[NM020ABT], Technical Note, Thomas Alva Edison, December 18th, 1886
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/NM020ABT
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Title
[NM020ABT], Technical Note, Thomas Alva Edison, December 18th, 1886
Editor's Notes
Patent-- D.&S. The object of this invention is to produce mother of pearl surfaces artificially-- The invention consists in forming a flat plate of mother of pearl formed of one or more pieces the whole resting on a hard flat surface Impressions being taken from the face ofhte mother of pearl on platic sheets or material by pressure the apparatus used being very similar to a Lithograph process-- The colors of mother of pearl being done to minute wavy lines formed by alternate layers of lime & animal matter the depression between the lines being quite sufficient to causes a perfect impression in the plastic surface of the sheet or material pressed on it I have discovered that not only are the many thousands of lines accurately transferred but that this lime like appearance is transferred as well-- If a mirror like sheet of tin foil be impressed on the mother of pearl it will have the exact appearance of the same and its metallic appearance is entirely destroyed Metallic foil, Celluloid and other plastic material may be printed as above & used for ornamenting Picture frames fans and in fact take the place of gold foild-- Brittanica Metal table ware & innmerable other articles can be given a mother pearl surface by this means [drawing] e is the steel rolle B the travelling platten C the frame D the wheel A the Mother pearl in frame-- The tin foil being laid on M pearl block is printed just like lithograph [drawing] Cant you claim the art of printing from Mother pearl also a new article manufacture Mother pearl surfaces or foil-- The process-- ought to get Broad claims as this is new art-- Mem-- It works splendid-- have made machine-- It is possible to rule fine lines in a wavy manner by diamond tool and a dividing Engine all on steel or other hard metal which will imitate M pearl-- shoul you speak of this, in this applcn I intend take out another patent on it TAE Bill to me personally"
Author
Mentioned
Date
1886-12-18
Type
Folder/Volume ID
NM020-F
Microfilm ID
44:818
Document ID
NM020ABT
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University