Yale University Library

39002027118133

YALE UNIVERSITY
ART LIBRARY

THE INVENTION OF LITHOGRAPHY

THE INVENTION OF
LITHOGRAPHY BY
ALOIS SENEFELDER

TRANSLATED
FROM THE ORIGINAL GERMAN BY

J. W. MULLER

NEW YORK: THE FUCHS & LANG
MANUFACTURING COMPANY
191 I

COPYRIGHT, 191 I,
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 in-
, vention 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 Cor
rect AND Lucid Instruction | for all | Various Manipu
lations IN all its Branches and Methods | and also a |
Full History of this Art | from its Origin to the Present
Day. I Written and Published | by the Inventor of Litho
graphy AND Chemical Printing, | Alois Senefelder. | With a
Preface by the General-Secretary of the Royal Acad
emy OF Sciences in | Munich, the Director | Friederich
VON SCHLICHTEGROLL | MuNICH, iSzi | OBTAINABLE FROM THE
Author and from E. A. Fleischmann" |

The book was dedicated by Senefelder to Maximilian Joseph, then King of Bavaria.
/u/y, 1911.

J. W. M.

PREFACE
A BOOK like this requires no preface ; it makes its own way, sup
ported 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 Sene
felder, and to the improvements that he sought with thousands of experi
ments 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, ex
periment, strive, than write ! Many times Herr Senefelder decided to set
down how he happened on this art, how the successive steps of its develop
ment 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.

viii PREFACE
Thus the "Pattern Book," begun in i8og, remained unfinished and
without text; and the other work, announced two years ago by Herr
Andre, in Ofi^enbach, as being undertaken by him with Herr Alois Sene
felder, 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 con
tradictory legends, some alleging that Herr Alois Senefelder had made the
very first experiments and others crediting them to Herr Schmidt in Mies-
bach, 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 Anzetger fiir Kunst und Gewerhfletss in the kingdom of
Bavaria, which has appeared since 1815, exists for the purpose of produc
ing annals of the art and industrial history of Bavaria. Therefore, toward
the end of 181 6 and early in 181 7, 1 inserted some letters about the inven
tion 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 gener
ation and for posterity. More than all, I urged Herr Alois Senefelder, then
absent, "to produce a detailed history ofhis 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

PREFACE ix
his return to Munich, it has been the subject of many conversations be
tween us, and I have endeavored to enliven the courage and self-confi
dence 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 institu
tion to which I belong to investigate the art scientifically; and the publica
tion ofthe text-book and the history ofthe 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 metal
lography 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 atten
tion, and thus has enlivened the courage and the energy ofthe 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

X PREFACE
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 produc
tions of the present Leipsic Book Fair.
The book is in two parts : (i) 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 develop
ment 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, be
cause his original intention of re-writing would have prevented the appear
ance 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 Guttenberg 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

PREFACE xi
stone-print. It is time to urge contemporaries once more to declare any
thing known to them that is in contradiction of this history, so that a criti
cal history of stone-printing may he 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 per
ception 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 thor
oughly, and that is, that Herr Alois Senefelder made not only the earliest
but the most numerous and various experiments, and therefore is the fore
most 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 ordi
narily hinder the efforts of a beginner.
Even recently, according to his statement and that of Professor Mit-
terer, whom I consider the best expert in lithography next to Senefelder,
there still have been phenomena that surprised lithographers most un
pleasantly in the midst of a piece of work, and ruined results as if by witch
craft, — cases wherein, in two apparently perfecdy 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

xii PREFACE
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, i8i8.

SECTION I
HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING

PART I
FROM 1796 TO 1800
AS my father, Peter Senefelder of Konigshofen 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 Madchen 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 embold
ened to request leave to produce it in the Kurfiirst'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

2 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 over
powering, 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 Kurf iirst, than she could have expected
in ordinary course. In a few strolling theatres, such as Regensburg, Niirn
berg, 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 establish
ment of Herr Hiibschmann, in Munich, and when the first folio was fin
ished, 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 man
uscript ; but since it had been begun, he told me to make sure that it be fin
ished 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 Hubschmann 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 Lenmer 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 3
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 in
vented 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, some
what 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 improve
ments. 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 com
position. 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.

4 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 etch
ing 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 cop
per bravely. Here, to be sure, I met greater difficulties. Writing on cop
per over the etching surface was far more difficult than writing on paper.
Then the preparation ofthe plate, the etching, etc., demanded some prac
tice ; 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 v^riting. The
accessories of copper-plate engravers, especially the so-called cover var
nish, were quite unknown to me. I knew no remedy except to paint the
faulty places over with molten wax, but die covering generally became so
thick that I could not work through it properly and had to leave the cor
rections 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 etch
ing surface. A few trials with spirits of wine and various resinous forms
gave no satisfaction. The one experiment that I made with oil of turpen
tine 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.

FROM 1796 TO 1800 5
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 lamp
black, 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 hand
some 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 lime
stone in plates from one inch to eight inches thick. Thus I needed not to
fear cracking ofthe 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

6 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
why the stone has not been used long before my time as substitute for cop
per, 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 imper
vious 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 under
stand clearly at the time, led me some years later to the invention ofthe
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 diat 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 7
to rub away the black as completely from all unetched parts ofthe 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 ston&
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 suc
ceeding 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 advan
tages 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 ofthe 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 dif
ferent 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.

8 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 pre
pared 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 suscep
tible of much better relief
Eagerly I began inking in. I used a fine leather ball, stuffed with horse
hair, and inked itvery 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 mate
rial. 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.

