If, however, the other kind is not to be had, or -to be had only in poor quality, the Venetian soap will do. It will be -necessary merely to make frequent fresh solutions in water of the ink. - -(2) Lampblack is not the only substance available for giving color to -the ink. Vermilion, red chalk, indigo, blue lake of logwood, and several -other colors can be used, so long as they do not consist of acids or -other salts, and thus have properties that could alter the nature of the -soap. The finer kinds of ordinary lampblack can be used without burning, -but then a part of the soap always is rendered inactive, because the -lampblack usually contains a considerable quantity of inflammable wood -acid which unites with the alkali, neutralizes it, and thus destroys -its effectiveness against fats. Therefore, if it is not roasted -beforehand, it may be necessary to mix more soap with the ink after it -is made, and this does not completely remedy the trouble. Lampblack can -be purified by rubbing down with strong lye and then boiling in -sufficient water till no trace of alkali remains, if roasting and -burning be undesirable for any reason. - -Better even than this purified lampblack is one that one makes for -himself from ox or other animal fat, from wax, or better still, from a -mixture of ox fat and resin. The fat is melted and poured into an -earthen lamp similar to those used for city lighting, with a cotton -wick. The lamp is lit and placed under a plate of iron or brass, so that -the smoke must settle on it. The plate must be close to the flame. The -soot is scraped off from time to time and dropped into a glass, which is -kept covered. This process continues, the lamp being refilled till one -has the desired quantity. This soot is very fine and bland, and so good -that one can do more with an ounce of it than with three ounces of the -ordinary kind. The ink made from it is extraordinarily fine and good. - -It is to be noted in conclusion that the more soot is used, the blacker -will be the ink, but the coarser will be the work, because the ink will -have the tendency to spread. The less soot is used, the finer will be -the work; but it is not easy then to see what one is doing or to judge -if the design is strong enough. The quantities given in the formulas -appear to me to be the best, especially if the self-manufactured soot is -used. - -(3) To dissolve the ink, rain water or pure soft river water is best. -The rain water must not be very old or stale, otherwise the solution -will get slimy. - -(4) The severe combustion is not vital for making the ink, but helps -very much in making it easy to use. - -(5) When shellac is part of the mixture, it is vital to burn the mass -well, as only thus will shellac dissolve properly. - -Shellac, which is made in China and East India from an insect belonging -to the bee family, will melt under moderate heat, but will not dissolve -in any animal fat or oil unless it has previously lost its inherent -acid, which occurs only under combustion. If shellac is melted with oil -or fat, it covers the bottom of the vessel in the beginning. With heat -increased till it causes combustion, it begins to swell, rises to the -surface, and at last covers the surface in the form of a spongy mass. If -the heat still increases, it begins to dissolve into foam. Then it is -time to remove the mass from the fire and to cover it with a tight lid, -that the flame may be extinguished. - -If shellac has been once melted and has hardened, it dissolves only -slowly even under severe combustion. It is better, therefore, to bring -the other substances to combustion first, and then to mix the shellac in -small portions, which will dissolve much more readily because they will -be attacked by the great heat in the moment of melting and will not have -time to swell first and get hard. - -As soon as the mass has cooled a little, the second part of soap is -added, and the whole heated, without burning, merely enough to melt the -soap. - -(6) None of these mixtures can be kept well any length of time in fluid -form, that is, dissolved in water, because it becomes slimy after a very -few days, sometimes sooner. It can be liquefied again by mixing with -water, but not without affecting its durability. Therefore the ink must -be stored dry, in which form it lasts for years without change. When -required, a small quantity, about the size of two peas, is rubbed down -in a very clean small earthen or porcelain vessel, such as a saucer. -Those mixtures that contain tallow rub the easiest. The others, -containing harder substances, require more pressure. The ink should be -spread evenly over the bottom of the vessel. Then a coffee-spoonful of -rain or other soft water is poured in, and the mixture is rubbed with -the finger till the solution is perfect. Then it is put into a small, -very clean pot of glass or porcelain and is ready for use. - -(7) A great deal depends on the proper quantity of water. A good ink -must be completely dissolved, with no solid particles left. It should be -about as fluid as a good, fat milk or vegetable oil. If it is too thick, -it makes the work difficult. If it is too thin, it will not withstand -the etching fluid. A few experiments will teach the proper proportions. -Even a good ink will make poor lines if it is laid on too thinly and not -firmly enough. This, however, is due to the artist's lack of skill or to -defective pens, of which I will treat hereafter. - -With this quantity of ink it is possible to work for a whole day. Thus -each day fresh ink can be mixed; and it is to be noted that the vessels -must be cleansed scrupulously that no trace of the previous day's ink be -left in them. The ink will dry during the work, and as soon as this -begins to interfere with its use, one or two drops of water will thin it -again sufficiently. - -This is about all that need be said about the chemical fatty or alkaline -stone-ink in general. Particular remarks will be found in the -description of its use for particular methods. - - -II - -HARD BORAX INK - -Besides the inks described, it is well to make the following and keep it -in stock for uses whose great value will be explained later. - - Shellac 4 parts - Borax 1 part - Water 16 parts - -Borax and shellac must be put into a clean pot filled two thirds with -water and boiled for an hour. As the water boils away it must be -replaced. When the shellac has been mostly dissolved, the mass is -removed from the fire, cooled, and filtered through a clean cloth to -separate the undissolved portions of the shellac. - -This solution can be kept for years in a tightly closed glass. To color -it, a portion is to be cooked in a copper or iron ladle till it is thick -as honey. Fine lampblack or vermilion is stirred in till the mass is -thoroughly united. Then water is added, and the composition boiled again -till it is a perfect solution. This black or red ink is first-class and -can be kept well in tightly closed glass. - - -III - -FLUID INK - -Herr Andre, in Offenbach, uses an ink which has the useful property of -remaining good for years in fluid form. I do not find it so good for the -very finest work as those I have described, but for music and script it -is excellent. It consists of:-- - - 12 parts shellac - 4 parts mastic - 1 part pure ox-fat soap - 1 part purified crystallized soda - 1 part lampblack - -This is mixed with water and boiled in a clean vessel, being constantly -stirred till it is dissolved. Then the boiling is continued till the -water has disappeared almost entirely. Fresh water is added and the -boiling continued till everything has dissolved anew. Then the mixture -is filtered through a cloth and kept in a vessel where it is secure -against dust. If it is seen on cooling that it is too thick it can be -thinned easily with water. Also, when it dries during use it can be -liquefied by adding water, unless dust has entered it. - - -IV - -TRANSFER INK - -All the above-named inks are intended for use directly on stone. If it -is desired to write on paper and transfer this writing to the stone, -those inks mostly prove too hard, unless one would use warmed stones, as -described later. This, however, makes added work: therefore, I give here -the recipe for an ink excellent for cold transfers. - - Shellac 3 parts - Wax 1 part - Tallow 6 parts - Mastic 5 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 1 part - -The mode of preparation is exactly like that of the rest. The mass can -be kept only in dried form, not mixed with water. The evidence that this -ink is good for transfer work is that, after it has stood for some days, -it still manifests stickiness when touched with the finger. If the ink -does not transfer well to the stone under moderate pressure, it is too -hard, and can be improved by mixing in a little butter or vegetable oil, -but it is necessary to dissolve the whole mass again over the fire. If -the design squashes under pressure, the ink is too soft. It is necessary -to consider the temperature of the place where it is kept, and even the -time of year, in order to produce the proper consistency of ink for the -best transfer work. - - -V - -HARD ETCHING GROUND - -Certain methods of stone-printing demand, besides the ink, a fatty, -acid-resisting mass to coat the plates. It is either the same as the -material used by copper-plate etchers, or, at least, is very similar to -it. - -Etching Ground for stone is as follows:-- - - Wax 12 parts - Mastic 6 parts - Asphalt 4 parts - Resin 2 parts - Tallow 1 part - -This is melted in an iron pan over a fire hot enough to melt the asphalt -perfectly. Combustion is allowed to ensue till a third of the mixture -has been consumed. When thoroughly cooled, it may be shaped in any -desired form and saved for use. - -A good surface is made also by common wax, boiled and burned till almost -five parts of it have been consumed. - - -VI - -SOFT ETCHING GROUND - -For some processes there is needed an etching ground which has the -property of not coating the entire surface, permitting the etching fluid -to penetrate at many spots uniformly, or, if it resists the etching -fluid, still so easily affected by manipulation that it will admit the -acid according to such manipulation. There are two ways to make it. - - (1) Thick linseed oil varnish 1 part - Tallow 2 parts - (2) Wax 1 part - Tallow 5 parts - Linseed oil varnish 3 parts - -The application will be described in the instructions about aquatints, -etc. - - -VII - -ACID PROOF INK - -So I name a color which has the property of resisting acid when the -stone is inked with it. It is useful in many cases, and even necessary. -It is well, therefore, to make a supply of it. - - 2 parts thick linseed oil varnish - 4 parts tallow - 1 part Venetian turpentine - 1 part wax - -All must be well melted, mixed with four parts lampblack, well rubbed -down and kept in a closed tin vessel. - - -VIII - -CRAYON - -Chemical or fatty crayon is a composition intended to be used on the -stone plate in dry form like Spanish or Parisian chalk. The inks -described previously have the property of soaking into the stone and -making it greasy where applied. The same happens if they are applied -dry, the degree of their penetration and adherence merely being less. - -The mixtures that may be used to make crayons are countless. Wax and -soaps, however, are better than resinous materials. Therefore it is -likely that the compositions here named will be pretty nearly the best. - - (2) Wax 4 parts - Soap 6 parts - Lampblack 2 parts, roasted, or better still, - made as explained before. - -The wax and soap are melted together. The lampblack is added then. All -is rubbed down fine on a hot plate, and then placed on the fire again -till it is fluid once more. Then it is poured on a stone plate coated -with a little oil, so that it forms a cake of about one eighth inch -thickness. When this has cooled a little, it is cut into thin pieces and -put away till needed. - - (2) Wax 8 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 2 parts - -Burn the wax till one half is consumed, then melt the soap with it, and -treat the mixture as before. - - (3) Wax 4 parts - Spermaceti 4 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 2 parts - -The first three materials are melted together, the lampblack is added, -and then the whole is treated as before. - - (4) Wax 8 parts - Spermaceti 4 parts - Soap 4 parts - Lampblack 2 parts - -The wax is to be half burned away, then the spermaceti and soap are to -be melted into it, and the whole treated as the other formulas. - - (5) Shellac 4 parts - Wax 8 parts - Soap 5 parts - Lampblack 3 parts - -The shellac is to be completely dissolved with the wax by means of -combustion after which the rest of the treatment is the same as before. - - (6) Shellac 4 parts - Wax 8 parts - Tallow 2 parts - Soap 5 parts - Lampblack 3 parts - -The same treatment, except that the tallow is to be mixed in after the -shellac has dissolved. This crayon is a little softer than the others. -The same is true of the following two. - - (7) Wax 8 parts - Tallow 4 parts - Soap 6 parts - Lampblack 3 parts - -Wax, tallow, and soap are melted together and burned till one third of -the mass has been consumed. Then the lampblack is added and the rest of -the process is as before. - - (8) Wax 2 parts - Tallow 6 parts - Mennig 2 parts - Lampblack 2 parts - -Wax, mennig, and lampblack are heated and constantly stirred till the -mennig dissolves in froth and changes from red to brown. Then the -lampblack is rubbed in thoroughly, the whole warmed again properly and -shaped into sticks. - -These are the best compositions, thoroughly tested by me, and it is very -good to make a stock of all or most of them. In the case of the recipes -for chemical ink, the differences are not great, and it is largely a -matter of taste as to which kind one may use. But in the case of the -crayons, each of them produces a different grain which creates a -particular effect; so that by using various kinds of crayon one will -gain greater perfection of work, or, at least, find execution easier -than with only one crayon. Also, they are in proportion to the greater -or lesser roughness of the stones; and the darker shadings are easier to -produce with soft crayons than with hard ones, while the hard ones are -best for fine shading and outlines. - -The lampblack used for crayons must be burned out first, else it will -develop blisters, which is the case also if the composition is poured on -the plates too hot. - -Crayon that contains much shellac is likely to soften in damp air; -therefore it should be kept in tightly closed vessels. - - -IX - -CONCERNING COLOR FOR PRINTING - -The manufacture of printing-ink or color is very difficult and dangerous -on a large scale. I counsel all to take lessons from a book printer when -he makes it. - -The varnish must be prepared in the open, far from buildings, because of -its combustibility. The best utensils and skilled workmen are required, -because otherwise terrible accidents may occur, and even life be lost -through explosion of the copper receptacle. Whoever does not require as -much as one or more hundredweight of varnish in a year, would better buy -it from printers or make only a small quantity, one or two pounds, and -in an open vessel. For this purpose I will describe the process. - -One, or at most two pounds of good old but not rancid linseed oil are -poured into a clean iron pan which has a long, strong handle and is so -large that the oil takes up only one half or, better, one third of the -space. This is heated over a good fire till it burns, which is -facilitated by applying flame to it. Oil that is too new has much water -and other impurities that make it froth and run over. In that case the -oil must be poured into the pan only in small quantities, when one must -take great care to avoid spattering. As soon as the oil burns, the pan -is removed from the fire and placed in a safe spot. If it is hot enough, -it will continue to burn. It must now be stirred from time to time with -an iron rod. Usually the flame increases under this stirring, but sinks -again immediately at its cessation. So long as it does this, there is no -danger that the flame cannot be easily extinguished if need be. But when -it begins to continue burning with a great flame after the stirring -stops, and at the same time to bubble and froth, it is high time to -cover the pan with a close lid and leave it covered till the oil no -longer takes fire when exposed again to the air. Then a dry knife is -introduced and as much oil removed as will adhere to its point. If it -does not permit itself to be pulled into long threads when cool, but is -too thin, it must be heated again until it gets the required -consistency. - -A good varnish dries very readily of itself, and it is not only -unnecessary but inadvisable to mix a drier with it, as varnish so -treated is too likely to off-set on the stone. - -Several strengths of printing-varnish are needed for the various methods -of lithography. Therefore a stock of thin, medium, and thick varnish is -needed. - -In making the thin, the oil has been reduced to about two thirds through -combustion. It is somewhat like fluid honey and does not pull into -threads. - -Only a little more than half the oil is left in the case of medium -varnish. It is thick as old honey and can be pulled into threads a foot -long. - -In the thick varnish the mass is not much less, but it can be pulled -into threads of a yard in length; and further boiling makes it thick and -tough like gum elastic. In the latter case it can be used with advantage -when rubbed down with oil and properly thinned. But as soon as it has -obtained the last-mentioned degree of thickness and toughness, it must -be cooled quickly, for then it is not far from hardening completely and -becoming worthless. In the beginning it requires a long while for the -oil to reach the first degree of thickness, an hour or more for a pound. -But after that period the thickening progresses rapidly, so that a -quarter of the time will bring it to the point of total toughness. - -To make printing color of the varnish, the proper amount of lampblack -must be mixed in. The roasted or burned-out is best in this also, -because the ordinary lampblack delays the drying and turns yellow with -time. - -The more lampblack is mixed in, and the more thoroughly they are -combined by rubbing down, the better will be the color. But lampblack -must not be added in such quantities that the color becomes dough-like. - -In describing the various styles of printing I will describe the best -printing-inks also. I will merely make the general note here that -designs on stone take the ink best when it is thin and fluid, but that -there is less danger of off-set on the parts of the stone that are to -remain white, if the ink is tougher or contains more lampblack. - -Too much lampblack and too tough a varnish endanger the finer strokes -and dots, however, so that they will not take ink, being, as -lithographers say, rubbed out. The rubbing or grinding effect of too -tough an ink is like that of pumice or other grinding material. With -tougher varnish, clearer imprints can be made and they do not become -yellow easily. But the inking is more difficult and demands greater -skill, as well as heavier pressure in the press. - -The varnish can be mixed not only with lampblack but with many other -colors, which will be described when I reach color printing in this -essay. Sometimes black lacquer is used with advantage instead of -lampblack; and Frankfurter black is successful in the intaglio and -aquatint methods. - - -X - -RUBBING-UP INK - -It happens often that weak parts of a design cannot withstand the -etching fluid and are cut away; also, that fine lines are rubbed away -through unskilled treatment during printing. Then frequently a very -simple remedy is to ink the plate with the so-called rubbing-up ink. - -This color consists of a thin varnish in which a portion of litharge of -silver or mennig or white lead has been dissolved thoroughly over the -fire, and a proper amount of lampblack added. Often it is good to add -some finely powdered sand or powdered pumice stone. - -To prepare this, a portion of the thinnest varnish is heated in a pan -till it burns. Then about an ounce of finely powdered mennig (or another -lead oxide) is stirred in to each sixteen ounces of varnish till all is -thoroughly mixed. - -A rubbing-up ink can be made also by mixing common printer's ink with -vegetable oil, tallow, and a very little soap. - -Each of these colors adheres to all those places that have a trace of -fat and thus gradually makes faint places in a design receptive again. - -Later I will describe how to use care in applying this color, so that -the entire stone shall not be smutted and spoiled. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -CONCERNING ACIDS AND OTHER MATERIALS - - -I - -GENERAL PROPERTIES OF ACIDS - -Probably most lithographers still believe, as I did once, that the -etching with acids prepares the stone, and that the succeeding -application of gum merely increases this preparation. Countless -experiments have taught me that the exact reverse is true. Gum arabic -and a few other similar bodies are the true factors in preparation, and -the acids simply make the stone more receptive for them. Only sulphuric -acid, which changes the surface of the stone into gypsum, prepares it -without gum; but this is available only for a few intaglio methods. - -The stone used for lithography consists mostly of limestone sated with -carbonic acid. Most acids, and even the salts, possess more affinity for -limestone than the carbonic acid, which latter is freed and escapes in -gaseous form as soon as another acid touches the stone. If aquafortis, -muriatic acid, vinegar, etc., is poured on the stone, there rise a -number of air blisters, which are nothing except the escaping carbonic -acid, and the applied fluid seems to boil, in degree according to its -strength. The boiling and bubbling last till the fluid has sated itself -with lime, after which it becomes still, and is impotent for further -etching. - -The direct effect is the solution and destruction of parts of the -surface of the stone. If it has been coated in parts with a fatty -substance that resists the etching fluid, the places so coated are left -untouched, so that, when the stone is cleaned, all the fat-coated lines -and dots are in relief. - -If the stone is coated with fatty matter, but not so thickly that the -acid is entirely resisted, it will pierce the covering and eat away more -or less of the stone. If the etching is continued or if the acid is -strong, the fatty coat will be destroyed entirely, the surface of the -stone will be clean, and ready for the ensuing preparation. The -preparation of the stone for pen drawings with oil or soap-water and -several aquatint methods, is based on this principle, that a very thin -coating of grease can be etched away partly or wholly, at will. - -After eating away the surface of the stone the acids have the property -of giving it a fine polish. - -Therefore if the stone has been covered with a design, and then etched -with an acid, it could be inked and printed many times, as long as it is -kept properly dampened and not too much pressure is used in applying the -ink. However, this could be done also with a thoroughly clean stone, -using only water, though the polish obtained from etching makes it much -easier. But this apparent preparation is not by any means sufficient to -print with certainty; and it becomes perfect only if the stone is coated -with a solution of gum arabic in water after being etched. If a plate -that has been merely etched and not treated with gum becomes dry during -printing, or even if too much pressure be used in applying ink or in -cleaning with the more or less smutty cleaning rags, it generally takes -color and smut which are extremely hard to remove. - -We may assume, therefore, that the acids have the following effects on -the stone:-- - -(1) They will not attack the parts coated with grease. - -(2) They will penetrate more or less if the fatty coating is only thin. - -(3) Where they touch the stone they dissolve it and eat it away. - -(4) They give it a polish that facilitates printing. This polish -disappears after a time on account of the cleaning with sponge or rag, -but is replaced by a new polish produced by this very means. - -(5) They do not prevent the adherence of fatty material later, as soon -as the stone is dry, for which reason the parts prepared in the -beginning with acid and gum arabic must be prepared again by renewed -etching, to take the ink. - -(6) Finally the acids have the property of giving to prepared stones -that have been used for impressions, a rough surface instead of a polish -when they are applied again, because they attack some parts more than -others, producing little pores with sharp edges which catch the ink. -This fact, as I will show more clearly later, makes necessary -extraordinary care if one wishes to clean prepared plates or correct -defects with new etching, because unskilled handling will often make -them worse. - - -II - -THE ACIDS SPECIFICALLY - -Nitric acid or aquafortis, muriatic acid, vinegar, tartaric acid, and -acid of wood sorrel, all have nearly similar effects, but aquafortis and -muriatic acid are used because of their greater cheapness. - -Oil of vitriol or sulphuric acid, very much diluted with water, is -available for light but not for extensive etching, because it transforms -the surface of the stone into gypsum and deposits it again, so that -after that the acid cannot penetrate at all, or only partially. If a -part of vitriol, say diluted with twelve parts of water, is poured on a -cleanly ground stone, there ensues a violent action which, however, is -only brief. It might be supposed that the acid is sated with lime when -it ceases to act, but if it is moved to another part of the stone it -etches anew. - -If the acid is washed from the stone and a woolen rag be used to rub it -after it is dry, it takes on a mirror-like polish. In this dry condition -it can be cleansed of color as easily as a copper plate, and if a stone -thus polished is engraved with a steel tool, it is possible to make -several impressions from it just as from copper. The polish is not -lasting, however, because the skin of gypsum is very thin. But it is a -useful method if it is desired to engrave the stone and ink it -frequently to see the effect. - -All the acids named have the property, previously mentioned, of etching -the stone rough if it has been prepared before or used for impressions. -It seems that the gum unites more strongly with some parts of the stone -than with others, admitting the acid in these latter places. Possibly, -also, the bubbles caused by etching may help to produce this roughness -by hindering the uniform action of the acid. This seems to be confirmed -by the fact that an etched stone, prepared with gum, does not get nearly -so rough when etched again with very weak acid as it does when stronger -fluid is used. - -In still greater degree does this appear when using citric acid or a -solution of alum in water. Take a finely ground stone, pour diluted -aquafortis over it, prepare it with the gum solution, and then dry it -thoroughly with a clean rag. Now pour a little citric acid or alum -solution on parts of it and let it dry. Then paint the parts so treated -with a fat or printing-ink. If the color is rubbed off with a wet rag, -it will be seen that the stone has become white again in all places -except those where the citric acid or alum are. Those parts will have -taken the color exactly as if they had been painted with chemical ink. -The same occurs when applying other acids, but in a lesser degree. This -effect will be mentioned in future for many methods. Here I will remark -only:-- - -It happens often that the stone takes color on places where it should -remain clean. This is caused by clumsy handling, unclean rags, etc., and -occurs particularly at the ends, because they dry first and are more -exposed to careless manipulation. These smutted places usually can be -cleansed with a clean woolen rag and gum solution or even with a wetted -clean finger. But sometimes the defect will not yield so easily, -especially if the printing-color is soft. Then the only remedy is to -prepare the stone over again, and that is the time when one must have -regard to the roughening that ensues, if the stone is not to be rendered -worse instead of better. - -Therefore it is best in such cases to polish the ends of the stone with -pumice stone till all dirt is gone, and then to etch with diluted acid -and prepare anew with gum arabic. - -To be sure, it is possible to dip a clean woolen rag in strong, even -pure acid, and thus etch dirt away from the ends; but great care is -necessary that no drop may touch the design, as the ink that adheres to -the latter is not strong enough to resist the acid. In thus cleansing -the plate, the roughening is etched away by the violent action, and a -new polish is obtained. - -Still, in either method of cleaning dirty places, great care must be -taken not to touch roughly, press, or rub with dirty fatty rags or with -dirty, fatty fingers before the gum arabic is on it. The acid eats away -all the previous material used in preparation, and leaves the plate -practically in its clean, natural state. Consequently it will take on -grease readily, and the application of gum is essential. - -It is feasible to mix the gum directly with the acid solution, but this -mixture must be made fresh again each day, as otherwise it loses much of -its value. - -The following points are important:-- - -_First_: If the grease remain long on a stone that, though prepared, has -lost its coating of gum, it will penetrate the surface, and according to -its amount and fluidity, will sink more or less into the stone, which -will retain its polish on the surface but become more inclined to take -dirt. It is better, therefore, to leave a small amount of gum coating on -the stone in such cases. - -_Second_: As only the extreme outer surface of the stone is prepared by -the gum, and this is rubbed away gradually by wiping during the -printing, so in the same proportion of wear and tear the original -preparation would become lost, if it were not renewed from time to time, -that is, if the stone were not again coated with gum. Twice a day, -however, is enough. - -_Third_: Because of this susceptibility of the surface to injury, a -prepared