FROM 1796 TO 1800 9
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 im
portant 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 practised; 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 ! Per
haps 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 pro
moted " — and other such chimerical hopes.
On the third day I went widi 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

10 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 die 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 ofthe 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, pre
vented 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 II
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 artiess 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 appa
ratus. 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 impres
sions 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 hun
dred 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 Torring, then
President of the Royal Chamber, Herr Gleissner had presented an im
pression of our first work to the Kurf iirst Karl Theodor, and had received
one hundred gulden out of the Cabinet Treasury, with the promise of
a franchise. A succeeding litde 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

12 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 mas
terpiece 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 ofthe work had been stipulated, because she wished
to surprise Herr Cannabich witii it on his birthday. We had barely four

FROM 1796 TO 1800 13
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 gul
den, 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 com
plaints of Frau Gleissner, who charged that I had destroyed die 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 mrned 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 pres
sure. 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 power
fully 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 tighdy stretched leather

14 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 ever5Athing 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 ofthe 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 ofthe 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 15
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 rub
bing, using more or less power according to whether I wanted the impres
sions 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 pol
ishers, 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 I 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

i6 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 Kurfiirst had obtained a poor opinion of our pro
cess. Indeed, so long as the Kurfiirst 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 fin
ishing 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 resi
dence, 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 die 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 die cylinders at die same moment. The double
friction ofthe 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 diick, helped also. And to this day I consider this form of press the
best for all methods, especially if the stones are diick enough, if one has
not to consider die very greatest speed ; for in speed tiiis press is decidedly

FROM 1796 TO 1800 17
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 i, 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 Zauherflote, 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 etch
ing 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 AnzeigerfUr Kunst und Gewerhfleiss, the course ofhis 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

i8 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
was etched " assumed die invention and die use of etching beforehand.
That such coarse, tiiick, and highly relieved inscriptions as diose on grave
stones could be inked and used for printing would strike anybody who
knew even a litde of printing. If, however, Herr Schmidt added to his idea
die second, diat fine and, dierefore, only slightly elevated inscriptions and
illustrations could be inked and printed widi 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, eidier 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 tiiat time (1796) I had not invented stone-printing, but, firstly, an
ink available for writing on stone and resistant to acid, which ink I in
vented out of my brains and not, like Herr Schmidt, out of an old Niirn
berg book : secondly, I invented a practical tool for inking die slightiy
elevated letters : and diirdly, the so-called gallows or lever press, of which
I shall speak later.
As I do not know what were the circumstances surrounding Hen-
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 I798» 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.

FROM 1796 TO 1800 19
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 in
scribed 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-print
ing manner.
Later I made trial of a composition of lead, zinc, and bismuth, and this

20 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
succeeds dioroughly witii 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 die handsomest
patterns for calico much more quickly than has been possible heretofore
with wood-cuts. A litde 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 after
ward. 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 con
ceived 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
Neuotting 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 cate
chism. 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 ofthe 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 know
ledge 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 21
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 ofthe 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 con
sidered 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 fun
damental principle. No illustration has been published by any lithogra
pher 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 asser
tion 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 pro
ducing pictures.
These gendemen, who are so quick with verdicts, should inform them
selves a litde. They would discover that aside from me (widi the exception
of Professor Mitterer's invention ofthe 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

22 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 oj Lithography. If
they learned all this, they might feel a litde 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 prac
ticed 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 Schon 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 correcdy
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 sev
eral young men, who produced various works, sqitietimes good, sometimes
inferior. Through all this I ran more and more danger of losing my secret. In
deed, it was lost already except perhaps so far as concerned the exact com
position of the ink. But I hoped still to obtain the privilege for Bavaria,
toward which end die Schulrath promised me his best aid, and so I let the

FROM 1796 TO 1800 23
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 indiffer
ent, 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

24 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 be
gan 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 rep
resent 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 damp
ened 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 lighdy 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 experi
ments. 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 sim
ilar substances. In short, I do not exaggerate when I declare that this mat
ter cost me several thousands of experiments. I was rewarded sufficiently
by succeeding. And at the same time through these investigations I dis
covered 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 nat
ural that in my many experiments with such various ingredients I should

FROM 1796 TO 1800 25
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 every
where 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 trans
fer, 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
lidiarge of silver, lampblack, thick oil varnish, and potash properly di
luted 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 careless-

26 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
ness in handling. The natural and simple thought diat was bound to
come to me under the circumstances was this. Could not a stronger ma
terial, 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 ofthe
stone resisted it ? I feared diat the stone might not absorb the grease suf
ficiently, 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. AU 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 cor
rected 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, re
mained 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.

FROM 1796 TO 1800 27
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 ofchemical union with the stone,
making its pores more receptive to the grease and closing them more effec
tively 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 con
sistency of ink, and the new process would be practically perfect so far as
the fundamental principle was concerned. And, in fact, I made such hand
some, clean, and strong impressions after three days of trial that few bet
ter ones have been made since. Now it was necessary merely to train skill
ful 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

28 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
new process. Only the tide-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 Torring, 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 en
large 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 par
ents, 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 ofthe family Gleissner, — which consisted of five persons, — then a
larger residence, on account of the room needed for stones and for print
ing, 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 29
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 Maxi
milian 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 estab
lish 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 con
tent with having the monopoly in Bavaria, and cared little that other prin-
teries 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 hospi
table 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 ofthe 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 ofthe new art.

30 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 Faker's offer at once and was introduced as
a merchant. The attention with which he noted even the slightest opera
tions 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 Offen
bach 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 die Government

FROM 1796 TO 1800 31
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 com
position of tallow, soap, lampblack, and oil varnish, making an impres
sion, 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 extraor
dinary 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

32 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
in the choice of materials for each metal was there a difference. I dis
covered soon that there are two kinds of preparations, one acid and one
alkaline, for all solid bodies which have die 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 suc
ceeded in inventing an artificial stone-paper in 1 8 13, 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 transfer
able 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 cir
culating good pictures by making them extremely cheap. Lively prosecu
tion 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 advan
tages 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 33
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 Ber
lin, while I was to take the management in Vienna. Offenbach and Frank
furt 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 com
bined, 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 remunera
tion till the business was in working order.
Herr Andre was well content, for Herr Gleissner could be used as com
positor, 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 privi
lege 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 per
sons. 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

34 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
transferring from the copper for Herr Steiner. I taught them also how
to handle die 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, pre
viously 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 young
est 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 an
other 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 35
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 litde more pres
sure 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 com
pletely 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 con
tinuous 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 pul
verized indigo. The impressions turned out very handsome, so that I con-

36 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
sidered the matter settied and made no furdier 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 widi the design on them were in general use in Eng
land. 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. How
ever, 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 pas
sage. My sojourn in London did not achieve its purpose, which was to estab
lish 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 suffi
cient in England, but that an exact description of a process must be
deposited with the Patent Oflice.
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 con
stant seclusion ; and my suspicions were increased by the entire lack of all

FROM 1796 TO 1800 37
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 com
panion, 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; h, 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.

38 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
It is evident that with these substances an endless number of experi
ments 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 previ
ously under suggestion of Herr Steiner. The son ofthe 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 master
pieces as the result, had I come into contact at that time with an enter
prising 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 diat Herr Andre had sent Madame Gleissner to Vienna to claim the
exclusive franchise for the new printing process, and to enter lawsuit
against my modier, 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 litho-

FROM 1796 TO 1800 39
graphers 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 de
pend 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 ofthe 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 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 thor
oughly 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
litde 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 com
fort 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."

40 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 motiier'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 die 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 fur
nished by me.
Greatly as my suspicions were increased by this, I hoped that every
thing 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

FROM 1796 TO 1800 41
copper-etching trade had become apprehensive and was united in opposi
tion 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 excel
lent 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 in
sisted 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 ofthe 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 pro
cess 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

42 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 incon
ceivable 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 brodiers. 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 partoers. 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
mostiy 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 Gleiss
ner 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 Offen
bach 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

44 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
have too litde 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 sup
port 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

FROM 1800 TO 1806 45
further, quite considerable advances while I was in London, and Hen-
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 gendeman 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 expen
ditures. 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

46 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 neces
sary 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 HartI,
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 Hard. 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 com
pany 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.

FROM 1800 TO 1806 47
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 Hard 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
Hard 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 con
vince 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 sufficientiy
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 everytiiing, before he took steps contrary to our agreement and widiout
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 ofthe Gleissners'
extravagance proved that I should always have to dance to their tune. It

48 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
angered me that he should turn against me, as weakness, my recognition
ofthe patient faithfulness ofthe 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. Tht 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. How
ever, 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 Hard in
his country residence in Dornbach. We were received most kindly, and he

FROM 1800 TO 1806 49
promised me his aid if I could give satisfactory proofs. So far as the fran
chise was concerned, however, he showed me that it could be taken out
only in my name, and this, he explained, would be difiicult enough, as all
the art dealers were against it. To ask for it in the name of three brothers
was out ofthe 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 Hard, who, as Court Agent, naturally knew all that was to be
done, would not have said this without good reason. My brothers, how
ever, 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 Hard would give them the journey
money; otherwise they would be forced to listen to the proposition of sev
eral Viennese art dealers and sell them the secret of the stone-printing
art. As this would have destroyed all chance for getting an exclusive privi
lege, 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

50 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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
audiorized 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 die big spinning-shops were ready, said he, he would give me so
great an oppormnity 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 mosdy because they could give no dem
onstrations. 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 Hard 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

FROM 1800 TO 1806 51
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 deaf, 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 gul
den 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 litde 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

52 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
process. This was done, and besides the Mayor, there appeared the fac
tory inspector, Herr von Jaquin, who was a Professor of Chemistry, and
the director ofthe 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 heart
ily in favor of my petition for the exclusive privilege.
In addition, Herr von Hard 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 litde 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
ofthe 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 fumre. My easily moved imagination inter
preted 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 ofhis leave of absence. She found him in the sad
dest 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

FROM 1800 TO 1806 53
been used to defray his traveling expenses, and she found die 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 ofthe two, either from Herr Andre's friend in Vienna or per
haps 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 neces
sary for the business in hand, as I knew his opinions in that respect. Will
ingly as Herr von Hartl gave money when it was needed to achieve a use
ful 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 Hard entirely, and offered volun
tarily 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 begin
ning, 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 clamor
ous, 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.

54 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 Hard, I became acquainted with a skillful clavier-
player, Teuber, who was also a composer, and at once showed great inter
est 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 suflficient 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 im
pressions, 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 acci
dental 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 Hard
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 Hard had entertained litde 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

FROM 1800 TO 1806 55
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 Hard now had declared himself in favor of estab
lishing a music-printery ; and a few days later there came a highly favor
able 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 provi
sionally. 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 mate
rials, 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 any
thing. The sum that he asked for everytiiing 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 Hard had accepted this, there would have been four thou
sand gulden net profit a year in it. And by combining with it the advan
tages of the new process, the profit was certain to be greater. To begin a

56 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 establish
ment would cost him a sum of twenty thousand gulden within a very few
years without advancing toward being even the ghost of a business. Per
haps I did not possess the gift of convincing others. At any rate, both
projects failed to meet with approval. That Herr von Hard 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 Griinewald. 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 pro
posed to us to begin with a few ofhis works. Of course it would have been
wiser to begin with a good work by a famous man, whose name was suffi
ciently 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 our
selves on the spot about the best way to get stones.
A further inducement to make this journey was that he wished to ex
amine the estate of Niedau, which had been described as being very
favorably situated for the erection of manufactories. Herr von Hard
already had a large spinnery in operation. This, and perhaps the printery,