stone must not be rubbed strongly with fatty material, because -this damages the surface and the stone would readily soak up the fat. - -_Fourth_: If a prepared plate is totally denuded of gum, and has been -dry for a time, especially if it has already lost a part of the -preparation through printing, it will incline very much to take color -and smut. Therefore, when it is necessary to stop printing, it is well -to coat the plate at once with gum, but only with a very thin coat. If -this has not been done, and it is desired to use the plate again, great -care must be taken to wet it with the very purest water, or, better -still, with diluted etching fluid, for instance one part aquafortis to -five hundred parts of water; and then to coat it with gum. To neglect -this precaution may cause the total ruin of the plate. For safe-keeping -of the plates, if they are to be used again for printing, the coating -with gum is, therefore, absolutely necessary. - -_Fifth_: Gum can prepare only a thoroughly clean stone or one properly -etched. Therefore, if the surface of the stone has even the least trace -of grease, it will take color, no matter how thickly it may be coated -with gum. On this fact is based the method of transferring copper-plate -impressions and other printed subjects, as will be described later. - -_Sixth_: If the stone has had fat on its surface, and this fat has been -etched away again, the power of the gum asserts itself, and the stone -will be thoroughly prepared even if the fat has soaked considerably into -the body of the stone. - -_Seventh_: Mere grinding of the stone is not sufficient to attain a -complete preparation through gum alone. Therefore, if an otherwise clean -stone has some places after grinding where the fat has soaked in deeply, -and one coats it with gum, the stone will take color after a time on -these fatty places, as soon as the inked rag has been rubbed over the -stone many times. However, this taking-on of color is only slight if the -gum solution is thick, and long-continued cleaning will transform it -into complete preparation. - -_Eighth_: From both preceding observations we learn:-- - -Printing forces the color to sink considerably into the stone. If such a -stone is required for new designs, it is not practicable to grind it so -much that all the fatty places can be ground away. Therefore it is -ground only till it is thoroughly even again. Then it must be well -etched; otherwise it may happen that in printing the surface will rub -away and the entire previous writing or design will appear again, a -trouble hardly to be remedied. - -If the stone is dirty in the middle, it can be cleaned in many cases by -pouring on a few drops of oil of turpentine and the same quantity of gum -solution, and rubbing it clean with a woolen rag. Then it must be washed -with a wet sponge, after which it is inked. If it has not lost the smut, -the only remedy is new preparation. As this must be done differently for -each different lithographic style, it will be described in its place. - -If fat has soaked well into the stone in places where it is not desired, -it is always very difficult to remove it without injuring adjoining -parts. Correction of crayon work, if it has been etched and used for -printing, is especially difficult. It is true that the defective parts -can be cut out easily with a sharp instrument, but then these places -must be prepared again. If weak etching fluid is used, it will not -suffice. If strong fluid is used, the fine parts are easily attacked, -and at the same time the surface will become roughened so that the stone -often blackens entirely in the corrected parts. To avoid this trouble, -and to facilitate corrections, I made many experiments to discover an -acid composition that should prepare a stone anew and perfectly and yet -not roughen the surface. I found the best material in phosphoric acid, -especially when mixed with finely crushed nutgall. - -Water in which phosphorus has been kept a long time becomes acid and -etches the stone. The acid can be obtained more quickly by burning the -phosphorus and catching the smoke. This method is somewhat expensive, -but one does not need much, as it is used only for correcting defects. - -If a few drops of aquafortis or other acid are poured on a clean ground -stone, it will be etched. Now wipe the etching fluid off clean and coat -the plate with soap-water or chemical ink. As soon as it is dry, clean -it of the fatty coating with a few drops of oil of turpentine. If it is -dampened then with water and inked, it will take color everywhere, even -at the etched places. If gum is mixed with the acid, the same result -occurs, though the stone has been thoroughly prepared where this mixture -touched it. From this it appears that soap-water (and the alkalis in -general) can destroy the preparation given to the stone and make it -receptive again to fats. It is different if phosphoric acid is used. -This makes a preparation that can be destroyed only by very frequent -coating of soapy water. - -Still more durable and resistant to soap is the preparation if fine -nutgall is mixed with the phosphoric acid and water solution. Nutgall -gives even the other acids the property of resisting soap more than -ordinarily. The study of this effect led me to invent the method of -transforming a relief design into intaglio. Also, it is only by the use -of phosphoric acid that one can do thoroughly that style of lithographic -work which resembles the scraped style in copper, or the so-called black -art. - - -III - -GUM AS THE REAL PREPARATION - -If a cleanly polished plate is sprinkled with a few drops of gum arabic -dissolved in water, the sprinkled places will take no color so long as -they are wet. When they dry, color will adhere, but can be washed away -easily with a wet sponge. This shows that the gum alone will prepare the -stone. The preparation will become more durable, however, if the stone -is etched first. - -In both cases, however, the preparation extends only over the outermost -surface of the stone, penetrating only slightly, so that the least -injury will make it take color as soon as it is dry. On this fact is -founded the intaglio style of lithography. Therefore, if a clean ground -stone is etched, then prepared with gum and dried clean, it can be -coated with printing-ink or other fat substance (excepting soap and all -alkaline compositions), and there will be no danger that it will lose -its preparation. The thicker the gum coating, the less can the fat -penetrate. - -In printing, during which the stone must be kept wet, only the original -coating of gum is necessary; but as the surface thus prepared soon -diminishes under the frequent wiping, it is necessary in some forms of -work to mix gum with the printing-color or with the water used to dampen -the stone. More of this will be explained in the proper place. - -Here I will add only that the domestic gum of cherry and plum trees is -good for preparing stones some years and worthless in others, when it -cannot be dissolved in water. In possessing the properties for preparing -stone, the juice of many plants and fruits, sugar, and most mucous -materials of the vegetable and animal kingdom, such as white of egg, -approach gum arabic more or less. The latter, however, is to be -preferred because of its reliability. - - -IV - -CONCERNING PARTIAL PREPARATION - -Here I impart my experiences in regard to an astonishing phenomenon that -occurs often in lithography and gives much trouble, especially to -beginners. It is the so-called imperfect or semi-preparation, wherein -the stone betrays a strong inclination to take color, and still will not -do it or will do it only partially. - -(_a_) If a cleanly ground stone is marked with chemical ink, etched, and -prepared, the marked places will take the printing-color and produce -impressions. If, after the stone is inked, one rubs strongly with the -wetted finger, the color can be wiped from the design, especially if it -has not been on the stone long and has been standing in a damp place. A -place whence the color thus has been removed does not take it readily -when the inking-roller is applied again; and the reluctance is the -greater in proportion to the length and violence of the rubbing and the -toughness of the printing-color. The stone shows clearly the traces of -the penetrating fat; indeed, if the stone is rubbed with a wet linen rag -that is inky from previous use, the design will reappear in black. But -as soon as the roller is used, instead of inking these places, it takes -the color off; and whatever means may be tried to make the defective -places receptive again to color, it remains difficult, often impossible. - -What has happened is that the wet rubbing has cleansed the surface of -the stone of all its fat and at the same time has polished it and made -it slippery. It is a sort of preparation; and though the fat of the ink -has penetrated into the interior of the stone, the accidental -preparation still offers an obstacle which prevents the printing-ink -from adhering to the fat in those places. As I will show, these places -can be prepared again thoroughly. - -(_b_) Another case is when the design is too weak, and has been attacked -by the etching-fluid too powerfully, though without being destroyed. -Here the printing-color usually is removed by the ink-roller, even -though it adheres pretty well when being wiped. - -(_c_) A third kind of imperfect preparation is when a stone inclines to -take color or smut on prepared places. This happens sometimes in part, -sometimes over the whole surface, which latter effect is described by -saying that the stone has acquired a tone. - -The cause of this phenomenon may be one of many. It is either due to the -appearance of a fat that has been in the stone, or to the fact that -unskilled manipulation has destroyed the preparation partially. - -Thence follow several observations again:-- - -(1) Mere wiping with clean water will give the stone a sort of -preparation if the material used for wiping is suitable. This -preparation is incomplete, but can be transformed very easily into a -complete one. This incomplete preparation is according to the strength -with which the rubbing material affects the stone. Linen and cotton -stuffs have the least effect. More potent are animal wools and hair, -silk or wet leather. The printing-color itself has a preparing property -if it is made of very tough varnish or contains much lampblack. This -effect is increased if Frankfurter black or powdered charcoal is mixed -with the color, and the stone is kept very wet. - -(2) The partial preparation is produced more quickly and made more -durable if the water contains gum or gummy stuffs. - -(3) The operation is still quicker if a weak etching fluid is used. A -stronger fluid would make the preparation a complete one, but would also -injure the good spots. Then again one must remember that the second -etching produces the roughness discussed already. - -(4) Grinding with sand, pumice, and other grinding materials also -produces partial preparation, which is transformed easily into complete -preparation by applying gum. Here, however, the circumstance is -noteworthy that a plate that has been blemished by rubbing can be made -to do the reverse, namely, to take color, by means of light grinding -with water. Assume, for instance, that a plate designed and prepared -in relief style has been spoiled by handling so that the design refuses -to take color. It is necessary merely to rub it all over with water -and fine sand or to clean it with oil of turpentine so that all -printing-color is removed from the surface. Then place it in a -receptacle containing a great deal of very clean water. If it is ground -delicately then with a very clean pumice stone, without destroying the -traces of the fatty material that has soaked in, it can be brought to -take color again as well as ever. Take a little of the before-mentioned -acid-proof ink, smear it on the color-stone, and apply a clean linen or -cotton rag. Wipe the stone that is lying in the water very gently with -this rag, and the color will fix itself bit by bit on all parts of the -design, even if the entire relief produced by the etching should have -been ground away. It is necessary only that the fat shall have soaked in -sufficiently; and this usually is produced soon enough by the printing. -After the plate has accepted color completely, it is to be completely -prepared by light etching and with gum, and then it will take the color -properly from the ink-roller. - -If this experiment is to succeed, it is to be noted that in grinding -there must be no trace of fat on the stone or the pumice, because the -rubbing during grinding might transfer this greasiness to those parts of -the stone that are to remain white. Care must be taken, also, not to -press too hard in applying the etching color, because the places that -have been cleansed of all gum by the water, and thus are inclined to -accept color, will smut easily. Finally, the stone must not be permitted -to dry before it is fully prepared again by etching and gum coating, for -it might easily become entirely smutted and useless. - -This experiment leads to the conclusion, which has been proved correct -in many ways, that a soft rubbing in clean water with printing-color, -especially if it contains tallow, is very well adapted for transforming -the incomplete preparation into a condition of accepting fat perfectly, -and of giving injured places new potency. Also, that the contrary -effect can be produced by violent rubbing, especially with wool, -leather, or tough colors, because this prepares the wet stone and makes -it useless for accepting fat. The first method may be used with -advantage, therefore, for reëstablishing a vanished design. The second -method is good for getting rid of smut. If the smut has occurred in -previously clean and thoroughly prepared places, it can be destroyed -entirely. But if it is only that the deeper fat has lost its superficial -polish, and has appeared again, the stone will be only partially -prepared by this last method and must be newly prepared on the desired -places with weak etching-fluid and gum, for durability's sake. It is -easy to see how important this circumstance is. With the one and the -same process in various degrees of manipulation, opposite results can be -produced; and I may declare that only he is to be termed a perfect -lithographer who has exact knowledge of this especial matter. - -(5) It has been mentioned already that every sort of preparation can be -destroyed by a renewed etching, and particularly with alum and citric -acid. The same is caused by soap and alkaline compositions; therefore -also by chemical ink if it contains a sufficient amount of alkali. - -(6) Simply letting the stone plate rest produces important, often -contradictory, phenomena. If smeared parts refuse color, clean water -poured over these places runs from them as quickly as it does from the -fatty parts. This is the surest sign that they still have fat, though it -is not sufficient to attract the color. If such a stone is permitted to -lie idle a few days, even if coated with gum, it will often take the -color thereafter. On the contrary, if a stone plate has taken on color -at the well-prepared places (usually readily removable by wiping with -oil of turpentine and gum solution, but generally reappearing), it need -merely be inked after such cleansing, coated with gum and left idle, and -in a few days it loses the readiness to take dirt. - -The cause of both phenomena is that in the first case the fats that lie -deep gradually work upward into the partly prepared surface and -practically reëstablish their interrupted communication with the -printing-color. In the second case, the small quantity of fat that has -adhered merely to the surface has penetrated into the stone, so that it -loses its effectiveness. Added to this, in the latter case, is the fact -that the linseed oil, and the varnish prepared from it, acquire the -property of losing their fats when they are dried in the air, and thus -will take color poorly or not at all. This observation led to the -invention of an artificial stone or stone-paper. - -(7) In contrast with preparation by wet wiping there is the wiping with -dry and fatty bodies, which produces full acceptance of color on the -partially prepared plate, while in the case of the fully prepared plate -there occurs at least partial color acceptance or semi-preparation. As -every property of the stone can be used for good impressions just as -well as it serves in unskilled hands to ruin a design, so in this case; -the lost parts can be restored through proper use of rubbing with a dry, -fatty substance, and the clean, prepared portions of the plate can be -smutted. There will be more about this. - - -V - -SHORT REVIEW OF THE PRECEDING - -As the entire art of stone-printing depends on proper preparation, it -will not be out of place to express my views as to the nature of the -process. This will serve also as recapitulation. - -(1) Limestone has countless little pores. These can soak up fatty as -well as watery substances. - -(2) These can adhere easily to the limestone particles, but are easily -separated again, as long as the nature of the stone is not altered. This -alteration is produced most readily by sulphuric acid, tartaric acid and -phosphoric acid. - -(3) Water evaporates from the pores as the stone dries. Gum and other -slimy substances do not. - -(4) Fats soak into the stone more and more. There is no means of -destroying them except to remove the limestone itself by grinding or -etching. - -(5) Printing-color cannot adhere to the stone so long as a proper amount -of moisture forms a wall between it and the stone. Under any -circumstances it adheres only poorly to the lime particles, and assumes -great power of adherence only when the pores of the stone are filled -with fat, which are pinched in them, so to speak, and with which the -printing-color strives to unite because of mutual affinity. - -(6) This stronger adherence (or complete color reception) thus happens -only when the outer color can reach and touch the inner fat. If the -latter is deep in the stone, so that the communication is broken, it -becomes difficult and the communication must be restored. - -(7) This interruption occurs either if the color is rubbed away by force -and with help of moisture, or if a substance that closes the pores -unites with the stone. - -(8) The rougher, sharper, and more angular the pores are, the more -readily does the color find adhering points. It adheres at first to the -surface by virtue of merely mechanical conditions. But when the moisture -which hinders a complete union and greater penetration has dried, the -color begins to penetrate deeper into the stone and to fill its pores. -The most color will always adhere to rough spots. Therefore, it happens -often, in some styles of work, that a stone too highly polished will -seem perfectly black when inked, and still fail to yield a strong -impression. For the same reason the impressions from soft stones usually -are the stronger, especially if the mode of printing demands the use of -thin printing-color. - -(9) The effect of the etching fluid is in part a greater polishing of -the surface, in part a filling of pores. Both make the stone reluctant -to take color. - -(10) If the stone has been prepared and polished already, it can be made -rough again and receptive to color by being reëtched. At the same time -the prepared surface can be destroyed by etching, and a communication -established with the fat lying in the interior. The result is according -to the manipulation. - -So much in general. In describing the various styles I will make -everything clearer. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND APPLIANCES - -In lithography there is use for many various tools and utensils. I will -mention here merely those that are made primarily and exclusively for -the art. - - -I - -CONCERNING STEEL PENS - -One of the most necessary tools of lithography is the steel pen for -writing and drawing on the stone. Simple as its manufacture is in -principle, it demands much care and skill. The beauty of the work -depends largely on a good and well-cut pen. The best artist, using the -best chemical ink on a perfectly prepared plate, cannot do good work -unless the pen is good and cut to suit his hand. Therefore it is -necessary to learn how to make these pens, because, apart from their -costliness, it is difficult to get a suitable one from a worker in -steel. The ordinary steel pens that can be bought ready-made from -stationers are fairly available for coarser writing and drawing; but for -better work one must have much finer pens. - -Following is the way to make them:-- - -Take the spring of a pocket watch, not too small nor too broad; one and -a half to two lines in breadth is best. Clean off all fat by polishing -with sand or chalk. Lay it in a glass or porcelain vessel, and cover it -with a solution of aquafortis and water in equal parts. Let the acid -etch the steel till it has lost about three fourths of its thickness, -and has become as pliable as a similar strip of letter-paper. From time -to time the steel must be removed from the fluid and dried with tissue -paper. This produces uniformity of etching. The steel rarely is quite -uniform, and it has happened to me often that it is attacked unequally -and that holes are eaten into it before it has been etched away -sufficiently. That this, however, is due mainly to the quality of the -acid, I learned because I found that the same steel would be attacked -clean and uniformly as soon as I obtained aquafortis from some other -source. - -A pen is poorly etched if it has many elevated points or pits and holes. -The former appears to result from insufficient cleansing, the latter is -due to the quality of the acid. - -Oil of vitriol diluted with water, or nitric acid can be used. - -Those who have a very light touch may etch their pens to great thinness, -and will be enabled to do very delicate work. For a heavy touch they -must be firmer, otherwise fine strokes will look shaky. - -When the steel is thin enough, it is removed and cleansed with fine sand -that it may not become rusty in future. Then it is cut into pieces two -inches long with good English shears. Now these must be shaped -half-round. To do this, lay them on a flat stone and beat them -lengthwise till they bend, using a small watchmaker's hammer, whose -faces are pretty thin but well rounded. Two or three sheets of paper -laid under the steel facilitate the work. - -Another way to give it the half-round form is to file a groove into a -stone, giving it the exact shape the pen is to have. Into this groove -lay the piece of steel, put in a drop of vegetable oil, and polish with -a steel instrument whose end resembles a broken but well-rounded nail. -Use sufficient pressure, and the steel will gradually assume the desired -shape. - -Either of these methods may be used, according to preference. It is to -be noted that the degree of roundness depends on the artist's need, one -finding a well-rounded pen better, another preferring one not so -well-rounded. The less the pen is rounded, the more it will resemble a -brush when used, but the points will not spread so well without -considerable pressure. The more they are hollowed, the stiffer are the -pens and the more easily will the points spread when pressed. - -After the pen is curved, it must be cut. With small, well-sharpened -scissors cut a slit about one line in length into one end. Then cut away -from the two sides as much as necessary till the point is sufficiently -fine. Do not cut away too much at once, as the pen bends easily and then -must be straightened out again, which demands especial skill. It is -well to do the cutting from the point toward the sides. - -A good pen must have both points very uniform, so that they touch -perfectly and lie on the stone evenly in the position given them by the -hand when working. The cutting alone will do this, but a small, very -fine whetstone may be used to aid. - -A newly cut pen is somewhat rough at times and cuts into the stone, thus -gathering powder that hinders the work. This defect generally cures -itself after a few strokes on the stone. Beginners generally spoil their -pens by bending them every few moments. Then they must be straightened -out, which demands practice and judgment. It cannot be described, -because the bending may assume a thousand shapes. It may be mentioned, -however, that the points must always touch, but must under no -circumstances interfere, one being forced behind the other. It is good, -sometimes, if one can see through the slit when looking backward from -the point. Some even cut a tiny bit out of the middle for this purpose, -but that demands great skill and extremely good scissors, as otherwise -the opening will be too large, which will spoil the pen entirely. - -The ordinary drawing-pens, which can be loosened or tightened with -screws, can be used very readily for drawing lines, if their points are -made from very good steel that can be ground very fine and thin. -However, for much line-work, for instance the background of a picture -which consists of lines hatched crosswise, it is better to use the other -pens. The ordinary drawing-pens are too likely to catch a little dust or -dirt between their points, and then will spoil the lines. - -Of all work of the pen style in lithography, the most difficult is to -draw very fine and even lines with a ruler. I have succeeded best by -using a pen previously so cut or ground that both points touched in the -position in which I was accustomed to hold the pen when guiding it with -the ruler. It is evident that the pen must be held to the ruler on its -side, so that the groove that contains the ink does not point in the -direction of the ruler, but away from it. It is well if there is a tiny -space in the slit, as it helps the free supply of ink. - - -II - -CONCERNING BRUSHES - -Brushes are used for various purposes, as to prepare the plates, -cleanse, etch, etc. Here, however, we speak chiefly of the small brushes -required for writing and designing. For this are used the very smallest -and best miniature brushes, and they must be especially treated. - -If it is desired that the brush make thicker strokes under pressure, the -ordinary condition of it, in which all the bristles come to a point, is -quite sufficient. But it is very difficult to lay on strokes of uniform -thickness with them. Press the brush on the table, spread the bristles -fanwise with a knife and cut away from each side about a half-line deep. -Turn the pencil to the other side, stroke it again to spread it, and cut -the same amount as before from each side. Continue this till there -remain only ten or twelve bristles of the original length in the brush. -Then cut these even at the ends. These should not be altogether the -middle ones if the pencil is to be first-class. Neither should they be -too far apart. They should hang together well when the brush is dipped -into the ink, but not so closely that they will not let the ink pass -well. With a brush successfully trimmed thus, the handsomest drawings, -resembling copper plate, can be done with ease. - -For coarser strokes, coarser brushes are needed. More bristles are -permitted to remain in them. - - -III - -CONCERNING ENGRAVING NEEDLES - -These serve for the intaglio process, to draw into the stone, and must -be of the best and hardest steel. In Munich there are also used the -little five-angled watchmakers' borers, which are glued between two -pieces of wood planed round in form of a pencil and so cut at the end -that only a bit of the tool is visible. In using very thin needles one -has the advantage that they are ground and sharpened easily. - -For coarser strokes, coarser needles are needed. For fine strokes, -especially if they are to go in all directions, the needles are best -ground perfectly round. - - -IV - -CONCERNING THE DRAWING-MACHINE - -To transfer drawings very accurately and reversed on the stone, which is -necessary especially in the case of charts and plans, a pantograph is -used in Munich, which is so arranged that the stone is upside down and -elevated. The inscribing-needle is just opposite the one that is managed -by the hand, and when one follows the lines of the original exactly, -there results a perfect but reversed copy on the stone. Such -drawing-machines can be obtained from Herr Liebherr and Company in -Munich. This skilled mechanician also makes a sort of pantograph of his -own invention, with which drawings can be transferred to stone, reversed -or otherwise, and in any desired proportion. Pictures of such machines -may be obtained from him. - - -V - -CONCERNING OTHER APPLIANCES - -These are: a grinding-table, an etching-trough, some rulers, a -writing-table, some music-writing pens and rastrums for those who wish -to print music, small brush for spatter-work, a wiping-machine for the -wiping method, several rollers and balls for inking, and some presses -for wetting and pressing the paper. - -Any firm table may be used for grinding, but it is better to have one -made heavy enough to resist the strain of the powerful friction, and so -made that the stones can be fastened on it readily. If this work is done -in a room, it must have a depression in the middle and a hole, that the -water may run off into a receptacle. Along the sides should be a low -rim, that the sand and dust may not drip all over the floor. - -The etching-trough is a square, well-pitched box whose bottom is -depressed toward the middle, that the etching fluid may gather there and -run through a hole into a receptacle, so that it can be poured over the -stone again. The trough must be large enough to accommodate the stones -easily. These must not, however, touch the bottom, but must rest on -little pieces of wood or cross-pieces. - -Besides the ordinary rulers, a large, broad one is required, about three -to four feet long, five inches wide, and so shaped that on one side it -is one-half inch thick, on the other only two lines thick. On this -latter side a strip of pear wood must be glued and very truly planed -off. Thus it can be used for drawing lines, although the real purpose of -this ruler is only for supporting the hands when working on stone, that -they may not touch the prepared surface. - -If the work-table is made with high pieces at the ends so that the ruler -can rest on them without touching the stone, no ruler supports are -required. Otherwise one must have these two pieces, a little higher than -the stone, so that the ruler may rest on them. - -A specially made work-table has another advantage. In the middle there -can be a turntable on which the stone rests, so that it can be moved -easily into any position, something that is very difficult with large -stones without this arrangement. - -Music-writing pens are brass or silver tubes which have the shape of -musical notes underneath, and which take up such a quantity of chemical -ink that one can make about twenty notes without re-dipping. That they -shall not take up too much ink, a fine wire is fastened in the centre. -These instruments must be very exactly ground and their use demands some -skill if the notes are to be uniform. - -Instead of this instrument a piece of wood may be used, but this must be -inked anew for each note. To avoid dipping too deep, it is best to -spread some ink on a little stone and ink the instrument from this. It -must be wetted in the beginning, that the ink may be sucked up about -three lines high. After that the ink on the stone need merely be touched -with it, and this makes the work very uniform. Beginners find this easy -to use. But one works more swiftly with the other. - -Of the rastrums, there is nothing to say except that they are of steel -and very even at the ends so that they touch the stone in all places. -They serve to draw the five lines for music. For making the broad -strokes for notes, one can use coarse drawing-pens, or coarsely cut -steel pens; but the best are those adjustable drawing-pens that are made -from three blades. - -The brush for spatter-work, the wiping-machine, and the dauber will be -described in the description of the styles of work for which they are -used. - -Ink-rollers and balls are for laying on the printing-color. The latter -are made from soft leather, stuffed with horsehair, like the ordinary -book-printer's balls. The former are wooden cylinders with thin handles, -of any requisite length and about four to five inches thick. They are -wound with two or three thicknesses of woolen cloth and then covered -very firmly and evenly with leather. Usually there is used sheep's -leather from which the grease has not been entirely removed. Calfskin, -worked white, is good and more durable. Dogskin is considered best. Some -printers use soft red calfskin, turning the inner side out. The leather -must not be stitched with linen but with silk thread, because linen does -not take the ink as well as leather and silk do. The leather must be -dampened when being drawn over the cylinder. - -A fair stock of these rollers is required, because they are liable to -become water-soaked during use, when they lose much elasticity and fail -to give good service, so that dry ones must be on hand. - -It is not well to have movable handles on the rollers, because then they -are likely to roll over the stone too lightly and it is not within one's -power to lay on the ink thoroughly. To prevent blistering the hands, -thick leather covers may be used. Then it is possible to use any desired -pressure. - -Paper presses are needed both to obtain a uniform dampening of the paper -as also to restore the proper flatness to the printed paper. Models are -to be seen at the shops of all book-printers and binders. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -CONCERNING PAPER - - -Three kinds of paper are used mainly in lithography. They are:-- - - (_a_) the transparent, oiled or varnished paper; - (_b_) underlay or waste paper; and - (_c_) the printing-paper. - - -I - -TRANSPARENT PAPER, AND THE TRANSFER OF OUTLINES TO THE STONE - -Oiled paper is used for tracing a drawing accurately and then -transferring it to the stone either by transferring or by re-tracing it -on the stone. It must have the following properties:-- - -(1) It must not smut the original drawing on which it is laid. -Consequently it must be absolutely dry. - -(2) It must be very transparent, like glass, so that the underlying -drawing or painting can be seen perfectly. - -(3) The ink or lead crayon used for copying must lie on it easily and -plainly. - -It is at its best if it is easy to work on it with a fine brush, using -Chinese ink, or, (if the drawing is to be transferred directly to the -stone), with the soft chemical ink described under the caption "Transfer -Ink." Generally this can be done without further preparation in the case -of most papers made transparent by oiling. Varnished paper, however, -which is far more transparent, generally must be well washed with milk -and dried again beforehand, that it may take the ink well and permit -work with the finest strokes. - -(4) Finally, a good tracing-paper must be very fine, pliable, tender and -yet not in the least brittle. There is some very transparent varnished -paper, but it breaks at the first attempt to bend it, so that it is hard -to trace the drawing afterward on stone with the tracing-needle, -because nearly every stroke tears the paper and the lines and outlines -become coarse. - -Very good transparent paper may be made as follows:-- - -Take the finest writing or vellum paper and soak it with nut or poppy -oil, mixed with a little sugar of lead to make it dry more readily. When -well soaked with oil, dry it a bit between waste paper and hang it up. -Usually it is available in a few days. This paper is cheaper than the -paper sold by stationers under the names of straw paper, etc., and about -equally transparent. Still more transparent will it be if instead of the -oil a varnish cooked from the oils is used. In this also the sugar of -lead is an excellent drier. To make the varnish easier to manipulate and -more readily penetrative for the paper, it may be thinned down with oil -of turpentine. If it is desired to manufacture a greater quantity of -this paper, one sheet is laid on another and painted with varnish. Then -the whole mass is left for some time covered with a stone plate or a -board, that the varnish may soak properly and evenly into all the -sheets. Afterward the sheets are hung up singly to dry. The more varnish -they have, the more transparent will they be; but too much is not good. -Care must be taken that no drops of varnish adhere. It is best to brush -the varnish evenly over each sheet before hanging it up. - -Silk paper, such as is used in copper-printing to lay between -impressions to prevent off-set, is still better for varnishing because -it is finer. Only it must be very even and have no holes. The very -greatest fineness of paper is desirable, for the reason that then the -strokes made by the needle on the stone are fine and not coarse. - -Instead of varnish made by boiling down nut or poppy oil, one can use -Venetian turpentine, which merely has been thinned down with one half as -much oil of turpentine. Such paper generally is dry enough after -twenty-four hours. Too large a quantity must not be made at one time, -because it becomes tough and brittle after a while. - -Even with the most transparent paper it occurs that certain delicate -drawings, and especially color pictures, will not show through -sufficiently. Then the drawing must be fastened to a window pane to -obtain added illumination. This manner of work is very uncomfortable, -however, and the arms hurt one soon, so that it is necessary to stop. It -is better to have a tracing-board made with a strong, clear pane of -glass in the centre. Under it is a mirror so adjusted that it reflects -light upward through the drawing. - -It is understood, of course, that in tracing only the outlines are -copied and not every stroke of shading, etc. Although the final work is -greatly facilitated by the observation of the utmost care in tracing, -the tracing of every little detail will merely make the work involved -and perplexing. Practice must show the proper degree of exactness. A -very good and skillful artist often needs only a few main outlines, to -reproduce the original picture with the greatest accuracy. - -Once the drawing has been traced sufficiently, the transfer paper must -be coated very lightly and evenly with red chalk. Then it is fastened to -the stone with wax and all the lines are traced under moderate pressure -with a well-polished needle whose point is not sharp but rounded. Where -the needle presses the tracing-paper, the color that is on the other -side will take hold of the stone and thus transfer the drawing to it. If -the needle is too sharp, it will injure the paper, and often the stone -and the etching surface. The color on the paper must be rubbed off very -carefully with a soft rag. If it is too thick, it will transfer itself -coarsely to the stone. The red chalk may be put on the side of the paper -that has the drawing on it, or on the reverse. This is decided according -as the picture is to be on the stone in the same position as the -original or reversed. If the impression is to be like the original, the -drawing on the stone must be reversed; therefore in that case the -tracing-paper is coated on the same side as the drawing. This side is -laid on the stone, and the picture, which shows through, is traced. - -In some cases it is good to transfer the drawing from the tracing -immediately to the stone without tracing it with the needle. In this -case, the paper is not coated with red chalk. The paper is merely laid -on the prepared stone, drawing face down, and put through the press. If -the drawing has been made with the chemical transfer ink, blackened with -lampblack or colored with vermilion according to need, it will transfer -itself to the stone. This will occur also in the case of a clean stone -prepared for pen drawing if the drawing is made with lead pencil or with -red chalk, wet or dry. Even the ordinary ink made from nutgall and -vitriol of iron will transfer if it contains a little sugar or gum, but -the paper must be well dampened and good pressure must be applied to the -press. - -In the pen-drawing process, the stone must be cleansed of possible -surplus of color after the transfer. This is done by light rubbing with -sand. It is not necessary in other processes. Any surplus of color that -may have fixed itself to the stone is removed by gentle dusting with a -soft brush. - - -II - -WASTE PAPER - -This is used partly for cleansing plates, partly and chiefly as underlay -in printing. - -If sheets are to be printed on both sides, usually a little of the first -impression off-sets on the underlay paper, and if it were used again at -once, it would off-set on the next impression. Therefore a fresh -underlay paper must be used for each impression of the second side. - -This must not be coarse, for fear of causing unevenness or holes in the -leather in the printing-frame or in the so-called scraper-wood that -makes the impression. A good quantity of this must be on hand, that -fresh paper may always be available while the used paper is drying -again. Each sheet that has been used should be hung up at once, and not -more than three or four sheets should be hung over each other, to -facilitate the drying. A special appliance is needed for this as well as -for drying the impressions. A number of slats are fastened to the -ceiling, leaving a space under it of about two feet, and about one foot -distant from each other; and the sheets are hung on these with a pole -made for the purpose, such as may be seen in any printery. - - -III - -PRINTING-PAPER - -Not all kinds of paper are equally good for lithography. On the whole, -however, it may be assumed that this form of printing is very similar to -copper-printing and book-printing, and that the paper that is good for -these branches is suitable also for the stone, if only it does not -contain too many impurities, grains of sand and other substances that -make any considerable roughnesses. Such roughnesses, if considerable, -have an ill effect not only on the impression, but chiefly on the -leather in the printing frame. If the scraper is of wood, the leather -will suffer less, but there will be caused grooves in the scraper that -must be planed out again, because otherwise each following impression -will show a more or less plain streak. If the scraper is of metal, the -leather may tear or the stone itself may be injured if the foreign -substance in the paper is very hard. Therefore it is well to hold the -paper to the light before dampening or printing and to remove any -apparent defect of magnitude with a little knife. - -Usually the paper considered most excellent for copper-plate work is -thick, tender, uniform paper, half-sized or not sized at all. It may be -the same for lithography. However, it must not be supposed that good -impressions cannot be obtained with sized paper. I have seen some that -were as good as, and even better than, impressions made at the same time -on unsized paper. Much depends on the dampening of the paper, on its -make, and chiefly on the manner of sizing it. On the best sized English -vellum paper, I have made blacker impressions than I could make on the -best Swiss copper-plate printing-paper, so that I had to use fifty per -cent less printing-color. On the contrary, in using an indubitably -genuine English vellum paper with a bluish tinge, which had been sized -only too well, I could not get good impressions despite all efforts. It -was very hard to dampen also. Every sheet must be dampened singly, -turned frequently and manipulated to smooth out the thousand -irregularities that are caused by the moisture. Equally difficult to use -were some sorts of genuine Holland paper, because they took color -reluctantly. If, however, the correct degree of moisture is attained, -if the paper takes it well, and, finally, if the color is right for it, -it can be used with thorough success. - -I must mention a circumstance that may defeat all efforts of a beginner -should he try to use a certain kind of paper which is very handsome, -durable, very white, well sized, but a little rough and possessing an -odor somewhat resembling honey as well as urine. Sometimes it is called -_Kühnel_, and comes from a French factory. This paper has the property -of depriving the stone of its preparation, and consequently to smut it. -This paper can be used only for dry printing, where it does not require -any dampening at all. - -It is said that this property of smutting the stone is due to the -chemical bleaching. Others ascribe it to a peculiar kind of size. -Perhaps it is both. The same defect is found in many sorts of colored -papers if there is much alum in the coloring-matter, or if the tints are -made from alkaline colors or those that contain soapy matter, or if it -has been smoothed with soap. This, however, is readily understood after -my explanation of the chemistry of the stone. - - -IV - -DAMPENING THE PAPER - -Dry paper may be used for printing. In certain work it is necessary, in -order not to spoil the paper. As a rule, however, paper is moistened in -lithography as well as in other forms of printing, to make it softer and -more receptive to the printing-color. - -After what I have said of chemical printing, it would seem that, as -dampness is antagonistic to the reception of color, the moisture of the -paper would hinder, rather than aid, printing. But experience proves the -opposite. A damp paper takes color better than a dry one. - -But this is not because damp paper is an exception to the rule. On close -study, we see that here, too, it only proves all that I said about the -stone. - -Perfectly clean, and especially unsized paper, refuses color like the -prepared stone, when it has been wetted thoroughly so that it is -saturated. But here, too, mere water is not a complete preparation. -Under strong pressure it is forced away readily from the paper, the -printed places are dried and the color adheres. If the pressure is not -sufficient to force all the water away, the impression will be -imperfect. The tougher the printing-color is, the more will it resist -the dampness and the greater must be the pressure. - -Experience has taught me the following:-- - -(1) Every paper not spoiled with fat will permit itself to be prepared, -like the stone, with water so that it will take no color. In the case of -entirely clean, unsized paper, water alone is sufficient. Mucous, gummy, -and acid substances increase its power. Unsized printed paper need -merely be dipped in water, laid on a stone, and coated with oily color, -and the printed parts will all take the color while the rest of the -paper remains white. - -(2) Any great pressure will remove this preparation and the whole paper -will take color. - -(3) The oil color must be very thin and fluid, because a tougher one -will take hold of the fibres of the paper and tear them off. - -The foregoing experiences applied to the theory of the print itself lead -to the following conclusions:-- - -(_a_) The paper to be used for printing must never be too wet, because -the most powerful pressure could not remove the water sufficiently. - -(_b_) Paper that is too wet is prone to adhere to the stone with its -printed parts, which are likely then to tear away easily, thus damaging -or ruining the work. This happens the more readily if the pressure be -not sufficient. If the scraper or the stone is not uniform and even, it -is very prone indeed to tear at the places subjected to the least -pressure, because there, where the water has not been sufficiently -squeezed away, the paper remains soft and fragile, while the pressure -still is great enough to grip the fibres of the paper. - -(_c_) Therefore the paper must be only slightly dampened if the color is -very tough, partly to prevent tearing, partly to oppose no undue -obstacle to the reception of the color. - -(_d_) Paper dampened too much stretches in printing and produces uneven -and dirty impressions. - -(_e_) The quality of the water is not important so long as it is not -dirty or putrid, in which latter case it may infect the paper and rot -it. - -(_f_) Just how much the paper must be dampened can be learned only from -experience, because papers vary very much and in the case of sized -papers it depends chiefly on the kind of sizing. On the average, we may -calculate one wet sheet to eight dry ones in sized papers and one wet -one to ten or twelve dry ones in unsized papers. - -The following is the best way to dampen paper: Lay two or three dry -sheets on a straight board. Then dip a sheet into water. Let the water -drip off a little and lay the damp sheet carefully on the others. Now -lay eight or ten dry sheets on top of this. Then put on another wet one -and then eight or ten dry ones and so on till all the sheets destined -for printing have been so piled up. Put over all a board weighted with a -medium heavy stone plate. After half an hour increase the weight to -several hundredweight or squeeze the paper in a press. Leave it thus at -least twelve hours. Then it is generally ready for print. In aquatint it -must be dampened more, about six dry sheets coming to one wet one. - -Very thoroughly sized paper is easier to moisten if each sheet, or at -least each second one, is wetted with a sponge. - -Sometimes it is necessary to turn the dampened paper in order to remove -the creases. Separate the sheets into two piles and lay a few sheets -from one to the other so that the altered positions will press the -sheets flat again. - -With many papers, especially the unsized, it is possible to use the -method of book-printers, who immerse a whole book in water and then lay -the sheets in two equal parts. This would be best studied at a -printer's. It requires much practice. - -If dampened paper is permitted to lie some hours without being weighted -down, the margins will become too dry, and then there will be creases -during printing, which can be remedied only by a second dampening. The -reason is that dry paper is not so large as wet paper, so that the dry -margins form a kind of frame which is too small for the inner wet -portion. - -In printing-processes that require many plates, and especially if the -sheets are large, only dry paper can be used, as otherwise the register -will be imperfect. To be sure, it can be done by using great care, but -too much practice and attentiveness is needed. - -With the exception of the aquatint processes, good printing can be done -with dry but unsized paper. But the press must have twice or thrice the -pressure. This makes the printing more difficult and endangers the stone -if it is not thick. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -PRESSES - - -An exact description of all presses used hitherto for lithography would -demand a book that would nearly equal the present one in magnitude. Many -drawings would be necessary, which would increase the cost of this -text-book without adequate benefit, as I have learned that one rarely -can find a mechanician skillful enough to make a machine even when he -has the very best description and a perfect illustration before him. I -advise all who intend to enter lithography to send for a model to Munich -or some other place where the art is being practiced with success. I -myself am willing to furnish exact models for the price of one louis -d'or, which must be remitted with the order. - -There is no press as yet that is so perfect for lithography that it -leaves nothing to be desired. The press whose plan I laid before the -Royal Academy of Sciences in Bavaria, which does its own inking-in and -which can be worked by water-power, has not yet been built on a large -scale, so that its value cannot be stated exactly. - -I am only too well aware, however, of a grave defect in lithography, -which is that the beauty and even the number of impressions depend -mainly on the skill and the industry of the printers. A good press is -necessary, to be sure; but even with the best a poor workman will -produce nothing but trash, because in this respect lithography is far -more difficult than any other printing-process. I shall not admit that -lithography has made a great step toward the utmost perfection until the -erring work of the human hand has been dispensed with as much as -possible and the printing is done almost entirely by machinery. -Therefore I am determined to realize the ideas I have in this direction -and I shall inform the friends of the art of my success at once. - - -I - -PROPERTIES OF A GOOD PRESS - -It has been observed that inscriptions, and particularly drawings, look -better on the stone than on the impression afterward made from the -stone. Partly this may be due to the color of the stone which softens -the picture, because an impression made on yellow paper resembling the -stone color looks very much like the drawing on the stone. But the great -cause of the difference is that the color does not transfer itself to -the paper with the degree of strength and clearness that it possesses on -the stone. That this perfect degree can be attained, none the less, -there are many successful impressions to prove. - -If the plate is well designed and well prepared, it will take the color -well and clearly, but the printer may apply too much or too little, the -color may be too hard or too soft, or, even if the stone is properly -inked, the paper may accept color poorly or be too damp or dry. Chiefly, -however, it is the press, according to my experience, that most affects -the quality of an impression. - -In most lithographic presses the printing is done by the so-called -scraper. This is a thin slat of hard wood, mostly maple, pear, or -boxwood. It is one line thick on the side intended to do the printing, -and the mechanism of the press forces it on the paper, which is on the -stone and covered with an overlay of waste paper and tensely stretched -leather. This pressure forces the color against the paper along the -whole length of the slat, and only one line broad. The scraper is forced -bit by bit over the entire plate, or it remains motionless and the plate -is drawn underneath it. - -It will be observed that this kind of press does not produce the entire -impression vertically and at once as in book-printing, but that it is -successive, as in copper-plate printing, with the difference that the -copper-plate press uses a roller instead of a scraper. - -As the scraper must be pressed down with great force (often as much as -sixty and more hundredweight) and must pass over the leather with this -immense pressure, there is a tremendous friction, and despite the fact -that the leather is tensely stretched and lubricated with fat, it is -considerably pulled and strained by the scraper. This pulling and -straining communicates itself to the paper under the leather. Thus all -the lines of the design become a little bit squashed in the direction -described by the scraper. If, however, the leather is very good and very -tensely stretched in the frame, if it is well lubricated, and if the -printing-paper with its underlay is not too wet, the pulling is -inconsiderable so that scripts and drawings in broad effects are not -affected noticeably. Drawings in detail, however, and crayon work -wherein there is hardly a perceptible space between the dots, are so -affected by the slightest displacement that they produce a smeared, -sooty impression. - -The scraper has a second fault. If the paper has impurities, it injures -the scraper readily. A groove scratched into the scraper will prevent -any further good impression if the injury is considerable, because it -will leave a streak. The only remedy is to take the scraper off and -plane it, fashioning it accurately to the surface of the stone. I have -tried to remedy this by making a scraper of metal. As this causes even -more friction than wood, I laid a strip of strong paper over the -scraper, which generally was good for three hundred impressions before -it was worn out. Then I merely needed to move it forward a bit; so that -a strip of paper as long as the scraper and six inches wide was -available for some thousands of impressions. The pressure attained with -a metal scraper is greater than with wood; but it has the disadvantage -that it is hard to print a stone whose surface is not absolutely level, -whereas a wooden scraper can be planed to suit any irregularity in the -stone. - -The foregoing shows that a good lithographic press must have these two -properties:-- - -(1) It must not pull or shift the paper in the least. - -(2) It must produce a uniform impression without weak spots or streaks. - -The other properties it needs in common with other presses, such as:-- - -(3) It must be powerful enough to produce the necessary pressure. - -(4) It must combine the greatest possible speed with this power. - -(5) It must be easily operated, to save the workman. - -All these qualities combined are not to be found in any press hitherto -applied to lithography. - - -II - -APPLICATION OF BOOK- AND COPPER-PLATE PRESSES TO LITHOGRAPHY - -If we consider the peculiarities of book and copper print, we find a -decided difference between them that affects printing importantly. - -The letters of book-type are raised, the engraving in copper is -depressed. It is evident that the former requires no such power for -making impressions as the latter. Therefore the presses are so different -that copper plates cannot be printed on a book-press and vice versa. -Now, as the stone combines both the elevated and the depressed -principles, the natural idea would be to combine the fundamental -principles of both presses as nearly as possible for stone-printing. In -book-print, only the types are exposed to the pressure, and in the -average printed sheet these are only one fourth part of the entire -surface. The remaining white space is not affected at all by the press. -In the stone, however, the elevation of any part of a design is so -slight that the entire surface is affected, and consequently a stone -plate offers four times as much resistance. A book-press therefore would -print a stone only if it were arranged for a pressure four times -greater. Now, for a stone of the size of a letter-sheet the power -required to print with one vertical pressure would be five or six -hundred hundredweight, a pressure that could be supported only by a -thick stone laid very exactly on a perfect foundation. - -An ordinary copper-plate press increases the pulling of the paper so -much in the case of a stone plate that the impression would be -worthless. This pulling is not caused, as in the case of the scraper, -during the impression itself, as already described, but it is caused -before the impression through the endeavor of the cylinder to force the -plate along under it. Once the stone is under the cylinder, the paper is -not pulled noticeably, because the cylinder glides over the leather much -more gently and with much less friction than the scraper. - -This defect might be corrected:-- - -(_a_) By supporting the cylinder so that it would come down on the stone -only at the point where the print is to begin. But as the stone must be -drawn pretty well forward for convenience in inking, this would demand -that the cylinder be revolved forward and backward again as far as is -needed for the impression, which means a great demand on the strength of -the printers, not to count the loss of time. - -(_b_) A second way would be to plane off a piece two inches wide from -the cylinder at the point where the impression is to begin. The stone -could be forced under this space readily, and when the cylinder -revolves, it presses forcibly at once without pulling the paper very -much. - -(_c_) The press might be fitted with iron wheels with cog teeth to -engage similar cogs on the cylinder. This would prevent pulling, but the -mechanical work would need to be very accurate. - -(_d_) The best arrangement will be the following: Set the upper cylinder -so high that the stone can be brought under it without touching. Then -bring it down with a screw, or better still, with a lever that can be -operated by the foot. - -The first figure in the plate showing presses represents about how a -copper-plate press is to be fitted for this work. On the whole, this is -an ordinary copper-plate press, but the upper roller is set with its two -axles or spindles in two iron levers, each of which is fastened to a -piece of wood with iron screws one inch thick. Each of these pieces of -wood is covered with strong sheet iron and can be adjusted higher or -lower with two screws or with underlay of pasteboard. This is necessary -that the press may be adjusted to varying pressures. The two other ends -of the two levers, in which the cylinder sits, can be