FROM 1800 TO 1806 57
he planned to establish in Niedau, because there both workers and prop
erty 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 ad
vanced 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 Hard to make an
accounting. The goods that Mistelbauer had brought convinced Herr von
Hard ofhis skill and technical capacity. The details ofhis 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
Hard 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 Hard 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, widi all its present and future stock, in order to be covered
should the operations fail.
Now Mistelbauer was a man who had litde or no mercantile talent. He
did not understand book-keeping, and though he had managed the origi
nal 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

58 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
accounts. Another trouble was that Herr von Hard, in order to satisfy
himself, continually demanded new sample work from him, which, on the
odier 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 Helmannsod 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 Hard assisted him, he succeeded soon in con
vincing 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 Hard
had to make new advances all the time. Naturally Herr von Hard began
to feel apprehensive, and he decided to visit Mistelbauer on the occasion
of our journey to Solenhofen.
When we reached Helmannsod, Herr von Hartl shook his head dubi
ously, 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 bet
ter 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

FROM 1800 TO 1806 59
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 con
vinced 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 compre
hended 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 prin
ters busy. I asked Herr von Hartl to buy some compositions from Vien
na'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 Gleiss
ner composed continually and printed his work. Nearly a whole year
passed that way, and still Herr von Hard 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 experi
ments. 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 under
stand the instructions, one needed to know the entire process of cotton-

6o HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
making and printing. I cannot understand now why It never struck Herr
von Hard 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 chem
istry 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 impres
sion 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 ob
jected that copper cylinders must be engraved with the graving tool, and
that patterns for cotton should not be etched, since, if etching were practi
cal, 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.

FROM 1800 TO 1806 61
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 cylin
der 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 Potten
dorf, 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 cylin
der, 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 ofthe print
ing. He made the first Impression with the copper cylinder, which, of
course, produced a very pretty piece of work. But when mine was ad
justed 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 (5f 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 ex
penses. 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.

62 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 dissatis
fied with Mistelbauer, his health was poor, and irritating business troubles
were anything but good for him. He expressed his regret many times be
cause 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 Impe
rial 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 travel
ing expenses, — a debt that now had stood for two years, and that the skill
ful 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

FROM 1800 TO 1806 63
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 ofthe 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. Un
happily, at the end ofthe 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 ad
vice 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 Helmannsod, 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 inspec
tion before he reported that Herr von Hartl was being cheated by Mistel
bauer. 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 trans
ported 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 Helmannsod 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.

64 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
The hard blows were too much for poor Mistelbauer, who was now
reduced to total beggary. He became IU 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 con
temporary 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
Hard'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 thou
sand gulden that was already sunk in the work had grown to twenty thou
sand 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 un
fortunate 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

FROM 1800 TO 1806 65
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 land
lady pressed harshly for payment. He even went to Herr von Hartl. That
gentleman sent for me immediately and declared that he would try Stei
ner's plan, and that it would be his last attempt, and that I could see my
self 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 cooperation, 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 ex
periments made in art work. An artist, Karl Muller, 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 direc
tion 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 acmally
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 ofthe
profit for myself at the end of the year; but Herr Steiner, instead of ac
counting 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

66 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 gul
den 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 Hard comforted me
with the example of other inventors, who had received no better remrns.
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 con
nected with the water-wheel of the cotton-splnnery, so that one needed
only to pull a cord to set the cylinders in motion and see the printing ofthe
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 ofthe 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.

FROM 1800 TO 1806 67
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 ofthe 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 after
ward in presence of Fiirst von Esterhazy and other members of the com
pany, 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 ofthe 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 Ebrelchsdorfer 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, prom
ised to make for me cast copper cylinders with Iron cores : and his prepara
tions for this work were almost completed when again fate ruined all my
hopes. Napoleon had just completed the Continental blockade ; and the Eng
lish cotton stuffs were not to be had anywhere. This forced all the weav-

68 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
ers and manufacturers of the inland to buy from the Pottendorfer Works,
and the sale of dieir output became so great that the formerly overcrowded
storehouses were emptied in a short time. "Why should we erect a new,
different factory ? Radier 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 else
where. 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 hun
dred 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 Mad-
lener'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 ofthe noblest of men, and was just ready to go to St. Polten,
when my destinies received a new direction through a strange chain of cir
cumstances, 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. There
fore 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 Gras
nitzky, had not Madame Gleissner conceived the idea of making personal
inquiries about the conditions in Munich.

FROM 1800 TO 1806 69
Shordy 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, Griinewald, who had
left Vienna in 1804 with one of our note-writers. Held, to erect a stone-
printing establishment for Breitkopf and Hartl 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 occa
sion 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 pleasandy 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 great
est 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

70 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 vari
ous works which he wished to have printed as soon as possible. Unfortu
nately 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 Ad 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 re
dounded 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 rea
son that the Royal Academy of Sciences did not reelect 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 ap
pointment with him for a future day, and suggested to him how he could
support himself meantime by selling the secret of the art.

72 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
Stuttgart was one of the towns suggested to him. Strohhofer circulated
a pompous proclamation there, boasting ofhis talents and offering his ser
vices 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 impor
tance 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 Diirer'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 unimpor
tant as had been believed generally.
The professor of the Feyertag School, Herr Mitterer, had done impor
tant preparatory work in Munich to gain a favorable decision. My bro
thers 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 litho
graphic 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 con
ducted 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 ad
vanced 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 tobe a secret, — as ifa con-

FROM 1806 TO 1817 73
dition 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 difl&cult 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 pro
duce 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 die previous profit, so diat
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.