raised or -lowered, so that the cylinder also can rise or sink. Now two springs or -two weights are so adjusted that the cylinder with the levers always -remains elevated. To force it down on the stone, an iron beam enters -both sides of the press with two pegs so adjusted that when the beam is -turned ninety degrees the levers are depressed at least two inches. As -the cylinder is about in the middle of the two levers, it will thus be -depressed one inch, which suffices to permit the stone to pass under it -freely while it is elevated and gives the greatest pressure when it is -depressed. However, the upper cylinder must not be one inch distant from -the stone, but at the most only one fourth inch, for the remaining space -of three fourths inch is required to provide margin for the elasticity -of the various materials, and also to give margin for increased pressure -whenever demanded. - -On one end of the iron beam with the two pegs is an arm or lever which -is joined to a thin stick with a treadle. This tread is so arranged that -it remains elevated of itself. If the pressure is to reach sixty or more -hundredweight, it must not be fastened directly to the treadle, but a -second lever is required which is affixed to the side of the press. - -Without going into tedious detail I cannot further describe this press. -Mechanicians will understand me readily and perhaps be able to add many -improvements. My belief is that a copper press so arranged would -diminish all danger of squashing and pulling the impression, furnish -powerful pressure, permit overlays of felt or fine cloth, and make -possible considerable facility and celerity, which is a great advantage, -because impressions always are better if too much time is not lost -between inking and printing. - -To safeguard the stone against cracking in such a press, the following -points are to be noted:-- - -(1) The stone must be ground very true on the under side as well as the -upper. - -(2) Both cylinders must be perfectly true, and care is to be taken -particularly that one cylinder is not thin toward the middle and the -other thick, as this would easily crack the stone lengthwise. - -The board on which the stone rests must be equally true and uniformly -thick. At the same time it must be very thin, only one half inch thick -at most. It will get very heavily squeezed during the printing, and the -more the impression approaches the centre, the more concave will it -become. The parts farthest from the point of pressure then resist unduly -if the board is thick, and thus become the chief cause of cracking the -stone. If the rollers are very true and the stone is very uniform, it is -almost impossible to crack it if it is passed between the two rollers -without a board underneath. If the board is thin, it is as if it were -not there. - -I believe that competent mechanicians can improve the present presses -greatly. - - -III - -LITHOGRAPHIC PRESSES USED HITHERTO - -Most owners of lithographic printeries have tried their hands at -inventing presses, but in the end it has always been something based on -the scraper or the cylinder principle. I myself have made more than -twenty designs. Some were very useful and had advantages either in power -or convenience, but generally were handicapped by some defect, so that I -cannot even say with certainty which was the best of them all. So much -depends on the mechanic's execution of one's plans, and a perfect design -can be so spoiled by a workman that it is worthless. - -I will, however, recount the best that has been done so far for -lithography. - -In Munich two kinds of stone presses are mostly used. They are:-- - -(1) The lever press, or, as the workmen generally call it because of its -form, the Gallows Press. - -(2) The Cylinder or so-called Star Press, the latter term being used -because a star-shaped lever is commonly used instead of a crank to turn -the rollers. - -I have tried and found good the following:-- - -(3) A press with double levers. - -(4) A gyrating or sliding press. - -I know also-- - -(5) The roller press used by Herr Andre. - -(6) And the press of Herr Steiner in Vienna. - -Herr Müller in Karlsruhe and Herr Ackermann in London have a press with -paper cylinders the construction of which is unknown to me. - - -IV - -THE LEVER PRESS - -This was the first press that I used with advantage, and it is used -still in Munich in all important establishments for work that demands -speed particularly. It would be an excellent printing-machine in all -respects if it did not have the defect that its power cannot be -increased much more than six hundredweight without forcing the workmen -to undue exertions. Therefore it is no longer available for large plates -or for works that require immense power. It is very good for pen designs -not larger than a letter-sheet, and two workmen, one to ink-in and the -other to print, can produce twelve hundred impressions in a day without -hardship. - -The pressure is produced by a lever six to twelve feet long, fastened to -the scraper below and to a spring (an elastic board) above. It is -connected with a tread, and when forced down, presses with the desired -force on the scraper and so on the plate. The board holding the lever -overhead must be partially movable like a spring because the lever -describes a part of a circle on the plate below. Hence the pressure at -the beginning and end of the impression is not so great as in the -middle, and great care in choice of wood and manufacture is demanded to -give the spring board the necessary elasticity and power combined. I -have found a board of young dried pine the best, the dimensions being -six feet long, eight inches wide, and two inches thick, provided that -the fibres all ran lengthwise. It is not always possible to find a good -board at once. Often I have found that the difference between two boards -made a great difference in the effectiveness of two presses otherwise -exactly the same. - -The scraper arm consists of two parts, of which the shorter one, to -which the scraper is fastened with a screw, is only one and one quarter -feet long. The other part is as long as the height of the press permits. -The higher a lever press is, the better is it, because then the circular -motion described by the scraper wood approaches a straight line more and -more, so that the press exercises a more uniform pressure during all -stages of the impression and is easier to handle. The second -illustration shows this kind of press in the moment when the impression -has been finished, the printing-frame opened, and the scraper arm swung -back again. - -The printing-frame is much like a book-printing frame, and is furnished -inside with a second small frame which holds the paper, being furnished -with small springs or strings. When the frame has been turned over the -stone, the paper must be at least half an inch from the stone to avoid -smutting, which will occur if it touches. The paper must not touch the -stone till pressure is applied, and then only on the spot pressed -downward by the scraper. - -As soon as both parts of the scraper arm are in a straight line, so that -they form practically one piece, the scraper wood is pulled down and the -printer draws it toward himself over the printing-frame and the stone -plate. At this time the following is to be observed:-- - -(1) Both parts of the arm must be so fastened to each other that they -may be bent like a knee, but once they are straight in line, they must -stay in that position. It is well, therefore, so to adjust the parts -that they will not be directly over each other, but rather exceed a -straight line under pressure, and bend a little inward. The position of -the scraper must be considered also. On the whole the following rule -holds good: the point where both parts are united with a nail or a screw -must not be in a perfectly straight line between the point where the -scraper rests and the point where the arm is fastened above, but should -be at least two and a half inches forward of that point. Otherwise the -arm may spring outwards toward the workman and injure him severely. The -third illustration shows the construction of the scraper arm and the -scraper. - -(2) The arm must be grasped as low as possible when being drawn toward -one's self, in order to diminish the danger of springing outward. - -(3) The workman must press his body tightly to the table of the press to -get proper leverage. Standing free, a man of moderate strength could not -move the scraper at all when the pressure is on, but a man standing in -correct position can do it without difficulty. - -(4) Under very heavy pressure the inker-in, who stands on the other side -of the press, can help by pushing. - -The scraper is a piece of pear wood as long as the size of the plate -demands. Its height is about four inches, its thickness one inch. The -end that rests on the leather is trimmed down so that it has a thickness -of only one line. This end must be especially true and planed to fit the -stone, also neatly rounded off. It should be so fastened to the arm that -it may be adjusted to the position of the stone. The stone does not -always lie truly horizontal in the press, sometimes because it is not -uniformly thick, sometimes because the underlay is not quite even, and -sometimes because the press itself has been a little strained. If the -scraper has been made properly, it will adjust itself to the stone, even -if the scraper arm is not quite plumb on the stone, a condition that -often occurs with small work, such as titles and other things that are -at the end of a stone. - -(5) For every press a number of scrapers of different dimensions must be -in stock. Generally a lever press is so made that the printing-frame can -be raised or lowered according to the thickness of the stone. Then the -scraper must be changed accordingly. - -(6) The connection of the upper board with the tread is made by a thin -stick that is fastened to a lever below, by means of a small iron piece -which contains several holes that serve to adjust the height of the -tread according to need. - -(7) The leather in the printing-frame is strong calfskin. It must be -stretched very evenly and tensely and must be smeared from time to time -very thoroughly with tallow. - -(8) On the outer side of the frame there are four wooden strips that can -be adjusted as desired. One serves to show the point where the -impression is to begin. Another shows where it is to end. Both must be -so strong that they can resist the scraper. The other two are adjusted -at the sides and guide the scraper. - - -V - -THE CYLINDER PRESSES - -When Herr Professor Mitterer installed a lithographic institution for -the Feyertags-Schule, the lever press appeared to him to demand too much -labor, especially when powerful pressures were desired. He invented the -so-called Cylinder or Star Press, which has its place in most -establishments, especially those in other countries. It has had minor -changes made in it by many persons, but on the whole, nobody has -succeeded in improving it notably, except for a considerable improvement -made by Herr Mitterer himself. My description will include this -improvement. - -The cylinder press might almost be called a reversed lever press. Herr -Mitterer borrowed from it the idea of effecting the impression with a -scraper, but he did not let it move over the plate, as in the lever -press. He gave the scraper a fixed, immovable position while the stone -was drawn through underneath, thus making his press resemble a -copper-plate printing-press somewhat. - -Illustration number 4 shows this machine in the moment when the -impression has been made. In the middle of the machine is a cylinder ten -to twelve inches thick and as long as the breadth of the press. It has -strong iron spindles that revolve in well-lubricated brass bearings. -Above the cylinder is a board on which is fastened the stone with the -printing-frame. The scraper is on a strong lever that is held up by a -counterpoise. When everything is ready for printing, the scraper is -forced down. By means of a strong iron hook it engages the treadle and -thus can be pulled down with the utmost tension. Then the cylinder is -turned by means of two levers affixed to the crank, and this draws the -stone and printing-frame through under the scraper. One workman alone -can do this under ordinary pressure, but an appliance at the other end -of the press enables a second workman to help. - - -VI - -GYRATING SCRAPER AND DOUBLE LEVER PRESSES - -I have already mentioned the gyrating scraper press. I have improved it -considerably. It has the form of the ordinary lever press, but all the -parts can be much lighter. For instance, the lever is only one and a -half inches thick. The spring (the elastic board) is very elastic and -need exert a pressure of only one hundred pounds. The little scraper is -only an inch long and presses on the plate with a force of fifty pounds. -The press is useful for very thin stones that might crack under greater -pressure. The pressure, nevertheless, is great, because it is all -exerted on such a small area. The press has two defects. It is easy to -miss many parts of the design with the small scraper, and the paper is -likely to stick to the leather, producing poor register. I have obviated -these faults with the following invention: A large scraper is fastened -to the lever to press on the plate with a force of one hundred pounds. A -small one is fastened to this in such a manner that it can be moved to -and fro easily. While one workman rubs to and fro with the small -scraper, another draws the entire stone and printing-frame slowly along -under the large one. If good underlays are used in addition, this -process will produce beautiful work that cannot be produced so well with -any other machine. However, a large field is left in this form for -improvement. - -The fact that the concentric motion produced by a single lever can be -transformed into an almost straight motion by use of a second lever, led -me to design a double lever press, which has turned out very successful, -giving great force with speed. As its description would demand much -space, and since on the whole it ranks equally with the improved -cylinder press, I offer to send models to those who desire to have -everything useful for the art. - - -VII - -THE OTHER STONE PRINTING-PRESSES - -The cylinder press of the Chemical Printery in Vienna would, without -question, be of excellent service for the art if it were more powerful. -Its construction is as follows: The stone is fastened to a table with -the printing-frame which has fine felt instead of leather. To make the -impression a brass cylinder eight inches thick is rolled over it. As -this cylinder would not produce enough pressure from itself, despite its -massive make, two iron beams are fastened to the axles. They pass -through the table and are fastened to a box that contains iron or leaden -weights. Unfortunately the space prevents the use of more than five or -six hundredweights, and this is too little for the large surface of the -cylinder, thus forbidding any sharp, clear impressions. - -This kind of press could be greatly improved if it were built higher to -give more room below for weights, or the beams could be lengthened and -passed through the floor into a lower room, thus giving space enough to -add weights up to fifty and more hundredweight. - -The press of Herr Andre is much like this, except that its cylinder is -only three inches in diameter and that it is forced on the stone not -with weights, but with a lower cylinder that presses upwards. It prints -fast, like the other, but does not possess enough power. - -In conclusion, I must remark that the concentration of ideas caused by -writing this chapter has led me to begin experiments toward making a -lithographic press which shall leave nothing to be desired. As soon as -my affairs permit, I shall execute this on a large scale, and if the -result fulfills my hopes, it will be a pleasure to describe it -accurately to all friends of my art, or to furnish them models at cost. - - - - -PART II - -CONCERNING THE VARIOUS METHODS - - -There are two principal methods of stone-printing, Relief and Intaglio. - -In the former, the fatty parts of the stone are not attacked by the -etching fluid, while the rest of the stone is dissolved more or less. -Therefore the fatty places are left in relief. - -In the second method, the design is either engraved into the stone with -a sharp steel instrument or etched-in with acid. - -The relief method has the advantage of greater speed and, generally, a -greater number of impressions. It is easy for the artist to apply, -especially in crayon work. The intaglio, however, makes possible finer -and more powerful work, and again, in many cases, is the easier of the -two for the artist. Therefore it is impossible to say in a general way -which is the better. It depends on the work to be done. - - - - -CHAPTER I - -RELIEF METHOD - - -To this method belong principally: (_a_) Brush and pen designs; (_b_) -the crayon method; (_c_) the transfer method; (_d_) the wood-cut method; -(_e_) a sort of scraped style; and (_f_) spatter-work. - - -I - -BRUSH AND PEN WORK - -This is one of the best in lithography, and perhaps the best, because it -touches daily needs most directly. It can be used not only for all -kinds of writings, but also for illustration that does not demand the -supreme perfection of copper plate. The ease of manipulation, the speed -and the almost countless number of impressions recommend it especially. -It may even be prophesied that in future, when true artists have become -better acquainted with it, it will be used for high forms of art. - -Much as this method has to recommend it, it has been used mainly for -script and music, and it is difficult to gain adherents and followers -for it. The reason is an apparently trivial thing, but it has made most -artists averse to it. Since stone-printing exists I have found only two -persons who could do anything with the steel pen at the first attempt. -These were my brother Klemens, and a Herr Porner, who works now in the -establishment of Herr Müller in Karlsruhe. All others have had to -struggle more or less with this slight trouble, and yet it does not -demand more than a few days of patience and study. - -For pen work one must not be too particular in selecting stones, as the -less perfect ones are more available for this than for any other method. -However, the general rule holds good here, too, that the purest and -hardest stones are best. - -If they have been used previously, so that the fatty inks have -penetrated pretty well, they still need not be ground too deeply, but it -will suffice to grind them merely till all depressions and elevations of -the previous design have vanished. They may be ground with sand or -pumice, so long as they are made smooth so that no roughness can be -perceived. The smoother and finer the surface is, the easier will it be -to work on it with the pen. - -To design well on stone with chemical ink, the stone must be prepared -after grinding so that the ink shall not flow and spread. Dissolve one -part of tallow in three parts of oil of turpentine and coat the dry -stone very quickly. With a clean rag or tissue paper wipe it at once so -thoroughly that the coating vanishes again almost entirely, leaving only -a thin film that can be easily devoured and removed when the etching -fluid is applied later. It is well to do this some hours before -beginning work on the stone, partly to give the turpentine odor time to -evaporate and partly because it is easier to work after a little while -than immediately after coating the stone. The stone can be prepared far -in advance, even so long as some months before using. In that case it is -necessary merely to clean the dust away with a cloth or fine brush. This -should be done anyway at intervals during the work, or it will clog the -pen. - -I prefer another way of preparing the stone for designing, because -it is one that insures the stone against containing any hidden -preparation, which can easily occur in grinding owing to carelessness or -uncleanliness on the part of the workman, especially if many old plates -are being reground, when the gum which most of them contain from -previous use will mix with water during grinding and thus form a partial -preparation of the stone. - -I coat the plate with strong soap-water containing many soapy particles, -and dry it off as well as possible. Now, there will be too much alkali -on the plate, which will not be good for fine work. I pour a few drops -of clean water on the stone, make it quite wet with this and dry it -again thoroughly. The fat of the soap will then have precipitated itself -on the stone and at the same time has lost all alkali. The soap-water -must not be too thin, as in that case it will precipitate too much fat -on the plate at once and the etching fluid will not be able later to -destroy it properly. This would mean the total destruction of the -design. To make quite sure, I advise beginners, after applying -soap-water and drying it, to coat the stone with the tallow and -turpentine solution, clean it quickly, and thus be absolutely assured -that the plate is thoroughly prepared for the design. - -It must not be imagined that this preparation for work is not very -important. I am convinced that less depends on the quality of the ink -than on a surface freed from all acid and mucous substances and provided -with a sufficient amount of fat. - -On the stone thus prepared the rough design may be done with lead crayon -or red chalk or by tracings or transfers. Any surplus of lead or red -chalk would make trouble during the succeeding completion of the design -with chemical ink, and must be removed carefully. If the design has -been laid on by transfer, the resultant fattiness must be lightly rubbed -away with a fine sand, but not so as to injure the design. - -This method, of first drafting the design on paper with soft chemical -transfer ink and then transferring to stone, offers such advantages that -it pays to practice it. Care must be taken to remove all surplus of -color, as otherwise all lines that should not appear will resist the -etching fluid and gradually show again. Those who fear destruction of -the design by the use of sand can effect the same purpose by printing -off on clean waste paper a few times, or the design may be printed off -on paper before being transferred, thus cleansing it of surplus fat. - -When the design has been laid on the stone clean and strongly with -chemical ink, the plate can be etched and prepared, but not till the -whole design is perfectly dry, because otherwise it cannot resist the -action of the fluid. - -The parts finished first usually are dry long before the entire work is -finished. A trained eye can recognize the proper degree of dryness from -the sheen, which varies with different kinds of ink, but on the whole is -always duller when the design is dry than while it still is wet. It is -highly necessary that the design be thoroughly dry. It is possible to -keep a designed plate for years without etching it, so long as it is -protected against injury. - -Etching is done in two ways, painting the fluid on and pouring it on. - -The former method is less circumstantial, but is used only in coarser -work, because there is always danger of damaging delicate parts of the -design. It has the advantage, however, that any dirt caused by -corrections will be removed. A mixture of three or four parts of water -with one part of aquafortis is painted over the stone with a soft brush -of fox- or badger-hair. The brush must be dipped continually because the -fluid loses its power. - -For the second method the stone is placed in a large wooden trough or -box, provided with cross-pieces to keep the stone from the bottom. The -acid, thinned down with thirty or forty parts of water, is poured over -it. It is rather immaterial how much one may dilute the acid. Very weak -solutions simply mean that the pouring must be repeated oftener. The -fluid acts on stones according to their degree of hardness. Regard must -be had, too, to the delicacy of the design, very fine lines being unable -to resist etching that does not affect coarse lines. - -Only slight experience is needed to recognize the effect of the acid. By -looking at the stone sidewise and against the light, the growing -elevation of the design can be perceived easily. When the fatty coating -caused by the soap or turpentine wash has been etched away completely, -and the water adheres equally everywhere, the stone generally is -sufficiently etched to be ready for preparation and printing. - -For the sake of easier printing, and also so that future grinding and -any desired improvement may be done on the stone, there should be a -little more etching, if the design is not too delicate. But if the -design is very fine, the etching absolutely must not be more than -strictly necessary, because the fine lines might easily be eaten away. -Coarser designs can bear strong etching which often may reach the depth -of a thick paper. But an inordinate amount of etching is not to be -recommended, even if the design can bear it, because the edges of a -deeply etched line are rough and take the color so strongly that it -works into the cavities and is very hard to get out. - -When the stone has been properly etched, clean water is poured over it -to wash away the free acid. Then the work of preparing the plate with a -solution of gum arabic in four or five parts of water can begin at once, -or the stone may be set aside to dry, thus giving the finer parts of the -design, that may have been most affected by the acid, time to adhere -again to the stone and soak in, which can occur only in the dry state. -This is entirely unnecessary with most pen drawings, but with brush and -especially with crayon work it is of great value. - -When the stone has been prepared with gum, it is set aside to rest for a -few minutes. Then pour a few drops of water and exactly the same -quantity of oil of turpentine on it, spread it in all directions -uniformly and wipe the entire design off clean with a woolen rag. Hard -ink, especially if it has been on the stone for some time, is more -difficult to remove and a little more turpentine is required. - -The stone should now be inked-in at once, because the turpentine, and -with it all the fattiness, is liable to extensive evaporation, and then -the stone will not take color well. - -Inking-in of the pen designs is done as follows: A clean linen or woolen -rag is soaked in clean water and wrung out till it is damp rather than -wet. This is passed over the whole stone so that it becomes a little wet -everywhere. Immediately after this dampening, the well-inked -printing-roller is passed to and fro over the plate several times. The -roller must be lifted frequently during this work so that the points of -contact change. To lay the color on well and quickly, the roller should -be held rather firmly in the beginning, well pressed down and used with -a certain rubbing motion that will tend to lay color on the design -sideways, so to speak. Then the roller must be allowed to roll to and -fro a few times without much pressure, to spread the color and take away -any surplus. Do not roll too long, till the stone dries, because then it -will take dirt immediately. Should this occur, it must be wiped -instantly with the damp cloth till it is clean again. If dirt is left -too long, it will be extremely hard to remove. - -Beginners usually wet their plates excessively to counteract this -trouble of drying during the inking-in. This results in wiping away fine -strokes, and the roller gets so wet that no good impression can be made -till it has been dried sufficiently again. For this reason beginners -should not use bath-sponge, because, though it is excellent, it leaves -too much water on the stone unless one knows exactly how to use it. - -Some printers put a little gum, others a little aquafortis into the -water to wet the stone. Others use stale beer, or even urine. I consider -all this unnecessary, if the stone has been prepared correctly and the -color is good. - -I have described the ink-rollers. I repeat that they must be uniform, -soft, and elastic. - -As to the inking-in color, I am not able yet to lay down a strict rule. -All that I can say, as a result of my experiments and experiences, -is:-- - -(1) The firmer the varnish in a color is, the cleaner is the work of -inking-in. - -(2) The same is true the more lampblack it contains. - -But in both cases the finer parts of the work are easily rubbed away, -and too much lampblack makes the lines squash the impression. - -(3) The toughness or fluidity of the color must bear correct proportion -to the power of the press. The harder the varnish, the more power is -required in the press. - -(4) Tough varnish is not so liable to squash under pressure, but if it -has once been pressed into the spaces between the lines of the design it -is not readily removed by the mere action of the inking-roller, and this -causes more and more smutting and, finally, total ruin to the stone. -Generally when a tough color has adhered too much, there is no other -remedy than to clean the stone well with gum and oil of turpentine; and -this, if done too often, damages the preparation and makes the -impressions continuously poorer. - -(5) Soft color spreads more readily under pressure, but is removable -after each impression by merely dampening the plate. - -(6) In using soft color, the paper may be kept damper than with hard -colors. - -(7) Soft as well as hard printing-color, if not mixed with the proper -amount of varnish, has the property of producing poor, sooty impressions -because of a defect called shading. Shading is caused as follows: If a -drop of oil falls into a basin of clean water, a part of the oil will -spread immediately. Now, a stone is wetted before inking-in. After the -inking a considerable portion of dampness remains. If the ink is very -fluid, it will happen often that a part of it will spread away from the -design to the surrounding moisture, producing something that looks like -a shadow around every part of the design. This does not occur instantly, -as in the case of the pure oil, but gradually, so that it is not as -noticeable when the swifter lever press is used as with the slower -cylinder press or if the workmen are slow. If a stone can be dampened so -exactly that with the last touch of the ink-roller the last vestige of -dampness is removed, this is not likely to happen. But it is difficult -to arrive at such accuracy. It is better to add enough lampblack -gradually to the varnish to make it lose its elasticity, when the -shading effect will cease. - -(8) While shading is obviated largely through enough intermixture of -lampblack or other coloring substances to take away the fluidity of the -printing-color, this intermixture will cause other troubles. The finer -places will not take the harder color so well, whereas at other places -too much will be taken. Also an impression made with much lampblack will -off-set more than one made with color in which varnish predominates. -Neither will the impressions be so black. Experience teaches that a -printing-color that has less lampblack will be blacker, because the -sheen of the varnish will make the color strong and lacquer-like. I have -tried to invent a kind of varnish that would not be so liable to shading -and thus would permit a greater fluidity with safety, but lack of time -has prevented me from exhausting the possibilities. I am sure, however, -that it can be done, for I have found that the common linseed oil -varnish can be made to lose its property of shading by admixture of -fatty and resinous bodies. For instance, the addition of a slight amount -of Venetian turpentine permits a greater fluidity. Very good is the -following composition: Six parts linseed oil, two parts tallow, one part -wax, melted together and thickened by boiling down and burning like the -ordinary linseed oil varnish. - -(9) The inner composition of the stone and the temperature have a -considerable effect on the print and also react on the color. A stone, -especially a porous one, has much less internal moisture on very warm, -dry days. Then the dampening done before each impression often -evaporates instantly and unequally, so that it is difficult to ink-in -uniformly with a soft color or one lacking varnish, unless one wets the -stone unduly, which, again, injures the impressions. In that case one -must use a color that is firmer than should be used according to -ordinary rule. It is also well, before printing from the stone, to lay -it in clean water for a few hours, or overnight, so that it may soak in -enough moisture to make it easier to dampen. - -(10) If the drying of the printing-color is to be hastened, as is -necessary with some work, a little finely powdered mennig may be mixed -in. Finely powdered litharge of silver dries still better, but only a -small amount of printing-color must be mixed with it, because it -toughens within an hour. It will not keep for another day, because the -mennig will dissolve after a while. - -In printing from the pen design, the following must be observed:-- - -Even if the stone has been inked-in uniformly and well with a good -color, the impression can be spoiled in various ways: if the paper has -not been dampened as required by the nature of the color and the power -of the press; if the pressure is not in proportion to the consistency of -the color; if the scraper is not even, and if the leather is not -properly stretched. - -Therefore care must be taken in printing pen designs:-- - -(1) The paper must not touch the inked design till the scraper forces it -down. It is not advisable to lay the paper directly on the stone. It -should be in the printing-frame, which, as already described, should be -so arranged that it will keep the paper at least one fourth inch away -from the stone. - -(2) The proper dampening of the paper is not a matter of the greatest -importance in pen designs, so long as it is not too wet, in which case -it causes squashed impressions, does not take color uniformly, and, if -the printing-color is tough, will stick to the stone. In general, the -rule holds good that the degree of dampening must be in proportion to -the firmness of the varnish, and that a softer varnish permits increased -dampening. Dampening is done chiefly to soften the paper, and the -qualities of the paper dictate the amount necessary to a large extent. - -(3) The tension of the press must be more powerful with hard -printing-color and carefully graduated with soft color. Besides this, it -depends-- - -(4) On the structure of the scraper. If it is not absolutely uniform and -well fitted to the stone, more power is needed. Thus the defect often is -corrected; but this may make the color squash and spread in other spots, -therefore it always is better to correct any defects in the scraper. The -sharper the scraper is, the clearer are the impressions, because then -the whole force of the pressure concentrates on the smallest area. But -usually the scraper soon becomes dull, and then the press must have -more power. - -(5) Insufficient tension of the leather also may produce poor -impressions, especially if the color is soft and the paper very wet. -Therefore as soon as impressions appear blurred and squashed, the -leather should be tautened and well lubricated with tallow. - -Now we come to an important matter, namely, the correction of errors. It -does not happen often that a drawing or inscription can be made entirely -without error, and it would be a great imperfection in lithography if -these mistakes could not be corrected at once. - -Errors may be observed before etching or afterward. Different ways of -making corrections are required. - -It is very easy to make corrections before etching. If the error is -observed as soon as it is made, while the ink still is wet, it may be -corrected by merely wiping out the defect with the finger. If the ink is -dry, oil of turpentine is required. In each case the ink must be well -removed so that it will not resist the etching fluid later. If only tiny -spots are defective they can be corrected by delicate use of a sharp -eraser. Defects that need merely to be destroyed without drawing -anything else in their place may be scraped off with a knife or with -pumice stone. - -After the plate is etched, errors demand treatments that differ -according to whether a defect or blemish is merely to be removed, -whether something else is to be drawn in place of the removed part, or -if something has been forgotten and is to be added. The area of the -correction also makes a difference. - -If it is only a matter of removing small defects or places, delicate -erasure will do. The same, or polishing with pumice, is done if the area -is larger. Then the corrected spots must be coated with a mixture of gum -and aquafortis, using a soft brush very carefully that it may not touch -any of the sound places. - -If something new is to be drawn in, the process is different. Ink-in the -stone very clean, and coat it with gum and water that is very thin and -delicate. Let it dry. Then scrape the defective places away very -carefully or grind them away by rubbing with pumice stone. Coat the -spots cautiously with soap-water or oil of turpentine and clean off -again as thoroughly as possible. (This coating is not necessary in the -case of a few isolated small lines or points.) Now draw in your new -design with chemical ink, and as soon as this is dry, etch the -corrections carefully with a small brush and then prepare with gum. - -The third case, where something has been forgotten, is treated almost -the same way. If it is only a very small thing, the stone need merely be -scraped carefully. Then the drawing may be put in, preferably with a -thicker ink. If the area is large, the stone must be ground where the -design is to be added, coated with soap-water or oil of turpentine, and -then treated as explained before. - -When the stone has been corrected and prepared for printing, it can be -used at once or set aside for some length of time. In the latter case it -should be inked with a firm color and coated delicately with gum -solution. Then it can be held as long as desired. Coating with gum -solution is advisable not merely for storing away, but for every -interruption of printing that lasts more than five minutes. - -If a stone has stood longer than a day without being freshly inked, it -must be wiped off first of all with gum solution and oil of turpentine, -that it may take the color well, so that the very first impression may -be perfect. During the progress of printing, the following points are -important: Uniform distribution of water, the same of printing-color, -frequent inking of the inking-roller, and the very greatest speed -possible. - -In the main points the brush process is like that of the pen. The chief -difference is that it is not possible to make the brush strokes as -strong as those with the pen. Therefore, brush work does not resist -etching so well and must not be treated too powerfully. Much depends on -the treatment of the brush and the consistency of the ink. The brush -does not permit such a flow of ink as does the pen, and generally -requires one that is more fluid. A good brush ink is made as follows:-- - -Mix two parts of pure white wax and one part of good tallow soap into a -mass not larger than a hazel nut. The ink loses its good properties -quickly and should be made fresh day by day. Mix the two materials with -a thick knife on a lukewarm (but positively not warm) stone, separate -into small parts and moisten with rain water. As soon as the water has -softened the mass a trifle, add as much lampblack as will lie on two -knife points and mix the whole mass together once more till it is -thoroughly mixed and quite firm. When required, a bit of this is rubbed -down in a clean saucer with rain water. - -As a better flow of ink is needed for brush work than for pen work, it -is evident that it would not be requisite to treat the stone with -soap-water and oil of turpentine, as for pen work. However, it often -pays to make certain fine lines with the pen, and therefore it is better -to combine both processes and prepare the stone as for pen work. It is -well, however, after drying the coating, to rub it very gently with dry -sand, which will not make the pen strokes flow to any extent and still -will prepare the stone so that it will take the brush strokes well and -not make necessary such strong etching. - -If a brush design is to be etched in high relief, for ease in printing -or for durability, it must be etched only to the extent absolutely -required at first. Then it must be prepared with gum and inked-in with -good acid-proof color. Set it aside for a while, that the color may -concentrate so that it will resist the acid well, and then etch the -stone to the desired degree. After etching, wash with water, coat with -gum and put aside to dry. Owing to this latter procedure any fine parts -that may have been unduly affected by the acid will adhere to the plate -anew and it can be printed then like a pen design. - -If pen and brush work are to be combined on a stone, and absolute -certainty is desired, that even the very finest lines shall not suffer -from etching, the following process will serve:-- - -Over the cleanly ground plate pour a solution of weakened but pure -aquafortis, about forty parts of water to one part of aquafortis. Repeat -this several times. Then pour a great deal of water over the stone, to -wash off all acid, and let it dry. Pen as well as brush work is easy on -such a stone, by using the proper ink for each method. When the work is -finished and dry, the stone is merely coated with gum solution. After a -few minutes it can be inked-in with acid-proof ink and treated as -described before. - - -II - -THE CRAYON METHOD - -The fat of the chemical ink penetrates the stone in dry form as well as -in fluid form, and makes the plate receptive to printing-color. If the -dry ink is cut into long pieces and sharpened, it can be used much like -lead or black crayon. If the stone is ground very smooth, the work can -be made quite fine and resembles that done with fluid ink. The crayon, -however, wears away too quickly. If the stone is ground rough, so that -instead of a polished surface it has one resembling rough paper, the -crayon work appears as a mass of dots that are coarser or finer -according to pressure with the crayon, and produce an effect similar to -crayon designs on paper. As almost every artist and painter knows how to -use crayon, no particular practice is required for working on stone, and -there are no obstacles such as the difficulty of using the steel pen. - -That crayon work on stone is capable of high perfection, and that it can -represent the essentials of a painting in a manner scarcely to be -excelled by the best copper-plate engraver, has been demonstrated by -many successful productions. Add to this that in no other style can one -work equally fast, either on copper or stone, and we see that the crayon -method is a genuine advantage for the art. - -For crayon work the stones must be uniform and hard. They must either be -new, or, if they have been used, they must be ground so thoroughly that -all traces of fat are destroyed and removed absolutely to a degree where -it is certain that they will not appear again and take color, even if -the stone is etched only lightly. As soon as the plates have been ground -true, they must be grained by strewing some fine sand or powdered -sandstone on them and rubbing in all directions with a small piece of -limestone. The work can be done dry or wet. Soap-water is best. It gives -the stone a handsome grain. Practice is demanded to get good results -without scratching the stone. The artist must decide for himself what -grain he needs. I think that it would be good if the artist himself were -to grain the stone in varying degrees according to the need of his -design. For instance, a coarser grain might be good for foregrounds. - -As soon as the stone has been grained, it must be cleansed perfectly -from dust and dirt. It is best to pour clean water over it and wash it -with a clean rag. The dust and sand must all be removed, otherwise they -will not let the crayon reach the stone where it is used delicately. - -When the design is finished, it should be set aside for a day, that it -may take good hold of the stone. It does no harm to let plates rest for -years before etching. Etching must be done by pouring. Painting the -etching fluid on is dangerous because of the danger of taking away fine -spots. About one hundred parts of water are used to one part of -aquafortis. Everything depends on not etching a bit more than necessary. -It is best to etch the coarser parts specially with a small brush and -stronger etching solution, and it is very good to wash the stone with -clean water after etching and let it dry completely before coating with -gum. - -When the stone has been prepared, it should not be cleansed at once with -oil of turpentine, but should be inked-in first with a light -printing-color. Only after it has taken this well should it be cleansed -of the crayon and treated to a firmer color. In the first inking-in -there should be very little pressure with the sponge or wet cloth when -dampening it, as the lightest parts of the design are easily rubbed away -before they have taken color. If such parts should vanish, the easiest -way to restore them is as follows:-- - -Coat the plate with gum solution and wipe with a clean dry cloth till it -is perfectly dry. Then take a flat, knife-like instrument of steel, -which is cleanly ground so that it has no nicks or other defects that -might injure the stone. Scrape with moderate pressure to and fro over -the defective places, but only so that it touches the elevated points -and not the surface of the stone itself. Smear a little fat, such as -linseed oil varnish, over it and wash this away again instantly with gum -solution. Generally the parts all reappear very nicely when the stone is -inked-in again. - -A second kind of correction is as follows: Ink the stone with firm -color, wash it well with plenty of pure water and let it dry. Now redraw -the lost places with crayon. - -Printing crayon work is the most difficult of all lithography, but can -be done perfectly if all necessary precautions are taken. These are -mainly: (_a_) proper dampening of the paper; (_b_) perfect dampening of -the stone;--too much meaning that the fine points will not take color -well, too little making the stone smut easily; (_c_) good stretching of -the leather, industrious lubrication, and an underlay of taffeta; (_d_) -a good, finely mixed inking-color that will not shade off in printing -and yet does not contain too much lampblack; (_e_) soft and well-dried -ink-rollers; (_f_) proper tension of the press; (_g_) utmost possible -speed in printing. The latter aids enormously, because the stone does -not get so much time to dry out. - -Aside from the spreading and running-together of the darker parts, one -of the commonest faults of crayon work is that it is very liable to get -a tone, which spreads over the whole design like a veil; or that the -designs lose their firmness and appear "monotonic" because the shadings -spread and thicken. The first fault comes from weak etching or from oil -that was rancid when it was used to prepare the varnish. The latter -fault makes the color adhere and smut the stone. The same fault is -developed if the printing-color contains soap, which some printers mix -into it for better adherence. It can occur also if the stone has lost -its preparation owing to frequent cleansing and strong rubbing with a -dry rag that is inky. Even strong rubbing with clean water can cause it -if the rag contains fats. - -As to the "monotonic" effect, it is frequent, and I have learned that it -can be caused in two ways, namely, if the color is squashed continually -during the print, which makes the stone sooty; or if the color spreads, -as, for instance, during the night or during the noonday rest. The stone -is prepared only on the surface. In the pen style, all lines are -prepared on the sides also, so that they cannot spread because they are -considerably more elevated than the crayon designs. - -If a crayon design dries after printing and is not coated properly with -gum, the color is liable to spread away from the design and give the -plate the before-mentioned tone. Even if it is coated with gum, the -color will spread, at least in the inner parts of the stone; and as soon -as the very thin surface has been at all wiped away by rough usage, the -underlying fattiness will appear gradually, and begin to take color. - -Both faults of crayon work, namely, the taking of tone and the -development of a "monotonic" condition, can be remedied by inking the -plate for a while with a firmer color. If this does not help, the -following must be resorted to: Ink-in the plate as well as possible, lay -it in the etching-trough and pour over it very weak aquafortis once or -twice. Then wash it with pure water and paint the gum solution over it. -The etching must be done with great caution, with a solution so weak -that the acid is scarcely perceptible. If the plate is to be saved at -all without extensive corrections and re-drawing, this is the best way. -If it is done correctly, it harms the design so little that I advise it -even when the plate looks quite well, but has been standing very long -after the first printing. - -I have etched several crayon designs over again, and rather extensively, -to make them more durable and facilitate printing, and with good -success. This gives the further advantage that corrections can be made -at the same time. - -The correction of crayon designs, that have been etched already and used -for printing, always has been so difficult a task that few have -succeeded. This has led me to give the matter my best attention; and I -hope that the following rules, based on many experiments, will show the -way, at least, even if they do not produce absolute results. - -When a copper-plate engraver has partially finished his plate, he can -have a proof pulled to enable him to study his work. Then he can make -corrections as he pleases,--an advantage that the stone worker has -lacked hitherto. - -To produce an impression that shall be faithful to all the beauties of a -crayon design is a matter dependent on so many trivial details that of -the many hundred crayon designs that have been produced by lithographers -since the origin of the art, hardly one has realized the designer's -hopes and ambitions. The commonest fault is that the more delicate -parts of the design print too light and the heavier ones too dark, -thus destroying the balance of tones. The lightening occurs because -the finest parts of the design have lost their power of taking -printing-color. The darkening occurs because the closely shaded parts -flow together, either because the etching has not made enough white -space between the points and lines or because they are squashed in the -pressure of printing. - -From this, two other faults may arise, that become visible after -inking-in the plate: The first is the appearance of white dots, -sometimes pretty large. The second is that black dots and smut-marks -appear. - -The white dots are caused by speaking during the work, and thus dropping -spittle on the plate. If the spittle is mucous, the plate covers itself -there with a fine crust that resists the chemical crayon so that it does -not soak into the stone and is wiped away by the inking-in. If the -spittle is fatty,--for instance, if one has eaten anything greasy,--the -dots that appear will be black. The same results from touching the plate -with fatty hands. Sometimes a whole picture of the fingers and skin will -appear on the impression. - -Let us suppose that after inking-in, a plate shows all these faults: the -finest shadings vanished entirely, the darker places run together, white -and black dots and smut-marks so that the plate has become useless in -every respect. Can this be remedied? If so, how? - -I answer that it can be remedied in every point; but that the artist -himself must decide if it will not pay better to do the whole design -anew. - -The second question I answer as follows:-- - -Before everything else, it is necessary to remove all that should not be -on the stone, all smut-marks and black dots; and where the design has -darkened, white points or lights must be graved-in. To accomplish this, -the stone is inked-in first with a firm acid-proof color, and over this -with a lighter one. Then erase or grind away the dirt that is outside of -the design and that would dirty the margin of the printing-paper. No -erasing or grinding must be done within the design itself because then -the grain would be destroyed and the necessary drawing could not be done -as it should be. Therefore the faulty parts must be removed by -engraving, with a more or less sharp needle of good steel, so that what -remains looks quite like a good grain. A little practice will show that -this work is not at all difficult and can be done quickly. Places that -have run together can be cleared and made transparent and clean in a few -minutes. If certain points have become too large, they can be corrected -by engraving a white point in their centre or by engraving a line -through them. - -Here I must note that parts of crayon designs thicken sometimes because -the crayon has slipped in drawing, without leaving traces perceptible at -the time. If the etching is weak, it may happen easily that this place -takes printing-color. Skillful engraving may not only correct the -defect, but actually gives the design a beautiful tone and power such as -cannot be easily produced by the crayon itself. - -When the plate has been cleansed thus of all surplus and blemishes, weak -aquafortis is poured over it several times and then it is coated with -gum. After a few minutes it is inked-in with fairly firm color. Then it -will be seen that the design is clean, but that all the parts that were -too light are not darker, but perhaps even lighter, having been affected -by the etching. To remedy this, coat the stone with gum solution and -then wipe it off with a dry clean rag so thoroughly that only a thin -film of gum remains behind. To judge this better, it is well to mix a -little red chalk with the gum. When the plate is wholly dry, take a -knife-like tool of steel as described before, and scrape the defective -parts under moderate pressure, without injuring the elevated points of -the design. Great care must be taken during this process to let no -moisture, not even the breath, touch the stone, because that would -produce the very opposite of what is aimed at. When all faulty places -have been treated, a little tallow or linseed oil is smeared over the -plate and then washed away well but gently with thin gum and water. If -this manipulation has been done accurately, the lost parts of the design -will appear when the plate is inked with a somewhat softer color. - -Those who fear that they do not possess the skill necessary for this -rubbing-up of the defective parts may attain the object by re-drawing -them. The stone must be washed off first with a great deal of very pure -water and the crayon must contain much soap. This kind of correction -must be finished as quickly as possible and the stone should not be set -aside for any length of time without a gum coating. If the corrections -are extensive, it is better first to ink the stone well with acid-proof -color and then to wash it in pure water and let it dry. Then if it is -inked-in after the design is finished, and if weak aquafortis is poured -over it and it is prepared with gum, it will keep for several months. - -Slight blemishes, white specks, etc., can best be corrected by gentle -touching-up with crayon during the proof-printing on the wet plate. It -is understood, of course, that one can also work with pen or brush in a -crayon design that has been already etched. Parts that are too dark can -be made lighter by passing over them a few times with a brush dipped in -weak aquafortis and then re-coating with gum. - -These are about the best ways for correcting a crayon design that proves -after etching to be imperfect. - -I close with the following:-- - -(1) The tanners of Munich manufacture an inking-ball, made especially -for printing, of sheepskin, such as I could not obtain in other places, -like London, Offenbach, and Vienna. It is not white like alum-dressed -leather, but yellowish, and the oil has not been completely washed out. -I have had dogskin and thin calfskin worked in the same way and have -found them even better, because of their greater durability. If a roller -is covered with this leather, so that the side that was hairy comes -outermost (not innermost as many do), it develops a decided property of -taking-on color, probably because of its smoothness and elasticity. This -aids much in spreading the color uniformly over the stone. The property -is increased if the roller is dampened slightly before being inked; but -on the contrary, if the stone is kept too wet, the constant moisture -will gradually prepare the roller, so to speak, and it will take less -color and let it go quickly, thus inking the stone badly. - -If a roller has been used a long time, it loses its elasticity and -softness and becomes useless for fine work. Still worse is a roller that -has hardened from the drying of the ink. It is surprising to see what a -difference it makes if one has worked for a time with a poor roller and -then replaces it with a good one. It is almost impossible to believe -that the new impressions come from the same stone. I am inclined, -therefore, to believe that the quality of the ink-roller has more effect -on good impressions of crayon and fine pen work than even the quality of -the printing-color. - -As stated, it is well to change rollers frequently, and it is wise to -clean them with linseed oil or butter after use to keep them soft and -tender. In working on crayon designs of superior value I advise the use -of new rollers. - -(2) It has been remarked before that the color of the stone often -deceives the artist as to the values and proportions of his work and -that the designs always look better on the soft-colored stone than they -do on the glaring white paper. This observation led to printing on paper -tinted like the stone, and the results fulfilled expectations. There -were difficulties however. The very best quality of this paper is -extremely dear, and other qualities had the property of dirtying the -stone, on account of the coloring-matter used for tinting them. -Therefore the attempt was made to print the design on white paper and to -color it afterwards. Here, too, there arose many inconveniences, so that -at last there came the thought of laying a yellow tint over the -impression by means of a second printing. This method proved to be not -only the most economical and quick, but it had the further advantage -that the margins of the paper could be left white, thus enhancing the -value of the design. Hardly had it been used with success a few times -before Herr Piloty conceived the idea of printing the high lights into -the design with white printing-color, so that the impressions would -resemble actual drawings. My experiments toward that end did not result -satisfactorily, because no white oil color will print well enough; and I -proposed that the high lights be engraved into the tint plate and thus -permit the original white of the paper to show. So there came that kind -of crayon impression with one or more tint plates, which has become so -popular that various art connoisseurs hold it to be the triumph of the -lithographic art. - -To make and print these tone plates, I have thought out many ways; but -as I am sure that they will suggest themselves to those who have grasped -my text-book, I will describe only the best of them all. - -Take a stone of good average quality, the best not being essential, and -grind it as for crayon work with a grain not too coarse. When it is -clean and dry, cover it uniformly with the following chemical ink, which -must be laid on so thickly that it surely will resist the aquafortis -sufficiently, yet not so very thickly that it will hinder the drawing-in -of the lights later on. - -The chemical ink for use on the tone plates is made of four parts wax, -one part soap, and two parts vermilion. The two first materials are -melted in a clean vessel over a moderate fire and then the vermilion is -stirred in. - -A piece of ink as large as a hazel nut is rubbed down in a clean coffee -cup and then dissolved in rain water till it is just fluid enough to lie -evenly and nicely on the plate when applied with a soft brush. - -When the stone thus has been painted red, it must be permitted to dry -thoroughly. When it is dry, a strong impression of