74 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 at
tained 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 High
nesses, 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 ofthe 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, Kirch-
meier, 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 cele
brated 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 impos
sible to carry out this plan, and thus to justify the great confidence that he
reposed in my inventiveness and ability.

FROM 1806 TO 1817 75
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 Kurfiirstin of
Bavaria. This was ruined by the clumsiness of a Munich wood-turner,
who made such uneven cylinders that we could not produce any satisfac
tory specimens. Although I made arrangements at once for a large Eng
lish 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 appear
ing 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 diis 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 ofthe 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

76 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 exacdy, 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, hav
ing 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 earnesdy 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 ofthe 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 agree
ment 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.

FROM 1806 TO 1817 77
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 sup
ported 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 hap
pened 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 insti
tute 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 oflicial
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 hap
pened 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

78 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 mis
understanding here on account of the name. When Freiherr von Hart
mann sent one ofhis subordinates to call Senefelder to him, he brought my
brother Theobald, who immediately got orders to establish a lithographic
oflice, 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 sufiiciently 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 pass
ports 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 self
ishness, and had never understood how to use it for anything except

FROM 1806 TO 1817 79
merely printing music. The falsity and humiliating character of this state
ment 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 false
hood. Since the moment when I received the exclusive franchise in Ba
varia, in the year 1799, 1 had made no secret of any part of my process
toward any living being. I showed the whole manipulation to my work
men 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 work
men, or others who learned something ofthe 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 litde excursion, which was needed for my justifica
tion, 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

8o HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
Plate Engraver. He was one ofthe first to whom I had shown specimens,
as early as 1796, of the new process, but he had paid litde attention to it.
Partly through various very excellent specimens from Herr Mitterer's
print, and partly through the work of Strixner and Pilottl, 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 ofthe best
of the Aretin printers, a man named Weishaupt, laid the foundation for
the stone-printery of the Royal Tax Commission (Konlgliche Unmittel-
bare Steuer-Kataster-Kommisslon), which is now the most Important of
all the lithographic institutions of Munich. A little later a similar instim-
tlon 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
Utzschnelder, the man who has done so much for Bavaria's home indus
tries. 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 hap
pened to be no stone in Munich large enough, Weishaupt remembered
that he had seen stones in my possession which I had purchased partly for

FROM 1806 TO 1817 81
map-work and partiy 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 ofthe 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
Utzschnelder 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 Schlesl, 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 Schlesl, 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 Utzschnelder and explained my
real intentions to him. He promised to consider the matter earnestly.
Herr Professor Schiegg, an excellent geometrician and astronomer, was

82 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
member of the Steuer-Kataster-Kommission, and had the supervision
over the entire instimtion. He was not well satisfied. Too many costiy
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 fur
nished, and he observed that I did not ask more for it than the Commis
sion 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 ofthe estab
lishment. Herr von Utzschnelder 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 Utzschnelder advised me to make another pro
position, 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 bur
den of supporting us, without causing him damage, as according to the

FROM 1806 TO 1817 83
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 work
men 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 gul
den for my friend Gleissner, with the rank of Royal Inspector of Litho
graphy, 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 interest
ing 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 es
tablishment 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, 1 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 litde establishment was very busy. Unfortunately it happened

84 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
that I was not paid at once by the Royal Commission ofthe 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 re
main 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. There
fore 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 improve
ments 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

FROM 1806 TO 1817 85
be unique, because I invented improvements and perfections daily. When
my dear friend Andre came to Munich in 1811, 1 laid my project before
him and he was so taken with it that he offered his cordial cooperation.
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 discov
ered 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 exor
bitant 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 sec
ond wife, a niece of our worthy Choir-Master Ritter von Winter, recon
ciled 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 in
different to me what men might think of my art or Its inventor.
In 1 8 16, 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

86 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
needed for only diree 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 be
coming seriously ill soon after reaching Vienna. A great weakness re
mained as result, and this made it Impossible for me to undertake the
return voyage in the bad weather that marked the winter of 1 816-17.
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 op
position. 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, with
out going into expenses based on an uncertainty. However, various draw
ings 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, be
cause 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 suit
able for the easy reproduction of many styles of drawing, and recom
mended 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 im
pressions are to be produced. Since there are as yet no complete printer
ies where an artist can have his own plates printed without danger of dam
age, there is nothing left except to print them himself, which causes many

FROM 1806 TO 1817 87
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 fiir Kunst und Gewerhfleiss, in which Herr Direktor von
Schlichtegroll, General Secretary of the Royal Bavarian Academy of Sci
ences, 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 correc
tions 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 Sci
ences, the Polytechnical Union, and at last even before their majesties,
our most gracious King and his most highly venerated spouse, that illus
trious 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

88 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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. Radier, 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 recogni
tion during my lifetime, and because I myself was able to bring It to a de
gree 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 ofthe Royal Gallery, has had his skilled
pupils, Strixner and Pilottl, copy many collections in the Royal Drawing
Cabinet (Konigliche Zelchnungs Kablnett), 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 de
mands 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 excellentiy well adapted
for copjdng paintings.
Hereby I wish to express my deepest gratitude publicly to the worthy

FROM 1806 TO 1817 89
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-grow
ing sympathy and interest of the public,
Herr Mitterer now has attained such perfection, especially in the simple
crayon method, that many ofhis 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, 1 have dedicated myself almost uninterruptedly to improve
ments, 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 Im
pressions — 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 ofthe 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

go HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
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 ofthe printers. There
fore 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 al
most without human Intervention. With this invention I believed that I
had set my art on the pinnacle of completion ; and when In 1817 1 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 ofthe Royal Government was, without question, the invention
of a sufficient substitute for the natural limestone plates, which often in
curred well-founded censure because of their unevenness, weight, and fragil
ity, and have the further fault of demanding a great deal of storage room.
Before the Royal Academy of Sciences, and also before the Polytechni
cal 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 exacdy
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 use
fulness under all circumstances, have filled me with the absolute convic
tion 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

FROM 1806 TO 18 1 7 91
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 consider
ation 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 : (i) 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 pow
erful 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

Q2 HISTORY OF STONE-PRINTING
color more readily, than does the natural stone. (7) Finally, they are so
excellent for all mediods of printing that it is possible to reproduce the
original plates at will merely by transferring a fresh imprint to anodier
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 recendy by a
certain writer whose lack of knowledge forbade correct judgment. The
matter already has attained a degree of perfection that makes every fur
ther improvement unnecessary, nay, almost impossible.
My many employments, mosdy 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 Lasterle In Paris and Herr Ackermann in London, being utilized for
many kinds of printed work. In Berlin, Herr Major von Relche has
erected a great institution. In Petersburg the art has existed for some
years, and is being especially well cultivated now by Freiherr von Schil
ling. 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 —
(i) 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 —
(i) 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.

94 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
Intaglio Process —
(i) 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 —
(i) 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
(i) Printing simultaneously with water colors and oil colors.
(2) Simultaneous chemical and mechanical printing,
1(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 mani
folding 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 sur
face, 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 differ
ence 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.

96 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 differ
ence between the older and the new processes. A dry plate would take

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 97
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 sub
stance. 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 prevent
ing 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 appli
cable 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 per-

98 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
fectly. 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 ob
taining 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 99
other similar work, we find that these can be produced more conven
iently, 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 etch
ing, 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 par
ticular methods demand especial care or unusual knowledge. Because
of the greater ease of Inking, die 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 correc
tions on stone than on copper and zinc.

100 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 preeminent 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 imi
tated 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 ofhis 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 confi
dence, 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

THE stone that has been used exclusively hitherto in Munich for
printing is a stratified limestone, found in the territory from
Dietfurt to Pappenhelm, 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 Mann
heim, three hours distant from Neuberg-on-the-Danube, All the inhab
itants of Solenhofen are quarrymen, and the entire surrounding country
seems to have a surplus of the stone, so that even with the greatest de
mand 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 car
bonate. It is almost wholly soluble in nitric and other acids, the carbon
ate being liberated in gaseous form and disappearing. Since the various
kinds of marble have almost the same component parts, one might sup-

102 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
pose 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 col
ored greenish, gray, bluish, and brownish Bavarian and Tyrolean marbles
very useful for some methods, especially because of their superior hard
ness. 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 quar
rymen, who now know pretty well how the best stones should be con
stituted. A good stone must have the following properties : —
(i) 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 103
(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 theirmass 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 shad
ings 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 an;! 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

104 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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, unpressions 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. How
ever, 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. There
fore 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 de
fects 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 105
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 bene
ficial 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 pre
ceding 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 ham
mer. 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 de
sired lines.

io6 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 uneven
ness 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 con
cave 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. An-

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 107
other 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 un
even 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, prac
tice 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 cer
tain that the stones are polished sufficiently. To make sure, the straight
edge 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 abso
lutely 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

io8 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
in all lithographies, some preferring to polish with small pieces of sand
stone, 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 care
ful. 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.
HI
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 draw
ings, 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 109
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 mbctures 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

IIO TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 : —

(i) White Wax

8 parts

Soap

2 parts

Lampblack

I 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

I part

(3) Wax

12 parts

Shellac

4 parts

Soap

4 parts

Lampblack

I part

(4) Tallow

8 parts

Shellac

8 parts

Soap

4 parts

Lampblack

I part

(5) Wax

8 parts

Shellac

4 parts

Mastic

4 parts

Soap

4 parts

Lampblack

I part

(6) Wax

8 parts

Tallow

4 parts

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE iii
Shellac 4 parts
Soap 4 parts
Lampblack i part
(7) Wax and Gum quajak 12 parts
Tallow 4 parts
Soap 4 parts
Lampblack i part
The wax and gum are melted In equal proportions, the undis
solved 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 i part
Soap 4 parts
Lampblack i 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.
MAKiiNG 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 bum 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.

112 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 sopower-
ful 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: —
(i) 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, in
cludes 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 neces
sary 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 lamp
black usually contains a considerable quantity of inflammable wood acid

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 113
which unites with the alkali, neutralizes it, and thus destroys its effec
tiveness 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
mlxmre 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 msect belong
ing 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,

114 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 die 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 etch-

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 115
ing 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 aU 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 i 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 undis
solved 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.

ii6 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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
I part pure ox-fat soap
I part purified crystallized soda
I 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 con
tinued 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

I part

Tallow

6 parts

Mastic

5 parts

Soap

4 parts

Lampblack i part

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 117
The mode of preparation is exactly like that ofthe 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 I 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

ii8 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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.
(i) Thick linseed oil varnish I part
Tallow 2 parts
(2) Wax I 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
I part Venetian turpentine
I 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 119
(i) 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,
(S) 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.

120 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
(6) Shellac 4 parts
Wax 8 parts
Tallow 2 parts
Soap S 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 particu
lar 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 121
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 danger
ous 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 ofthe 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

122 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 unneces
sary but inadvisable to mix a drier with it, as varnish so treated is too
Hkely to off-set on the stone.
Several strengths of printing-varnish are needed for the various meth
ods 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 ob
tained the last-mentioned degree of thickness and toughness, it must be
cooled quickly, for then it is not far from hardening completely and be
coming 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 123
printing-inks also. I will merely make die 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 lamp
black; 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 an
other 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.