the design is made on -sized but well-dampened paper with a printing-color rather soft than -firm. Before the paper has a chance to dry and thus to shrink, the red -stone is placed in the press and the impression is laid on it face down. -Use moderate pressure. The drawing will transfer itself to the red -surface, but the paper will stick. Wet it with weak aquafortis till it -is completely softened and permits itself to be removed. Care must be -taken not to spoil the drawing by violent wiping and rubbing. - -This method is easier if a special transfer paper is used. Coat -well-sized, very clean paper with a thin paste of starch such as -laundresses use for stiffening linen. This paper must not be dampened -very much, because then it will not take the impression well. It also is -removed from the tone plate by washing with weak aquafortis and it -yields very easily, because the paste lets go of the color readily. - -When the design has been transferred to the tone plate, take good iron -instruments and remove the wax surface wherever the high lights are -desired. As the stone is ground rough, the scraping will produce only -small specks at first, because the instrument will touch only the relief -points. The more the scraping proceeds, the deeper it will go, till at -last one reaches the bottom of the coating and thus obtains a white -light. Experts can so manipulate the tint plates that the lights will be -graduated from the softest to the most glaring. - -As soon as the lights are drawn in, the margins of the drawing are -scraped the same way. Then the plate is treated to several washings of -pretty strong aquafortis, about twenty parts of water to one part of -aquafortis. After coating with gum, it is ready for printing. - -The most important requisite for this printing is a good arrangement -that will insure an exact register of the second impression with the -first, that the lights may appear exactly where they belong. - -To achieve this, the practice used to be to draw two register marks on -the stone holding the original design, which were transferred to the -tint plate with the rest of the design. When the first impression was -made, the printed paper was cut away exactly at the marked points, and -laid accurately, on the tone plate, being guided by the two marks there. -This was effective, but it had the fault that the paper had to be -trimmed off carefully for each impression and that the slightest -inaccuracy spoiled the register. However, it is very useful for printing -proofs. - -It is far better to have a printing-frame that is so fixed that it will -never shift its position in the slightest degree. To this is fastened a -little movable frame that has two steel needles whose position is -adjustable at will. Lubricate the leather inside with wax and lay a -sheet of white paper on it. See that the tint plate is so fastened in -the press that it cannot stir out of place. Make an impression and take -care especially that the two register marks print off well. Now set the -needles in the little frame so that they will be exactly over these two -marks. If, then, an impression of the design is laid on so that the two -guiding-marks on it come exactly under the two needles, it will, of -course, register perfectly. Of course the little frame must be so -adjusted that it can be folded back out of the way before each -impression, and the printing-frame must hold the sheets of paper so that -they cannot move. - -To color the tint plate, use a firm varnish tinted with umber, or any -other color that will give the desired effect. New rollers are best, -insuring a fine, even, unspotted tone. - -(3) In rough-grinding the stones, it is difficult to prevent scratches -and furrows caused by the coarse sand. No design of value should be made -on such a stone, but if one is used, the defects should be touched up -with chemical ink and a fine brush, as crayon will hardly do it. - -(4) As the delicate places in crayon work are not durable, etching -having the property of reducing the light portions and darkening the -darker ones, I tried the method of drawing the lighter portions on a -separate stone in rather stronger manner and printing from it with paler -ink. The success was so great that I hope in time to produce true -masterpieces with the aid of skilled artists, and here call attention to -it in advance. - -(5) After learning how to make a second impression over a first one, it -is not difficult to pass on to printing with several stones and from -that going on to color-printing. In the early days of my invention I -tried color-printing with a crayon plate and had the best success by -using stencils such as are used by the painters of cards. On oiled stiff -paper I made as many impressions of a design as there were to be colors. -Then all that was to be red was cut out from one stencil, green from -another, and so forth. Then the stone was wetted, the stencil laid on it -and the uncovered parts of the stones inked-in with the right color. -After all the colors had been applied, I made the impression, which -generally looked neat enough, but still resembled a sketchy drawing -rather than a painting, because no color except black, zinc red, and -dark blue permitted itself to be printed strongly enough. But by using -several stones, each of which can be designed and treated according to -the necessities of color, impressions can be made that resemble the -English colored copper prints very closely, especially if the crayon and -pen or brush methods are united. - -(6) A stone plate may be etched so that it will have the roughness -needed for crayon work. Grind it as clean and smooth as possible with -pumice, pour aquafortis over it and coat with gum. Wash it well in water -and dry with a clean cloth. Coat it very thinly but uniformly with -tallow into which is mixed a little lampblack, so that one can see if -the coating is perfectly even. With a small ball or roller covered with -fine cloth, roll or pat the stone till it has a very uniform tone. Now -pour a little diluted aquafortis on one end as a test to see if it -penetrates uniformly through the fatty coating. Practice is needed to -hit just the right thickness that the tallow coating must be. It must be -thin, and yet sufficiently thick to resist the aquafortis somewhat, so -that it yields only at those places where the roughness of the cloth on -the roller has removed it more or less. - -If the test is satisfactory, make a raised border of wax around the -stone and pour the aquafortis solution on it. A solution of forty parts -of water to one part of aquafortis is better than a stronger one because -the stones are more equally attacked. As soon as the resulting bubbles -are as large as the head of a small pin, the etching fluid is poured -away quickly and replaced with pure water to get rid of the bubbles. -Pour away the water and apply etching fluid again. Repeat this four or -five times, according to the grain desired, and in the end wash the -stone well with oil of turpentine to remove all fattiness. Then it must -be washed with weak but very pure aquafortis, followed by a great deal -of very pure water. After cleaning and drying very carefully with a -clean rag, it is ready for use; and if the work has been well done, a -grain will have been produced that is prettier and much more even than -can be produced by rubbing with sand. - -(7) The instructions given here teach how to draw on a stone that has -been prepared beforehand with aquafortis and gum. This is not in the -least inimical to the durability of the design if only the union of the -gum with the stone has been destroyed again by washing afterward with -diluted but pure aquafortis and every trace of this acid again has been -removed by copious washing with pure water. If there is a considerable -amount of the soap in the crayon, the good result will be greater than -with an entirely clean stone, because, since it has already been etched -twice, the etching after the design may be very limited, so that it is -not harmful to even the most delicate shadings in the design. - -(8) Some attempts made by me to etch crayon designs more powerfully than -usual proved that the more delicate places would suffer, but if I -rubbed them up with a flat knife as described before, they appeared -again and I had the advantage that the whole plate was much better -prepared than it is with weak etching. - -(9) If a crayon plate is spoiled in printing through carelessness or -lack of skill, the rules for remedying the trouble are the same as those -named for pen work, and the judgment of the worker must decide which -method is the most applicable. In general, it may be assumed that the -best remedy for blurred spots is to draw them over again with crayon; -and for smutted parts the best is to apply firmer printing-color, or to -cleanse with oil of turpentine and gum and afterward ink-in with -acid-proof ink, and then use light etching with weak aquafortis followed -always by coating with gum and water. - - -III - -TRANSFER AND TRACING - -In the pen and crayon method all the lines that are to take -printing-color are drawn directly on the stone with a fatty preparation. -But lithography has a unique way of transferring to the stone a drawing -or inscription that is first put on paper with the fatty substance. This -is possible only for lithography, and I incline to the belief that it is -the most important of all my inventions. It makes it unnecessary to -learn reverse writing. Everybody who can write on paper with ordinary -ink can do so with the chemical transfer ink, and this writing can then -be transferred to the stone and manifolded indefinitely. In Munich and -Petersburg this method has been introduced for government work. The -measures adopted in council are written during the session by the -secretary, with chemical ink on paper, and sent to the printery. Within -an hour impressions are ready to distribute among the members. I am -convinced that within ten years every European Government will have a -lithographic establishment. - -In war the method would have a great value. It would replace the field -printery, and it permits greater speed and secrecy. The commander need -merely write his orders himself and have them printed in his presence by -a man who cannot read, to be sure that his plans will not be betrayed. -The engineer officers can draw plans and have them circulated among the -officers who need them. - -Authors and scientists will find the method to be the means of -circulating their works in manuscript very cheaply. - -Even artists will respect the method when its gradual perfection enables -them to draw their pictures on paper with ink or crayon and reproduce -them. - -Not from boastfulness, but from conviction of the importance of the -method, have I thus recounted its advantages. I could fill a whole book -with detailed explanations. I wish to gain friends for the method, that -it may be improved to its ultimate degree by skilled artists. - -The chemical ink used for the paper may be soft or firm. The paper may -be specially prepared or not. The stone may be warm or cold. The design -leaves the paper entirely and clings to the stone, or does so only -partly. To describe all this would take too much space. I will describe -only the method that I consider best, namely, a method under which the -work is done with a soft ink, and transferred to an unwarmed stone. This -is the quickest and surest, and has the advantage of not spoiling the -original. - -In a clean coffee cup rub down a piece, as large as a hazel nut, of the -chemical ink described under the heading "Transfer Ink" in an earlier -part of this work. Dissolve with rain water or soft river water. The -amount of water is determined according to the need for fine or coarse -work. In the latter case, the ink should be thinner, that there may not -be too much ink in the design after it dries. - -While the writing or design is drying, select a stone that either has -not been used before or at least has been thoroughly ground off, and -grind it down once more with pure and dry pumice stone without water, -until it is certain that all parts of the surface have been rubbed down -so thoroughly that the stone may properly be considered a new one. Clean -away the dust with clean paper, fasten the stone in the press, examine -the scraper to make sure that it is even, adjust the press for the -proper pressure; in a word, do all that is necessary for good -impressions. From this time on the greatest care must be taken not to -touch the polished stone with as much as a finger, not to mention -keeping grease and dirt away from it. - -As soon as every point in the design on the paper is perfectly dry, wet -it on the reverse side with a sponge dipped into weak but pure -aquafortis until the paper is quite soft. Lay it between waste paper -sheets for a time, to prevent it from pulling out of shape and to remove -the excess moisture. It must be soft, but not wet, when the impression -is made. - -Lay the paper face down on the stone. On it lay two sheets of dry waste -paper, then an equally large piece of taffeta, another sheet of waste -paper and make the transfer print with a moderately swift motion of the -press, which must have more tension than is used for ordinary -impressions. The power of a lever press is insufficient for larger -stones, and a cylinder press is required. - -After a few minutes the stone is withdrawn from the press, the paper is -lifted off and the stone permitted to dry for a minute. It is better if -one can wait longer. Then put it into the etching-trough, and pour over -it, quickly and only once, a clean but weak solution of one hundred -parts of water to one part of aquafortis. It is necessary to be skillful -enough to cover the whole surface with one application. Then the stone -is washed by pouring pure water over it, and, if time permits, set aside -to dry. If time is limited, the gum solution to prepare the stone can be -put on at once. Now the transfer is on the stone, properly etched and -prepared. To make clean impressions, however, the printing-color must -first be rubbed on, then the stone must be inked-in with acid-proof -color and after that undergo another etching, a trifle stronger. - -To rub on the printing-color, rub a little acid-proof color into a piece -of clean linen or cotton, so that it is well permeated but not thickly -covered. Rub this rag gently to and fro over the transfer while the gum -is still on it, till every part of the design is nicely inked. This -rubbing-in of color is an important part of many of the processes that -will be described later. - -Now clean the stone well with water, ink-in with acid-proof ink, and -etch it again as has been described several times. Then it is ready for -printing. The last etching is not necessary if only a few impressions -are desired. - -Transfer is applicable not only for pen designs but also for crayon. The -crayon used for the purpose should be softened a little with tallow, or, -if the harder crayon is used, the stone should be warmed when making the -transfer. But it must not be inked-in or have color rubbed on, until it -is quite cold again. For crayon transfer the paper used generally is -fine drawing-paper. It must be wetted with somewhat stronger aquafortis -that it may release the crayon more readily. The rest of the process is -the same. - -Besides these two methods, the transfer process can be used for all -products of the book-printer's art, type as well as wood-cut. A freshly -printed sheet can be transferred directly to a stone, especially if the -printer has used our before-mentioned acid-proof ink instead of his -ordinary printer's ink. To get a perfectly clear transfer it is -necessary merely to see that the printer does not use too much overlay, -which would stamp the type too deeply into the paper; and that before -trying to transfer the printed sheet to the stone it is subjected to -gentle pressure in the press to free it from all inequalities. To do -this without at the same time risking any loss of ink which might -subsequently weaken the transfer, the sheet is well wetted, laid on a -clean, wet stone that has been prepared so that it will not have any -inclination to take color, and subjected to a very slight pressure, the -press being used with almost no tension. This makes the printed sheet -beautifully even. Then if it is transferred to a stone properly prepared -as described before, the transfer will be perfect. - -Even old book pages can be freshened up and transferred. I have spoken -already of those that are on unsized paper. With prints on sized paper -the method is as follows:-- - -Make a paint-like mixture of fine chalk and starch paste. Thin it down -with water and paint the sheet. Dip a bit of linen rag into a thin color -made of thin varnish and tallow tinted with vermilion. Touch-up the wet -paper with the rag till every bit of type has taken red color. Pour -clean water over it and touch-up the paper everywhere with a ball of -fine cloth stuffed with horsehair. This will remove all surplus color. -Continue this till the type matter is only faintly red. Then the paper -must be washed very thoroughly with many pourings of water and laid -between waste paper sheets to remove all surplus moisture. The transfer -and so on must be done then as in the other cases. - -Good transfers can be made also from a copper-plate engraving if the -copper-plate impression is made with our acid-proof ink. The ordinary -copper-plate ink is not so good. It will be self-evident that designs on -stone can be transferred and reproduced the same way. - -The tracing process has the property in common with the transfer process -that it transmits only a small amount of fattiness to the stone and -requires subsequent rubbing-in of color to give it strength. - -Coat a piece of thin and clean vellum paper with tallow and lampblack -and wipe it off again as neatly as possible, so that there remains only -a thin film, which will not smut the stone when laid face down, unless -pressure is exerted. Now draw on this with a clean English lead pencil -that contains no sand, or with a composition of lead, zinc, and bismuth, -and the pressure will force the design on the stone and transfer its -fat, which then penetrates the stone and will give impressions. In -preparing a stone thus made, greater care in etching is necessary than -even in the transfer process. Very weak aquafortis solution must be -used. - -The process is something between pen and crayon work. It is quite -applicable for sketches and pictures that are to be illuminated. - - -IV - -CONCERNING THE WOOD-CUT STYLE - -For this purpose, the stone is coated completely with chemical ink on -the places where this style is to be used. As soon as it is dry, the -lights are drawn into it with a steel engraving-needle that is ground to -a sharp or broad point according to requirement. Those parts that are to -be very white, with fine lines and specks, are best drawn in with the -pen. Thus the wood-cut style differs from the ordinary pen design -chiefly in character and in the treatment of the darker parts. Its -practice is much easier on the stone than on wood, and it can be -combined with crayon work. Etching, preparation, and printing are the -same as with other styles. - - -V - -TWO KINDS OF TOUCHE DRAWING - -One of these resembles the wood-cut style in method but in effect -approaches copper-plate work. The stone is grained as for crayon, -etched, prepared with gum, cleansed with water, coated well with -soap-water, wiped, dried, and finally coated with a thin, colored -covering of fat, by either coating with acid-proof ink or with hard -chemical ink. - -This first etching and preparation are required to prevent the fat to be -applied afterward from penetrating too deeply into the stone, so that it -may adhere only to the surface. - -Now the design is made on it with a steel scraper. The manipulation is -like that for making tint plates. It demands greater care, however, and -better etching. - -The completed design is etched (phosphoric acid being best) and coated -with gum. A few drops of oil of turpentine are poured on and all the -color is wiped away with a woolen rag, but without any rough rubbing. -Then the plate can be inked-in with fairly firm acid-proof ink. - -The second method would excel crayon work if it were perfected. I have -advanced pretty far with it. It is an imitation of the ordinary wash -drawing which is done with a brush and dissolved Chinese ink on paper. - -The stone, which must be very clean and free from all fat, is grained, -coated with soap-water, cleaned with oil of turpentine, and dried. Then -a hard chemical ink, which may contain a little more soap than usual, or -the ink described for brush work, is dissolved in pure rain water and -used on the stone with a brush just as it would be used on paper. - -When the design is finished and very well dried, the entire surface of -the stone is rubbed gently with a fine cloth, in order to perforate the -color with tiny holes everywhere. As it will perforate more readily in -the parts where the ink has been laid on thinly, the succeeding -aquafortis will eat through there more easily, and thus the etching will -correspond nicely with the tones of the design. It is necessary, -however, to know the strength of the acid and the resisting power of the -ink very accurately. It is well to experiment and write down the best -proportions. In any case, the etching fluid must not be too strong and -the etching must not be done by pouring or brushing, but in the copper -etcher's manner, by framing the stone with wax so that the fluid will -lie on the stone. As soon as the resulting bubbles reach the magnitude -of a pin's head, the fluid is poured off instantly and then poured on -again till the bubbles reappear. How long this must be continued depends -on the strength of the ink. - -It is understood, of course, that the etched stone must then be coated -with gum. - - -VI - -THE SPATTER METHOD - -This speedy and easily executed style surely will come into wide use -soon. It is done as follows:-- - -The outlines of a design are laid on a stone prepared for pen work, by -tracing. Then they are traced again, say four times, on sheets of paper. -On each sheet everything that falls into the category of one of the four -chief tones is cut out with a sharp penknife so that the four sheets are -like the stencils of card painters. Now the chief lines of the design -are made on the stone with chemical ink, using either brush or pen. Lay -one of the stencils on it exactly, weight it that it may not move, and -perform the operation of spattering. - -This is done by dipping a small brush, such as a clean toothbrush, into -chemical ink and scraping it with a knife so that the ink is spattered -over the stone. Care must be exercised not to have too much ink in the -brush, for fear of blots or over-large spattering. After practice it -will be possible to produce such fine and uniform dots as cannot -possibly be produced by the pen. After the desired grade of shading has -been achieved, the stone is permitted to dry. Then the second stencil is -laid on and the operation repeated till all have been used. If enough -stencils are made, the whole design can be made by spattering. It is not -necessary, however, to make many, as the design has to be finished up by -hand afterward anyway. - -This finishing-up is done first with the engraving-needle, which opens -and decreases all dots that are too large, and then with the pen, which -brings out the true proportions of the various tones. - - -VII - -TOUCHE WITH SEVERAL PLATES - -This really is only a process of using many tint plates. It makes -splendid effects possible, equal to any produced by an artist with -Chinese ink, and deserves the attention of all artists, especially as it -is the easiest and quickest of all methods, even though it is a little -circumstantial in the printing. - -Draw the outlines of a design on the stone in chemical ink with pen or -brush, and then make four, five, or six transfers on stone plates -prepared for pen work. Register marks must be on the design. Now draw-in -the darkest parts on the first plate, the less dark ones on the second, -the lighter ones on the third, and so on till the whole design is -finished. The work is best done with a brush. One or more of the stones -may be designed with crayon; but the number of stones designed with ink -must be greater, in order to make the grain of the crayon designs -unnoticeable. - -The etching is done as in pen work. For each stone the printing-color is -chosen according to the tone of its design. Of course particular -accuracy is vital; but the artist should not permit the apparent -difficulties to frighten him, as he will see very soon after trial that -no other method produces such beautiful results. - - -VIII - -COLOR-PRINTING WITH MANY PLATES - -This method, in which the various colors are drawn on several stones, -either with pen or crayon, resembles the one just described. - -According to treatment the impressions will resemble a painting, a -copper-plate engraving in color, or an illuminated copper-plate -engraving, if the color stones are used merely to lay colors over a -design already printed in its entirety in black. - -The whole process is so like the preceding one that I need merely -recount the colors that I have found serviceable for the purpose. - -RED. Vermilion, red lake of cochineal, fine madder lake, and finally -carmine if it is mixed first with Venetian turpentine before being -combined with varnish, as otherwise it inclines to separate from the -varnish and unite with water, staining the whole printing-paper red. - -BLUE. Berlin blue and mineral blue. Use only a small amount, sufficient -for a few hours. These colors dry quickly, and, besides, make the -varnish too tough, so that they must be thinned down from time to time -with a little linseed oil. Fine indigo is very good, also a blue lake -that is made of logwood and verdigris. This latter is not durable in -sunlight. - -I have had no success as yet with green or yellow. - -Verdigris is difficult to manipulate because it smuts the stone easily -and does not tolerate many mixtures. Schweinfurther green, one of the -new colors, is much better in all respects, but not dark enough. -Mixtures of yellow lake with indigo or mineral blue are not very -durable. Golden yellow ochre with mineral blue or indigo does not -produce a pretty green, and King's yellow mixed with blue is handsome -but not durable. Neapolitan yellow and the newer chrome yellow with blue -produce a green that is not dark enough. - -I have obtained the handsomest and darkest green by printing the design -blue first and then printing over it a yellow plate, so that the yellow -lay over the blue. By using Berlin blue and fine ochre a fairly handsome -color is produced. On account of its loss of color in water, ochre -cannot be used unless Venetian turpentine is first mixed with the -varnish. - -A handsome and at the same time dark yellow is equally hard to obtain. -Till a good color is invented, we must content ourselves with ochre, -Terra de Sienna, Neapolitan yellow, mineral yellow or chrome. - -This printing with various colors is a process for which the stone is -superior; and it is susceptible of such perfection that in future true -paintings will be produced by its means. My experience convinces me of -this. - - -IX - -GOLD AND SILVER PRINTING - -This process is useful for decoration. - -Those parts of the design that are to appear in gold or silver are drawn -with chemical ink on a stone prepared for pen work. After the drawing is -dry, it is etched and prepared in the usual way. The printing is done -with a silver gray color of firm varnish, fine crayon and a very little -lampblack. The paper must be entirely dry and very smooth. Soon after -the impression has been made, the printed parts are covered with silver -or gold leaf such as is used by gilders. It is pressed on slightly with -cotton, that it may adhere, and then a sheet of paper is laid over it. -Then the second impression is made, treated the same way, and so on. - -No more impressions must be made than one can cover with silver or gold -in two hours. If the ink is on the paper too long, it will draw in and -not take the metal well. After gilding or silvering, the sheets must lie -for some hours or till the next day, that the ink may take perfect hold -of the paper, so that, in the succeeding pressing, it will not penetrate -the metal and make it look sooty. The pressing is done by laying six or -eight impressions on a clean stone under the press and passing them -through as for printing, with the proper tension. This tension must be -adjusted according to the firmness of the printing-color; therefore it -is best to make test with one sheet. Then, if the metal does not adhere -sufficiently, the pressure can be increased. - -In the end all surplus gold or silver is removed by gentle wiping with -clean cotton. This is easy, as it will have fastened itself only to the -printed parts. If the impressions can be set aside for some days without -being wiped, it is better, and there is not so much danger of injuring -the brilliancy of the metal. - -If gold and silver are to be printed on designs where there is other -color also, or where there is black, the print on which the metal is to -be applied must always be made first. Only when the sheets have been -gilded or silvered, pressed, wiped, and cleaned, is the black design to -be printed on from the next plate. That all this must be done with the -register marks previously described is, of course, self-evident. - -So I close my description of the Relief method; and I hope that I have -made it all so clear that good results will come to all who follow my -directions. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -INTAGLIO METHOD - - -This differs from the other in that the fat, which is to attract the -printing-color, is under the surface of the stone, the design having -been either engraved-in or etched, and then filled with fat. - -Like the preceding method, it has several branches. The best are -these:-- - - -I - -THE LINE ENGRAVED STYLE - -This is one of the most useful branches of lithography, and if the -artist has attained enough skill and the printer knows his trade, it -approaches very near to the handsomest copper plates, and at the same -time is about three times easier and quicker than work on copper. It is -splendidly adapted for writings and charts. - -Choose a hard, uniform stone of the best kind. Grind it as finely as -possible. Etch with aquafortis and prepare with gum. This, at least, was -my early method, and it has remained in use in all printeries. Later, -however, I discovered that it is almost better to coat the stone with -gum without previous etching, because it can be more easily worked then. -Only in that case it must be perfectly clean and contain no concealed -fattiness. Immediately after the stone has been coated with gum (not -some hours later, as many do) the gum must be removed with water, that -it may not penetrate too deeply and thus cause a condition which will -prevent the finest lines from taking on color subsequently. - -Then coat the plate with a tint made of gum solution and lampblack or -red chalk. Use a soft brush to make the coating very thin and uniform. -It has the double purpose, first, of giving the stone a color so that -the engraver can see his work, and of covering the prepared surface of -the stone with a protective coat that later will admit the fatty -printing-color only where it has been pierced by the engraving-tool. It -is evident that this latter property is increased according to the -amount of gum in it, yet only little gum must be used in it, the -permissible amount being only just enough to insure that the coating -shall not be easily wiped away during the work of engraving. - -The stone must be absolutely dry before any work is done on it. Then the -design is traced on it, or drafted directly on it with lead. Transfer by -printing from paper is not advisable, because the resulting fattiness of -the design makes the graver slip. - -For the actual work of engraving there is no counsel to be given except -to choose good and sharp needles of the very best steel, hard enough to -cut glass; and that all lines must be graved clean. There must be no -excessive pressure, and in wide strokes there must be no excessive -depths. In making very fine lines the stone should merely be touched by -the tool. If they appear white, and a little fine dust is observed, one -may be certain that they will appear properly in the printing. Broad -lines often can be made with one stroke of a flat needle, but generally -they are made by continued, gradual scraping. If the stone is to be only -lightly wiped during printing, the broad lines must not be deeper than -strictly necessary to make them clear, as otherwise they will squash. In -true art works, however, which are to be printed with firm color and -under more powerful rubbing and wiping, the depths of all lines must be -considered carefully, as they will print darker or lighter according to -depth. - -Of all things the worker must take heed against touching the stone with -dirty or greasy hands, for a plate thus blemished is not only difficult -to engrave, but the grease finally may penetrate through the slightly -gummed coating and enter the stone, making much consequent trouble when -the printing begins. - -It is more harmful still to wet the stone in any way, because then the -coating gum will dissolve, penetrate into the engraved lines and give -them a preparation, so that they cannot take color afterward. Therefore, -especially in winter, a very cold stone must be warmed before working on -it with the design, as otherwise the moisture in the room will -precipitate itself on the stone. Even the perspiration of the hands or -the moisture of the breath may cause damage. Therefore a good but -careful warming is very advisable. - -If a plate has become moistened, as, for instance, from a breath, it -must be permitted to dry before doing any further work on it, and -especially it must not be wiped. - -The dust resulting from the engraving is to be removed either with a -soft brush or by blowing it away. - -Faulty lines that are noticed during the engraving may be scraped flat -very carefully so that no furrows are made, or they may be rubbed off -with fine pumice, after which those places must be prepared again, and -coated with gum applied with a small brush. Then the corrections can be -made. If only tiny places are faulty, they need merely be coated with a -mixture of weak phosphoric acid, gum, and lampblack or red chalk. This -prepares them. Thus they will not take color during the print, and so -are practically removed. - -When the design is finished, the stone must be very dry that it may take -color well. But it must not be warmed, as this would incline it to take -smut. A color consisting of thin varnish, a little tallow, and lampblack -is now rubbed swiftly into all the depressions, and immediately wiped -away again with a woolen rag wetted with gum solution. This removes the -original red or black coating also. - -Thus the hitherto colored stone becomes perfectly white, while the -engraved design, which has appeared white, is now black. The first -impression that the eye will gain will be that now the design appears -much finer than it did before. That is because every white line on a -dark background looks wider than a black line of the same thickness on a -white background. Therefore, while engraving, the artist should aim to -make his lines a trifle bigger than his eye would suggest. - -In printing the stone the usual precautions required in every form of -lithographic printing must be observed. Beyond that, the matter of chief -importance is the proper composition of the printing-color. - -Stone plates made in this way can be inked-in (1) by rubbing-in the -color and light wiping, and (2) by harder wiping, and (3) by the -ink-roller. - -For the first method, a color can be made of thin varnish and burned -lampblack, the latter being present in fairly large quantity but very -finely rubbed-down. Into this color is mixed a quantity, equivalent to -one half the mass, of gum solution that is almost as thick as the color -itself. Everything must be mixed perfectly. If the solution is too -watery, it is not easy to mix it. - -Three clean rags of cotton or linen are needed for inking. The first is -used to wet the stone and to clean it again in the end. The second is -colored with a small quantity of printing-color and rubbed in by -thorough wiping to and fro. The third rag is used to clean away any -surplus that may adhere. Then the first clean rag is used to cleanse the -stone thoroughly. - -All three rags must be wetted with gum solution, and the first and third -must be washed several times during the day. - -The stone plate is harder to clean at first than after some fifty -impressions have been made. Often there will remain little specks of -color on the prepared places, which are easy enough to wipe away but are -inclined to reappear. To remedy this it may be necessary to use more -clean rags in the beginning or more gum solution. If the stone has been -polished very well in grinding, this trouble will not be very noticeable -if at all. Under any circumstances, it will disappear gradually during -the printing, so that at last it will be possible to clean the surface -with the very same rag that lays the color on and is permeated with ink. - -In the second method, the wiping is harder in order to take more color -away from the shallower lines, so that they will be pale compared with -the deep ones which then will appear very black and strong. - -If the full beauty of a well-made copper plate is to be equaled, care -must be taken, as said before, to achieve the proper depth of -engraving, and the stone must be wiped harder. Otherwise the method is -the same, except that beautiful, shining impressions often can be made -by using a firm color, if the stone can bear the necessary tension. - -The inking-in with the ink-roller is like the same process in other -methods, except that the color must be softer and the roller well filled -with it. It is necessary, also, to learn by practice how to work the -color into all the deep lines. - -The impression must be made immediately after inking, as otherwise the -color will sink too deeply into the stone and not give a strong -impression without renewed inking. - -The paper must be wetted a little more than in the other method. - -The tension of the press is according to the size of the plates, but on -the whole must be two or three times greater than for the other methods. -More pressure still may be needed for very fine work, as the finer lines -often are harder to print than the coarse ones. - -As soon as the first clean proof is pulled, it must be examined for -errors or faults in the design. If there are any, the stone is removed -from the press after being delicately coated with gum, and the -correction is made as follows: Before anything else, all such faults as -are to be removed entirely are either scraped away with a very sharp -knife or rubbed away with a very fine stone. The manipulation must be -very delicate to avoid grooves and furrows or sharp edges that afterward -will hold dirt. Then the parts thus corrected are coated with a mixture -of about six parts water, two parts gum, and one part aquafortis to -prepare them anew. - -If anything new is to be added to the design or drawn in place of an -error, the stone is washed with water throughout, or, if the correction -is to be made only in a very small part, washed at the desired place. -Then it is coated with the red chalk as described in the beginning, but -so thinly that the design can be seen plainly through the red coat. Now -all that is desired can be engraved, filled again with the rubbing-in -color, and turned over to the printer, who cleanses it with gum water -and proceeds to print. - -Only a few more useful suggestions:-- - -(1) It happens often that after the first rubbing-in of fat color and -the succeeding cleansing with water, the stone gets a "tone" over its -whole surface; that is, it takes color at least partly, and thus seems -to have lost its original preparation. This may be due to the fact that -not enough gum has been used in the original coating, or that the -rubbing-in was rough enough to injure the protective coating, or that -the rubbing-in-color was left on too long before being washed away with -gum solution. - -A similar fault may develop with the second rubbing-in, after -corrections, and from the following causes: Poor color containing sand; -too much pressure with the greasy rags; the use of rags not sufficiently -cleansed of any soap used in washing them; rubbing-in of color with too -dry a color rag; in brief, from anything that may destroy the stone's -preparation wholly or in part. - -Sometimes this defect may be remedied by mixing more gum into the -printing-color and into the water with which the cleaning-rags are -wetted. A firmer color may aid, if it is rubbed away by fairly strong -pressure of the rag as soon as it has adhered. This operates as a remedy -because the firm color takes hold of the dirt that has set itself into -the pores of the stones, and when it is removed, takes the dirt with it. -If none of these have results, there is nothing left except to grind off -the plate very slightly and carefully with an exceedingly fine stone and -gum solution. In the case of very delicate designs, this is not -applicable, because the finest lines have practically no depth. -Therefore they must be washed instead, a rag being dipped into weak -aquafortis or very much diluted phosphoric acid, and passed carefully -over the stone till the dirt disappears. It is well to mix in a little -gum, and also to rub acid-proof ink into the stone first, that the -etching fluid may not attack the design too much. - -After this cleansing the tone will disappear, but another fault often -appears in place of it. The color, after rubbing-in, will not permit -itself to be wiped away readily, because the etching has caused some -roughnesses to which the color adheres in the form of little specks. A -number of clean rags with gum solution must then be used, or the stone -should be lightly rolled a few times with the ink-roller after being -rubbed-in. The roller will take the specks. Indeed, the fault hardly -ever appears if the inking-in is done with the roller, as suggested in -the remarks about the third form of inking-in. - -As soon as some few impressions have been made, the roughness of the -plate disappears gradually and it can be wiped off without leaving -specks behind. Gentle rubbing with pumice finely powdered and mixed with -gum solution will remove the defect in the very beginning, but care is -needed lest the design be injured. - -(2) A line that has so little depth that it is almost level with the -surface of the stone can be made as black as a deeply engraved one by -continued rubbing with the color rag. In using a firmer color the lines, -especially the wider ones, can be so overloaded after a while that the -ink will squash under the press. This surplus can be removed again by -the use of the ink-roller, but it is merely adding unnecessary work, as -proper practice in inking-in and the use of exactly the right -consistency of color will prevent the trouble. - -(3) The best way to ink-in an intaglio design is to rub it in at first -with a somewhat firm color that however, contains enough gum, then to -wipe it a bit, and after that to rub gently to and fro over the stone -under gentle pressure, with a rag containing a less heavy color. A -firmer color does not adhere well to the more delicate lines, or, at -least, is hard to print; but by applying it first, the printing of the -wider and deeper lines is facilitated, while the succeeding rubbing with -softer color brings out the perfection of the finer lines. - -The second rag with the lighter color must not be filled with it in -mass, but should merely be made sooty with it, so to speak. Otherwise -the lighter color would penetrate the deeper lines also and mix there -with the heavier color. - -In the end the stone must be wiped again with an entirely clean rag, as -will be understood, of course, and thoroughly cleansed of all the -color. - - -II - -THE ETCHED METHOD - -In this the design is not engraved into the stone by pressure of the -hand, but with aquafortis or other acid, and only so much pressure is -exerted in making the design as is required to cut through the thin -coating of varnish with which the stone is covered. Therefore this -method permits great freedom of action and is applicable especially for -landscape work and for drawings in Rembrandt's style. In treatment as in -effect it resembles copper plate, and has its own advantage in that the -lines may be strengthened gradually by stronger pressure on the -engraving-needle. They may even be engraved a little into the stone so -that afterward the lines will become stronger under etching. This cannot -be done with copper at all or only with great difficulty. - -These considerations and the quicker printing permitted by it recommend -the method to artists. In other respects it is not different from -working on copper. But it is necessary that a good lithographer should -be a master of this form of stone work, as it may be used for excellent -work, not only by itself but in combination with the other methods. - -The stone must be ground as smoothly as possible, then treated with -aquafortis and coated with gum, so that its surface thus is completely -prepared. The aquafortis may be as strong as that used for etching pen -work. It suffices, also, to wipe the plate merely with a sponge dipped -in stronger aquafortis, the chief point being that no roughnesses shall -be caused by uneven etching. - -A few minutes after this first operation is finished, the stone is -rinsed with water, dried and coated with etching-ground. This can be -best done as follows:-- - -(1) Warm the stone till an ordinary copper etcher's etching-ground will -become so fluid on it that it can be worked with a leather ball like a -varnish, and can be spread very thin and very evenly. Great care must be -exercised lest uneven warming crack the stone. If one can put it into a -nearby baker's oven, it will obviate the necessity for an especial -apparatus, which otherwise is demanded. - -After coating the stone with the etching-ground, it is reversed while -still warm, and blackened by applying the flame of a tallow or wax -candle, as the copper-plate etchers do with their plates. Then the stone -is set aside to cool, with great precautions against dust. After it is -cool, dust will not harm it, and it can be kept indefinitely before use, -so long as the coating is protected against injury. - -(2) The method given is the best; but if the warming of the stone -is difficult, there is a method applicable to cold stones. The -etching-ground is dissolved in oil of turpentine and laid on the stone -with a clean ball. A stone so treated must be put away for at least a -day in a place safe from dust that the oil of turpentine may evaporate. - -To tint this etching-ground, it may be blackened by smoking with a -candle, as in the first case; or color, such as lampblack or vermilion, -may be mixed-in before it is applied. If one wishes to be very certain -that the stone will bear the etching well, it may be coated, very thinly -indeed, with a solution of very firm chemical ink after applying the -etching-ground. - -The design is traced through this coating to the stone. It may be -transferred, also, but in that case, as soon as the transfer is on -the stone, it must be coated thinly once more with a solution of -chemical ink that does not, however, contain any lampblack or other -coloring-matter, but is transparent. This is necessary to fill out -any little holes and other injuries that may have been caused by the -pressure during transfer or by the inequalities in the transfer paper. - -The designing with the needle is done as in the engraved manner, except -that the design is merely cut into the coating. - -When the design is complete, the stone is laid into the etching-trough -and diluted aquafortis, muriatic acid, or strong wine vinegar is poured -over it repeatedly, according to the depth that the lines are to have. - -If it is desired to etch so as to produce various tones,--some strong -and some delicate,--after the manner of the copper-plate etchers, the -pouring of acid should cease as soon as the very finest lines of the -design have been etched sufficiently. Wash away every bit of acid with -clean water and let it dry. Then, with a small brush and chemical ink, -coat all parts that are not to be etched further. It is well if the -chemical ink used for this purpose contains a little more soap than -usual, so that it can penetrate well into all the depressions and leave -no little holes. The coating must be done very cautiously, and it is -better to paint on too much ink rather than too little, as the design -will appear very dirty if etching fluid should penetrate here or there -through the coated portions. - -When the ink is dry, etching is resumed till the second tones have been -etched as far as desired. Then the procedure is repeated, these second -tones being coated. Thus one continues till all gradations of shading -have been reached. - -When the stone is fully etched, clean water is poured over it, and then -all the parts that have not been coated with chemical ink are treated to -a covering. The object of the previous coatings was to prevent access of -acid to the parts; but at the same time the ink prepared the parts. -Therefore the remaining portions of the design also must be sated with -ink before the stone is inked-in for printing. - -Let the stone dry and then pour on it as much oil of turpentine as may -be necessary to dissolve this whole ground coating, which then is wiped -off with a woolen rag wet with gum solution. Then the stone maybe -inked-in and printed. - -If an error is observed before etching begins, the first question is if -the defect is deeply engraved in the stone or if it has been drawn -merely through the ground coating without affecting the stone itself -materially. In the latter case it is necessary merely to cover the -defective place with chemical ink and draw into it the correction. If -the error has been graved deeply into the stone, it must be covered for -the time being, but nothing new can be drawn there. To do this, one must -wait till the plate has been etched and rubbed-in with color. Then the -incorrect part is scraped or ground off as evenly as possible, the place -prepared anew with aquafortis and gum, and the correction made with the -steel needle. - -An intaglio design often is greatly beautified by being printed with a -tint plate like a crayon design. It can be done with a second stone, but -it can be obtained also with the one plate that has the design on it. -Wash the designed stone with clean water and then paint a thick coat of -chemical ink containing more soap than usual over the whole stone or -over only such parts as one desires to improve by adding a tone. If -lights are to be worked into this tone, it can be done, after inking-in, -with a small brush dipped into weak aquafortis. - -In printing a stone thus toned, it must be rubbed-in thoroughly with the -black color and then cleaned as well as possible. The tint that shows on -the surface then is usually too dark, and the firmer the color the -darker it is. Then a second rag must be used with a much softer color, -which may even be thinned-down with plain oil or butter. It may also -contain another coloring substance. Rub this rag very gently to and fro -without much pressure till it is apparent that the dark tone has been -replaced by a light one. Then the stone is ready for printing. - -Stones to be treated to a tint in this manner must be etched somewhat -deeper than others, because the lines do not appear so dark against a -tone. - -In all intaglio methods there is the advantage that parts that turn out -too dark can be modified by fine scraping or grinding. The stone merely -must be rubbed with acid-proof ink beforehand, that the necessary -preparation of the corrected places with aquafortis or phosphoric acid -and gum may not attack the rest of the design. Those who attain skill in -scraping or grinding with a small piece of black slate can make the -softest gradations of shade in uniformly etched designs, and more easily -and quickly than by drawing or coating and etching. If the stone has -been rubbed-in with color for the first time only a short time -previously, the ground or scraped surfaces do not even need to be -etched. It is sufficient to wash them with a rag wetted in gum solution, -because the color will not have penetrated the stone so deeply that it -is likely to reappear. - - -III - -DESIGN WITH PREPARING INK, COMBINED WITH SPATTERED AQUATINT - -If a little dissolved gum is painted on a clean stone that then is inked -over its whole surface with printing-ink, none will adhere where the gum -is. In other words, the stone will have been prepared there. If the gum -is permitted to dry before the ink is applied, those parts will become -black, too; but as soon as a few drops of water are poured on and the -ink-roller passes over the stone, all the gummed parts will show up -white at once. This led me to make a color mixed with gum, with which -one can design on stone and that would have the property of preparing it -so that, on printing, the design or inscription will print white. - -Some drops of gum arabic dissolved in water are mixed with an equal -amount of lampblack and rubbed very fine. This makes an ink similar to -Chinese ink, and keeps well when dried. It is rubbed down in a saucer -with a little water and then is ready for use. - -It can be used on a clean stone, but is likely to flow, for which reason -the stone must be painted with a little weak aquafortis mixed with a -little nutgall, and then well cleaned again. Still better is it to paint -a clean stone some days before with oil of turpentine which is cleaned -off again immediately. In that case, however, it is well to mix a little -phosphoric acid into the drawing-ink, that the designed parts will be -prepared the more surely. - -When the design is dry, the whole stone is inked with printing-color, -care being taken that not a drop of water touches it before it is -perfectly black. Then a little water is poured on, after which there -must be a little more rolling with the ink-roller till all the design -that is drawn with the preparing-ink is very white and clean. Now the -stone can be used for printing, being used in the manner used for pen -work. To make the design more durable, that it may not in time thicken -in its finer parts, the stone may be well inked-in with acid-proof ink -and after a few hours, during which it draws together well, the drawing -is etched in intaglio with aquafortis. Then it is coated with gum and -the printing is not likely to damage the design. - -Here we have an intaglio design which is prepared and prints white. - -The case may be reversed, and the black plate may be made white again -while the design will print black. This is because a stone treated with -preparing-ink gives almost the same result, once it is grounded with -acid-proof ink and etched as if the design had been engraved into -etching-ground. The etched lines need simply be filled with chemical ink -as in engraved work, to make them take color instead of coating them -with gum. Then there remains only the obstacle that the stone is not -prepared over its whole surface and takes color everywhere. However, it -is not difficult to clean the plate and prepare it perfectly, especially -if the stone is finely polished. It must be rubbed well with color, and -wiped clean at once without rubbing too much of it away from the etched -design. To make the color easier to wipe out, Frankfurter black and -tallow may be mixed in it. Then the rag that has been used for inking-in -is dipped into a mixture of twenty parts water, two parts gum, and one -part aquafortis, or better still, phosphoric acid, and rubbed back and -forth. The rag must not be too dirty and heavy with color, but it must -contain some so that the delicate parts of the design shall not be wiped -out and thus rendered susceptible to the acid. The next thing is to try -with the finger to see whether the color on top can be easily rubbed -away or not. In the latter case the wiping must be repeated till the -cleansing mixture has so far prepared the surface that the wet hand or a -wet piece of leather can cleanse it perfectly and free it from the dark -tone. Now the stone is inked-in with firmer color (acid-proof ink is -best). This is wiped off again thoroughly. Very weak aquafortis (or -phosphoric acid if it has been used for the work) is then poured over it -a few times, and this generally prepares it so well that it can be inked -and cleaned easily during the printing. - -This method is useful for many kinds of art, and it must not be imagined -that it is superfluous because the other ways are quicker. - -The engraving-needle is very good for drawing the finer parts of the -design through the etching-ground, but the coarser ones cause much -trouble, while with the pen, these are the very ones that are easiest to -produce. By using this method, both advantages can be combined and only -that is drawn with the pen which is most readily produced that way. - -Thus the whole design, with the exception of the finest parts, is drawn -on the white plate with the black preparing ink touche. Then, when it -has been covered with acid-proof ink and made white, the finer parts are -worked-in with the needle. Or they may be left till the end, when they -are engraved-in. - -For grounding or blackening the plate, one may use a substitute for the -acid-proof ink if the ground is to be firmer. Use the etching-ground -(mentioned several times before) of wax, mastic, pitch, and resin, -dissolved in oil of turpentine and mixed with fine lampblack. It will -then be susceptible of being laid beautifully uniform on the stone with -the ink-roller like printing-ink. - -The spattered aquatint method resembles this. - -The outlines of the design are engraved or etched into the stone very -delicately. After rubbing-in with black printing-ink and cleaning again -thoroughly, it is rinsed with a great deal of clean water to take away -every trace of gum. When it is dry a small brush is dipped into the -preparing-ink, and the stone is spattered as described in the article on -spatter-work. After drying, the dots that are too large are treated with -the needle, and missing ones are drawn in with the pen. Now apply the -roller with the dissolved etching-ground, that must, however, have only -enough color so that the outlines of the design can show through it. -Then the spattered work is brought out by rolling with water. Now coat -the lighter parts of the design and etch. Coat again and etch again, in -short do as already described for the method of successive etching till -the required gradations of shade have been attained. Then proceed as -usual with the inking-in and printing. - - -IV - -AQUATINT IN COPPER-PLATE STYLES AND WITH ETCHING-GROUND - -Any one who has the necessary appliances of the copper-plate worker for -making the aquatint ground used by them, and who has the necessary -skill, can do so, although the stone is endangered by the heat, and the -process is not advisable. The stone is dusted with fine resin. A flame -of spirits is applied below until the stone is so hot that the resin -melts and forms the ground. - -Better is that copper-plate method in which the resin is dissolved in -highly rectified spirits of wine and poured quickly over the whole -stone. By breathing on this, the resin is made to separate from the -spirits and form tiny pellets, which thus make the required aquatint -ground. - -Both methods are better for very coarse work than for fine designs. -Etching-ground, dissolved in oil of turpentine, or consisting simply of -tallow and put on the stone very uniformly with a cotton ball, is much -better, and produces an effect similar to wash drawing. However, it is -better suited to the lighter parts of a design, because it will bear -long and powerful etching only if one hits exactly the proper -proportions between ground and etching fluid. Therefore, it is well, -after the first tones have been etched and printed, to spatter -cautiously with chemical ink all those parts that are to be darker than -half-tones. Thus these dots will prepare the design so well at those -places that they can withstand the most powerful etching. - - -V - -AQUATINT THROUGH CRAYON GROUND - -This is a sort of middle process between aquatint and the scraped style. -It has the advantage of great speediness. - -A stone that has been grained for crayon work is coated with the