124 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 appli
cation of gum merely increases this preparation. Countless experi
ments have taught me that the exact reverse Is true. Gum arable 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 Hthography 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 125
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 arable in water after being etched, Ifa 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 clean
ing 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 : —
(i) 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 disap
pears after a time on account of die 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

126 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
with acid and gum arable 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 avail
able for light but not for extensive etching, because it transforms the sur
face 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 im
pressions 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 etch
ing the stone rough if it has been prepared before or used for impressions.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 127
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 thor
oughly 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 rough
ening 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 arable
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

128 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 arable 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 dam
ages 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 129
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 im
pressions 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 com
plete 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, jt 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 ; other
wise 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

130 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 ex
pensive, 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 131
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 nut-
gall 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 resem
bles the scraped style In copper, or the so-called black art.
Ill
GUM AS THE REAL PREPARATION
If a cleanly polished plate is sprinkled with a few drops of gum arable
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 outer
most surface of the stone, penetrating only slightly, so that the least in
jury will make it take color as soon as it is dry. On this fact is founded the
intaglio style of lithography. Therefore, ifa 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 dimin
ishes 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

132 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 arable more or less. The latter, however, is to be preferred
because of its reliability, IV
C0NCER1<IING 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 inklng-
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, in
stead 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 133
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: —
(i) Mere wiping with clean water will give the stone a sort of prepara
tion if the material used for wiping is suitable. This preparation is in
complete, but can be transformed very easily into a complete one. This
incomplete preparation is according to the strength with which the rub
bing 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 Frank
furter 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 sec
ond 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

134 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
preparation by applying gum. Here, however, the circumstance is note
worthy 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 greaslness 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 135
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 reestablishing 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 manipula
tion, 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 con
tradictory, 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 reestablish their interrupted communication with the printing-

136 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
color. In die 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 die fact that the lin
seed 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,
(i) 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 137
(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 circum
stances 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 hap
pens 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 be
comes 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 sur
face 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 pohshed already, it can be
made rough again and receptive to color by being reetched. At the same
time the prepared surface can be destroyed by etching, and a communi
cation established with the fat lying in the interior. The result is accord
ing to the manipulation.
So much In general. In describing the various styles I will make every
thing clearer.

138 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 prin
ciple, 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 chem
ical 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 diffi
cult 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 pohshing
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 pro
duces 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, how-

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 139
ever, 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 thin
ness, 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 length
wise 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

140 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 men
tioned, 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 con
sists 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 141
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 success
fully 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. Ill
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.

142 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 inscrlbing-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 ofhis own invention,
with which drawings can be transferred to stone, reversed or otherwise,
and in any desired proportion. Pictures of such machines may be ob
tained from him. V
CONCERNING OTHER APPLIANCES
These are : a grindlng-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 wiplng-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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 143
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 diree
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 re
quired. 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 chem
ical 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

144 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 wiplng-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 be
come 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 pres
sure. 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 145
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 trans
ferring it to the stone either by transferring or by re-tracing it on the
stone. It must have the following properties: —
(i) It must not smut the original drawing on which it is laid. Conse
quently 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 Chi
nese ink, or, (if the drawing Is to be transferred directly to the stone), with
the soft chemical ink described under the caption "Transfer Ink," Gen
erally 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

146 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
nearly every stroke tears the paper and the lines and outhnes 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. After
ward 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 impres
sions 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 147
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 die
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 die tracing imme
diately 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 pre
pared stone, drawing face down, and put through the press. If the draw
ing has been made with the chemical transfer ink, blackened with lamp-

148 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
black 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 149
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 im
pressions 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 fre
quently 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,

150 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
the correct degree of moisture is attained, if the paper takes it well, and,
finally, if die color is right for It, it can be used with tiiorough success.
I must mention a circumstance that may defeat aU 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
Kiihnel, and comes from a French factory. This paper has die 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 tiiat this property of smutting die 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
aliun 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 ofthe 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 pre
pared stone, when it has been wetted thoroughly so that it is saturated.
But here, too, mere water is not a complete preparation. Under strong

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 151
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: —
(i) 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 en
tirely 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 : —
(fl) The paper to be used for printing must never be too wet, because the
most powerful pressure could not remove the water sufficientiy.
(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 sufficientiy squeezed away, the paper remains soft
and fragile, while the pressure still is great enough to grip the fibres ofthe
paper. (c) Therefore the paper must be only slightiy dampened if the color is
very tough, pardy to prevent tearing, partiy 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.

152 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
(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.
(/) 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 Uttle 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 hundred
weight 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 re
move 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 He 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 damp
ening. 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 153
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 pro
duce nothing but trash, because in this respect lithography is far more

154 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
difficult than any other printing-process, I shall not admit that Htho
graphy has made a great step toward the utmost perfection until the
erring work of the human hand has been dispensed with as much as possi
ble 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 weU 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, how
ever, it is the press, according to my experience, that most affects the
quahty 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 mech
anism of the press forces it on the paper, which is on the stone and cov
ered with an overlay of waste paper and tensely stretched leather. This
pressure forces the color against die 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 155
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 succes
sive, 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 con
siderably pulled and strained by the scraper. This pulling and strain
ing communicates itself to the paper under the leather. Thus all the
lines of the design become a litde 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. Draw
ings in detail, however, and crayon work wherein there is hardly a per
ceptible space between the dots, are so affected by the slightest displace
ment 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, fashion
ing 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 im
pressions. 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: —