black -or red gum ground described for the engraved method, but without -previous etching, which would not do harm but is unnecessary. The -outlines are drawn in with the needle very lightly, because they are to -serve only to make the design visible. Those lines, however, that are -not to disappear in the aquatint tone, but are to show plainly, must be -cut as deeply as necessary for greater or lesser blackness. Then the -stone is rubbed with color and washed with water as in the engraved -method. - -When it is entirely clean and dry, all the design will be black and the -stone white. The design must be examined carefully, and the various -gradations of shading should be separated in the mind into about eight -leading classes, of which four are numbered upwards to the lightest -parts, and four numbered downwards to the darkest. Everything in the -category of the four dark parts now is worked strongly with chemical -crayon. The purpose is to mass a number of evenly separated points over -these parts of the design that shall withstand the etching fluid like an -aquatint ground, between which the etching fluid may eat the stone and -thus form a coarser grain than could be attained merely by rough -grinding. - -Then the four lighter parts must be coated with chemical ink. The very -lightest parts, and all that is to remain white, must be left white on -the plate and neither touched with crayon or ink. - -Then the stone is etched for the first time. Following this pour clean -water over it and let it dry. Then of the four dark parts the lightest -are coated with chemical ink, and when it is dry the etching fluid is -applied again. After washing and drying, the next lighter portions of -the dark sections are coated, and so on till at last the very darkest -shadows have been coated. Then a clean brush is dipped into gum solution -and everything that should remain white is painted. - -If a little oil of turpentine is now poured on the stone, and the crayon -and chemical ink are dissolved and wiped off, the stone can be inked -with soft inking-color and wiped again with a woolen rag. Then the -design will look as if a black veil were over it, because the lightest -parts of it and the half-shadows are not worked out at all. Wet a rag -with gum solution and a little phosphoric acid, and hold it in one hand -while with a fine scraper you scrape in the lights according to their -gradation or grind them in with a fine stone, for instance, a slate -pencil. As you scrape wipe over the design with the wet rag; and you -will see exactly what you are doing as the various gradations will -appear bit by bit. The printing in this as in other aquatint methods is -done with soft and thin printing-color, and the paper may be more -dampened than in other forms of lithography. The press needs -considerable tension and the stones must be thick. - - -VI - -INTAGLIO CRAYON AND TRACED DESIGNS - -The difficulty of getting impressions from crayon that shall not differ -from the original design on the stone led me to consider the use of the -grained style of the copper-plate engravers. A crayon-like design in -intaglio would have a greater strength in the dark parts and greater -delicacy in the lighter; be more durable and more easily corrected. I -saw at once that if I could attain some perfection, it would mean a -great step forward in color printing, also. Thus there were originated -the following two processes, which no doubt will in time interest -artists to a high degree. - -A stone grained for crayon work is prepared with aquafortis and gum. -Then it is cleansed with water and covered with etching-ground when dry, -as is prescribed for the etched process. The ground must be laid on so -thinly and evenly that the design can be put in easily and that it still -will resist the etching. - -When the stone is cold and the outlines of the design have been traced -on it, a scraper of the best steel is used to scrape in the lights and -shadows. The scraper touches only the most elevated points of the -grained surface at first, and produces larger points only after -continued work, just as chemical crayon does. When the whole stone is -finished, it is etched as in the etched process and then cleansed and -printed in the same way. - -If the stone is etched a little more strongly in all its gradations, it -can afterward be ground down gently with very soft pumice, or, better -still, with black slate and a gum solution, once it has been rubbed-in -with color. This destroys all roughnesses that may remain from the first -manipulations. Parts that have turned out too dark can be lightened by -this polishing, and the over-light ones can be improved with the needle. - -The designs made in this manner possess more delicacy as well as more -strength than the ordinary crayon designs, and there remains to be -desired only that they might have the advantage of the latter of being -worked black on white, as it is so much easier for the artist to judge -his work on the stone. - -Of trials made in this direction, the two following ones met my views -the best. - -One way is to grind the stone rough, pour diluted aquafortis and nutgall -over it, clean it with water and dry it. Then the design is drawn on it -with a black chalk made of oil of vitriol, tartar, and lampblack. The -further treatment is the same as that in the case of designs done with -preparing-ink. - -I have not been able to give enough time to this process to invent -a preparing-crayon that shall be very hard without losing its -preparing-property. However, the compound mentioned will produce a -crayon with which one can work well after a few days. It has the -advantage that it may be rubbed on a shading-stump made of rolled paper, -which will prove excellent for working the finest shadings into the -plate. - -The other way is as follows: A colorless chemical ink is made of one -part wax, two parts tallow, and one part soap. This I dissolved in water -and with it I coated the stone, which had been ground rough and prepared -with phosphoric acid, nutgall, and gum, and then washed with water. The -coating was applied very lightly, but enough so that it could bear the -succeeding etching. - -As soon as it was dry, I drew the design on it with a black crayon made -of tartar, gum, a little sugar, and a good amount of lampblack, or I -used the ordinary black Paris crayon or a fine English lead pencil. Then -the design was etched, after which alum water was poured over it, and it -was set aside to dry. - -As soon as it was absolutely dry, I coated it with fatty color, and then -cleaned the stone with oil of turpentine and gum solution. If I wanted -an exceedingly smooth surface, I ground the stone gently; but then the -design had to be etched deeply. - -The good results of these two experiments led me to the following -process: By following my instructions exactly the worker can produce -striking imitations of wash as well as crayon drawings, and at the same -time unite the greatest possible ease of drawing as well as certainty of -good impressions, so that this process really deserves to be called one -of the very best of all printing-methods. - -The outlines of the drawing must be drawn on the finest and thinnest -paper that can be obtained. Then a very finely polished stone is -prepared with aquafortis and gum, or, better still, with phosphoric -acid, nutgall, and gum, cleansed with water and dried. Then it is coated -very thinly with tallow, which is patted with a very clean leather ball -or with the hand, so that it shall be very uniformly laid over the -stone. Everything depends on the thinness and uniformity of this tallow -coating. Then the stone must be smoked with a wax torch or a tallow -candle. The durability of the ground depends on this smoking, as without -it a very thin coating of tallow would be penetrated by the acid. - -Now the stone is ready for the design. It must not be touched by so much -as a finger. The designed paper is pasted to the stone at the ends, -without pulling, as the least motion would injure the stone's surface. -The arrangement of elevated supports for the hand (previously described) -is needed for the succeeding work. The drawing is then done on the paper -with Paris chalk, delicate Spanish chalk, an English lead pencil, or -with a small piece of lead. All that is drawn on the paper will impress -itself on the stone underneath and remove the ground at those places, -thus opening the surface for etching. - -When the drawing is finished, it is etched and covered as with the -etched process, and afterward is printed as in that process. - -When sufficient practice has made one a master of this style, it will be -amazing what great perfection, what miniature-like delicacy, and also -what strength can be obtained by proper etching. - -Besides, this latter process is applicable in combination with the -etched process. - - -VII - -TOUCHE DRAWING WITH ETCHING INK - -This method is very useful for filling-out etched or engraved designs, -also for correcting and completing the various aquatint processes. - -Dip a little brush into lemon juice mixed with a little lampblack and -draw the design on the finely polished and prepared stone. The acid -will eat little holes into it, which will take color if the lemon juice -is washed away as soon as it has completed its etching, and the etched -part has been dried and rubbed-in with fat color. To produce darker -shadings it can be laid on the same place twice, and for lighter -shadings the acid either is washed away sooner or diluted with water. - -I do not doubt that a skillful chemist could invent an etching ink which -would be even more perfect, and then a drawing could be washed on the -stone as easily as on paper, which would mean immense advance for the -art. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -MIXED METHODS - - -Stone-printing has the unique property, owned by no other process, that -it is possible to print relief and intaglio simultaneously. This -property makes possible so many combinations of the two processes that a -book might be filled with their description. I assume, however, that the -reader will have understood the entire science of the new art from what -I have said, and that his own reflection will tell him what methods to -use or to combine for each of his purposes. I limit myself, therefore, -to a few leading methods, thus giving some fundamental idea of the -manipulations. - - -I - -PEN DESIGN COMBINED WITH ENGRAVING - -This can be utilized in two ways:-- - -When the pen drawing is finished and etched, the stone may be coated -with red gum covering and the needle used to draw-in the finest lines. -The printing is the same as with pen work. The second way is to make the -engraved or etched part of the design first, and after the stone has -been rubbed-in with acid-proof ink, cleansed and dried, to draw-in the -rest with the pen and chemical ink. As soon as the design is properly -dried, it is etched a little and prepared, and otherwise handled like an -ordinary pen drawing. - -Both ways carry the advantage that the pen can be used for those parts -best done with the pen, and the engraving-tool for those parts best done -with it. The latter is especially excellent for very fine and elegant -script, such as title-pages, the finest strokes being made first with -the needle and the broader ones with the pen. - - -II - -INTAGLIO DESIGN WITH RELIEF TINT - -This has been described thoroughly in our chapter on etched work. - - -III - -INTAGLIO AND RELIEF WITH SEVERAL PLATES - -As already shown, intaglio and relief can be printed on one stone. -Therefore it is evident that the two methods can be utilized still -better for several plates, for instance, printing on an etched design -with one or more plates that are tinted in relief, or by printing over a -crayon or pen design in relief a tone plate in aquatint in intaglio. - -How to do this has been explained in the descriptions of relief and -intaglio methods. - - -IV - -TRANSFORMING RELIEF INTO INTAGLIO AND VICE VERSA - -This is, so to speak, the test of a good lithographer, as it is the most -difficult of all methods, and demands exact knowledge of all -manipulations. I will try to explain it with a few examples. - -EXAMPLE I - -_To etch a transfer into intaglio_ - -Prepare a finely ground plate with phosphoric acid and gum, wash very -well with water, and let it dry. Now transfer to it a design made with -soft ink or crayon, or a fresh copper-plate impression. Let the stone -rest for a few hours, that the fatty colors may take hold well. Coat it -with clean gum water, and with a rag dipped into acid-proof ink try to -rub about as much color on the design as appears to be required to make -it withstand some etching. This etching is done with pure aquafortis -which in addition has a little alum mixed with it. Etch only enough to -eat away the uppermost parts of the prepared surface that have not been -permeated with fat. Pour clean water over the whole stone and coat it -with strong soap-water that is permitted to dry on it. Finally, clean -away the soap with oil of turpentine. Ink-in with acid-proof color which -will color the whole stone. Now as soon as it is wiped gently with a rag -dipped in gum solution and weak phosphoric acid, the whole design will -appear in white as if it had been made with preparing-ink. If the stone -is inked now with acid-proof ink and treated exactly as instructed in -the article on the use of preparing-ink, the design that was in relief -originally will be found in intaglio. - -This process is capable of great perfection and can produce true -masterpieces especially if the stone is treated finally with the -engraving tool. - -EXAMPLE II - -_To etch into intaglio a design made with chemical fatty ink or crayon_ - -Etch and prepare the clean stone with phosphoric acid and gum. Then put -on the design with ink or crayon, and perform the succeeding etching and -other manipulations exactly as in the preceding case. - -EXAMPLE III - -_To etch into intaglio any design etched into relief_ - -In the two examples given, the plate is etched with phosphoric acid -before transfers or designs are made on it. As the weak etching with -aquafortis and alum does not penetrate the places where there is fat, -these retain their phosphorus-preparation, and thus are not so readily -destroyed by the succeeding application of soap, whereas the etched -parts immediately drink in the fat as soon as the soap touches them. - -In stones designed in the ordinary way, where the design does not lie on -the prepared surface, but has really penetrated well into the stone, the -transforming is somewhat more difficult, but can always be done after -practice by using the following means:-- - -Wash the stone with water and then coat chemical ink or strong -soap-water over it and let it dry. Then clean the stone with oil of -turpentine and ink-in well with acid-proof color. Dip a linen rag into -gum water and phosphoric acid and endeavor to wipe away the color from -the relief design. After wiping to and fro quickly a few times, try with -the finger if the design will not whiten, or if the wiping with the acid -must be continued. Care must be taken not to injure the ground through -too much pressure. When the design gets pretty white, ink the stone with -firm acid-proof ink, and then treat as in the preceding cases. - -In this way designs in relief that have not turned out as desired can be -changed into intaglio, and then, by the use of successive coatings and -etchings, as described before, improved by making gradations of tones. -But it requires great skill, lacking which one may destroy his plates -utterly. - -EXAMPLE IV - -_To change an intaglio design into relief for easier printing_ - -Many kinds of scripts and designs are easier to engrave with a needle -than to do in relief with a pen; or one may have workmen who can use the -engraving tool better than the pen, as the use of the latter requires -more industry and skill than the use of the etching- or -engraving-needle. - -If one wishes to transform such a design into one in relief, because -then it can be printed more quickly and easily and also will give more -impressions, the following method will prove useful:-- - -Ink the stone with good acid-proof ink, and after a few hours etch it -like a pen design till it is apparent that the design is showing up. Let -it rest again a few hours after etching and become quite dry. Then coat -with gum. Otherwise treat it for printing like an ordinary pen design. - - * * * * * - -Now I believe that I have described faithfully and as clearly as I can -all the lithographic methods to which unceasing research and endless -experimentation have led me. In the following Appendix I merely make a -few useful remarks, which do not pertain exclusively to lithography, yet -are intimately connected with it and surely will not be unwelcome to art -lovers. - -[Illustration] - - - - -APPENDIX - - -I - -PRINTING WITH WATER AND OIL COLORS SIMULTANEOUSLY - -When a plate, whether intaglio or relief, has been inked-in with oil -color, it may be coated with one water color, or it may be illuminated -with several, and then printed-off in one impression. Two parts of gum -and one part of sugar are used for this. They can be dissolved with any -water color. Care need be taken merely that the colors are well dried -before the impression is made. - -If, however, it is desired that the colors have shades so that the -impressions may resemble English or French colored copper-plate prints, -the process is as follows:-- - -Etch all shades of the color pretty deeply in any of the stippled or -aquatint styles. After this, coat the stone with gum solution, that it -shall take no color in these depressions. Clean off the chemical ink or -the ground with oil of turpentine, and prepare the whole plate if it has -not been prepared already on its surface. Then coat it with red gum -surface, and into this inscribe all those lines that are to remain -black. Then the color is rubbed-in and the stone cleansed so that it -will be white everywhere except in the engraved parts. When it is -inked-in now, it can take color there only, and the other depressions -(namely the various shades of the color) will remain white because they -have been prepared. Now it is necessary only to coat each part with the -desired water color and it will be denser, and therefore darker, -wherever there are more and greater depressions. - - -II - -SIMULTANEOUS CHEMICAL AND MECHANICAL PRINTING - -When a pen drawing is so constituted that the various lines are close -together and there is no white space on it that is greater than at most -one half inch in diameter, it will permit printing in a purely -mechanical way without being prepared. It need merely be etched into -all the relief possible without under-eating the lines. All that is -needed then is a color-board or a so-called dauber, made as follows:-- - -A thin board of soft wood, about eight inches long and six inches wide, -is planed down till it is not more than one line in thickness. Glue on -it a piece of fine cloth or felt almost as large as it. Over this glue -another board, of the same area as the first, but one quarter inch -thick. It must be very well-dried wood, and must be made very true with -the plane, or better still, by rubbing on a perfectly level stone with -sand. This latter board is provided with a handle; and when all is dry -this dauber is ground off true again with fine sand and oil on a stone. - -Lay the printing-color on this utensil very gently and uniformly with a -leather ball. Tap and pat the stone, which has first been cleaned with -oil of turpentine over its whole surface, very carefully with the -appliance, holding it as horizontal as possible and taking great pains -to distribute the color evenly. - -As compared with chemical printing, this process in itself has no -advantages, but can be united with it and thus used to print three -colors from one plate. This is shown by the following - -EXAMPLE - -Suppose that a design shall be colored black, blue, and red, and that -all these colors shall be put simultaneously on one plate. Take a stone -made ready for pen work, and prepare it first of all with phosphoric -acid, nutgall, and gum, then wash it with water, and let it dry. Now -draw-in all that is to be red with chemical ink, that must, however, -contain only just enough soap to permit its solution. When this drawing -is dry, etch it into pretty high relief, the higher the better. After -this prepare the stone with gum, wash it, and let it dry again. Then -coat it with etching-ground that has been dissolved in oil of -turpentine, and draw-in all that is to be black, between and over the -high etched parts. Then etch this design pretty powerfully into -intaglio, after which wash with water, rinse with alum solution, and -dry. When the plate is thoroughly dry, rub-in printing-color, and clean -with a woolen rag dipped into gum solution and oil of turpentine. Then -it will become white everywhere except in the deep lines where it will -have taken color. After cleansing again with water and drying, draw-in -all parts that are to be blue, using a chemical ink that contains a -great deal of soap. Let this dry well, and cleanse the plate with gum -and oil of turpentine again. Then it is ready for inking-in. - -To lay on the color, proceed as follows:-- - -First the black is rubbed-in, as prescribed in the article on the -intaglio style. In the very deep parts the stone will get very black. In -the parts last drawn, that are level with the surface, it will be only -gray, if the color permits ready wiping, which can be facilitated by the -use of gum and a woolen rag. Then the tone remaining on the level parts -drawn with the chemical ink will be so pale that it will not affect the -blue color. Now wipe a rag dipped in blue color gently to and fro till -everything that is to be blue has taken the color well. Then take the -dauber which has been filled with red color, and pat the stone, which -should be dry by that time. Then the parts of the design in high relief -will take the red color, and thus an impression can be made with the -three colors at once. Each inking-in must be done the same way. - - -III - -USE OF THE STONE FOR COTTON-PRINTING THROUGH WIPING. A UNIQUE PRINTING -PROCESS - -Etched copper plates have been used for some considerable time for -cotton-printing, and as the ordinary oil colors were not suitable for -this, while the suitable colors were too fluid, so that they were always -wiped out of the engravings, another method was devised. The plate was -covered with color and then a kind of straight edge was scraped across -it, which removed all color from the surface, leaving it only in the -depressions. - -This same sort of wiping is applicable to stone, and it is necessary -merely to see that the stone is very even and highly polished. The color -must be one that permits itself to be wiped off clean, and the wiper -must be very uniform and sharp. - -Starch-paste or gum with some caustic material is easily scraped off. - - -IV - -COLOR PRINT WITH WIPING - -This process is also useful for printing papers such as cotton papers, -tapestry, etc. Almost all intaglio designs permit good printing in this -way, if a handsome color is used. - -Fresh cheese, or drops of congealed milk, mixed with soap, potash, -linseed oil varnish, and the desired tint, make an excellent -composition, with which all intaglio designs, even aquatints, can be -printed handsomely if the plate is very smooth. - -If the design is made well, the various colors can be laid on quite -roughly, care being taken merely that each color shall be laid only -where it is desired. Then the stone should be permitted to dry, after -which all the surplus colors can be scraped away with one manipulation, -without danger that one will mix with the other in the design. - - -V - -OIL-PAINTING PRINT THROUGH TRANSFER - -Colored impressions resembling oil paintings can be made by printing -with colors and several plates on paper grounded with oil color. But -perfect oil paintings are produced only as follows:-- - -Make a considerable quantity of special paper by coating unsized paper -thinly with starch-paste or glue. On this make the separate impressions -from each color plate. If the painting itself is to be produced from -these separate parts, take a canvas that has been prepared for oil -painting and lay on it a wetted impression of one of the colors, let us -say, red. Print this off under light tension of the press, and when the -paper is pulled away, it will be seen that the color has been -transferred to the canvas. Then a wet impression of another color is -laid carefully in place so that it will register exactly, and the -process is repeated, till all the colors have been transferred to the -canvas. - -The transferring can be done with the hand or with any other method, as -no great power is needed, since the color transfers itself readily. - - -VI - -STONE-PAPER - -This is the name already generally adopted for a substitute invented by -me for the Solenhofen stones. - -I had been trying for a long time to invent some stone-like mixture that -would be equally suitable for printing. The ordinary parchment of the -writing-tablets would do if its surface were not soluble in water. I -made considerable progress with a composition of lime and freshly -congealed milk after the mixture had aged enough so that the lime could -sate itself with oxygen. Then I made a composition of chalk, gypsum, and -glue, which I dipped into a solution of nutgall and alum, and I was able -to use this for coarser work, at least, if not too many impressions were -required. - -I did not get a wholly satisfactory idea, however, until I observed that -fat spots that were caused on a stone by oil, and also designs that had -been transferred to the stone with mere oil color, refused to take color -after a few weeks if they were prepared in only the slightest degree. - -I reasoned from this that oil suffered a change from exposure to air, -and by combining itself presumably with oxygen acquired a more earthy -character. This deduction may be correct or not; but it led me to -experiment with oil as a binder for various earthy substances, because I -reasoned that such a composition would be insoluble in water. The only -question, then, would be if despite the intermixed oil it would permit -itself to be prepared, that is, if it could be made resistant to other -fats. - -The result justified my hopes so thoroughly that I am convinced now that -with various compositions of clay, chalk, linseed oil, and metallic -oxides a stone-like mass can be made that is excellent for coating -paper, linen, wood, metal, etc., and thus for making plates that not -only replace the stone for printing, but in many cases are far superior -to it. - -I shall give the world a book soon about these fortunate attempts of -mine, and thus perhaps give expert chemists an opportunity to perfect my -invention still more. - - -VII - -CHEMICAL PRINT ON METAL PLATES - -All metals have great inclination for fats; but if they are quite clean, -being ground with pumice, for instance, or rubbed-down with chalk, they -can be prepared like a stone, that is, they acquire the property of -resisting oil color, thus becoming available for chemical printing. - -Iron and zinc can be prepared like the stone with aquafortis and gum. - -To prepare zinc and lead, aquafortis with nutgall and gum will serve, -but a slight admixture of blue vitriol will make still a better -preparation, and this in a degree that improves according to the amount -of copper that the surface acquires from the coating. The most durable -preparation for lead and zinc is a mixture of aquafortis, gum, and -nitrate of copper. - -Brass and copper are best prepared with aquafortis, gum, and nitrate of -lime, all mixed in proper proportions. - -Lime and gum are a good preparation for all metals; also potash with -salt and gum. - -This alkaline preparation, however, is applicable only for the intaglio -style. For the relief style, the acids are better. - -Recently I have applied chemical printing from metal plates to a new -form of copying-machines, with which everything written or drawn with -chemical ink or crayon on paper can be transferred in a few moments and -manifolded several hundred times. His Royal Majesty of Bavaria has had -the supreme condescension to grant me a six years' patent on this -invention. - -Until now I have not been able to give this matter the necessary -attention because the work of publishing this book hindered me; but now -I shall make such a stock of these simple, convenient, and so widely -useful hand-presses that it will be worth while to open a subscription, -which would enable me to sell them for a low price. This would please me -best, as my highest reward would be the general use of my inventions, to -fulfill which desire I have taken the utmost pains in this work. - -In the last parts of the book I have gone less into details, merely -because I assume that those who have mastered the first parts of this -work will not need many words to understand the rest. - -If the demand for this perhaps prematurely announced book had not become -so vehement lately that I could not possibly delay its publication any -longer, I should have tried to produce sample illustrations that combine -inner art value with good printing. As it is, I postpone this for a -supplementary volume soon to appear, in which I shall occupy myself -mainly with processes and methods not yet generally known, representing -each by means of a true work of art. With which I now end my text-book, -with the hearty wish that it will find many friends and create many good -lithographers. This may God grant! - - - The Riverside Press - - PRINTED BY H. O. HOUGHTON & CO. - CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - U.S.A. - - - * * * * * - - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: - -Punctuation and spelling standardized. - -Inconsistent hyphenation retained. - -This book has no Table of Contents for Section I. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Invention of Lithography, by Alois Senefelder - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVENTION OF LITHOGRAPHY *** - -***** This file should be named 40924-8.txt or 40924-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/9/2/40924/ - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Charlie Howard and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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