156 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
(i) 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, n
APPLICATION OF BOOK- AND COPPER-PLATE PRESSES TO LITHOGRAPHY
If we consider the pecuHarities of book and copper print, we find a
decided difference between them that affects printing importandy.
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 impres
sions 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 natu
ral 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 aU 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
consequendy a stone plate offers four times as much resistance. A book-
press therefore would print a stone only if it were arranged for a pres
sure 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 157
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 impres
sion 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 weU 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 puUIng 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 mechan
ical 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 oper
ated 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

158 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 hun
dredweight, 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 faciHty 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 : —
(i) The stone must be ground very true on the under side as well as
the upper.
(2) Both cylinders must be perfecdy 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 159
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 ahnost im
possible 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. HI
LITHOGRAPHIC PRESSES USED HITHERTO
Most owners of lithographic printeries have tried their hands at invent
ing 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 wiU, however, recount the best that has been done so far for litho
graphy. In Munich two kinds of stone presses are mosdy used. They are: —
(i) 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 be
cause 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.

i6o TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
I know also —
(5) The roller press used by Herr Andre.
(6) And the press of Herr Steiner in Vienna.
Herr Muller 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 par
ticularly. 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 con
nected 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 exacdy the same.
The scraper arm consists of two parts, of which the shorter one, to which

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE i6i
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 impres
sion 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 smut
ting, 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: —
(i) 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 Hne, 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
perfecdy 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 out
wards toward the workman and injure him severely. The third illus
tration 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.

i62 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
(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 de
mands. 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 neady 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 wIH 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 smaU 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 im
pression 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 163
V
THE CYLINDER PRESSES
V/hen 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 in
vented the so-called Cylinder or Star Press, which has its place in most
estabHshments, especIaHy those in other countries. It has had minor
changes made in it by many persons, but on the whole, nobody has suc
ceeded in improving it notably, except for a considerable Improvement
made by Herr Mitterer himself. My description will include this im
provement. 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.

i64 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 under
lays 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 165
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 print
ing-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 cyHnder 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 wifl 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. There
fore 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 prlncipaUy: (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 (/) 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 167
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 Miiller in Karlsruhe, AH others have had to strug
gle 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 pene
trated pretty well, they stlH need not be ground too deeply, but it wlfl
suffice to grind them merely till all depressions and elevations of the
previous design have vanished. They may be ground with sand or pum
ice, so long as they are made smooth so that no roughness can be per
ceived. 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 pre
pared after grinding so that the ink shaU 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 thor
oughly that the coating vanishes again almost entirely, leaving only a
thin fihn 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

i68 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 uncleanllness
on the part of the workman, especially if many old plates are being re-
ground, 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 parti
cles, and dry it off as well as possible. Now, there wiU be too much alkaH
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 wIH then have precipitated itself on the
stone and at the same time has lost aH 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 wIH 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 im
portant. 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 169
has been laid on by transfer, the resultant fattiness must be lighdy 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 aU lines that should not appear wIH 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 de
signed 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 correc
tions 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

170 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 generaUy 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
Httle 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 arable 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
especiaUy 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, espe
cially if it has been on the stone for some time, is more difficult to remove
and a Httle more turpentine is required.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 171
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 Hnen 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 every
where. Immediately after this dampening, the well-inked printing-roller
is passed to and fro over the plate several times. The roUer 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 rub
bing motion that wiU 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 immedi
ately. 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 trou
ble 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
tin 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 litde gum, others a Htde aquafortis into the water
to wet the stone. Others use stale beer, or even urine. I consider aU 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: —

172 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
(i) 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-roUer, 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 weU with gum and oil of turpentine; and
this, if done too often, damages the preparation and makes the impres
sions 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 weU 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 caUed 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-roUer the last vestige of dampness is removed, this

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 173
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 print
ing-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 In
vent 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 per
mits a greater fluidity. Very good is the following composition: Six parts
linseed oil, two parts tallow, one part wax, melted together and thick
ened 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,
especiaUy a porous one, has much less internal moisture on very wami,
dry days. Then the dampening done before each impression often evap
orates instantly and unequaUy, 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 neces-

174 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
sary with some work, a litde finely powdered mennig may be mixed in.
Finely powdered litharge of sUver dries stiU better, but only a small
amount of printing-color must be mixed with it, because it toughens
widiin an hour. It wUl not keep for another day, because the mennig wiU
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 : —
(i) The paper must not touch the inked design tiU 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
weU 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 175
the scraper soon becomes dull, and then the press must have more
power. (5) Insufficient tension of the leather also may produce poor impres
sions, especiaUy 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 cor
rected 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 weU removed
so that it wiU 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 accord
ing 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 some
thing 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 pohshing 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 care-

176 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
fully or grind them away by rubbing with pumice stone. Coat the spots
cautiously with soap-water or oU of turpentine and clean off again as
thoroughly as possible. (This coating is not necessary in the case of a few
isolated smaU lines or points.) Now draw In your new design with chem
ical ink, and as soon as this is dry, etch the corrections carefuUy 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 carefuUy. 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 oU of turpentine, and
then treated as explained before.
Wlien 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 solu
tion. 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.
Ifa 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 per
fect. During the progress of printing, the following points are important :
Uniform distribution of water, the same of printing-color, frequent ink
ing of the Inking-roUer, 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 powerfuUy. Much depends on the treat
ment of the brush and the consistency of the ink. The brush does not
permit such a flow of ink as does the pen, and generaUy requires one that
is more fluid. A good brush ink is made as foUows: —
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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 177
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, sepa
rate 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 thor
oughly 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 ;:ombIne 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.
Ifa brush design is to be etched in high relief, for ease in printing or for
durabUity, 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 wiU 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 wUl serve: —
Over die 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

178 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 de
scribed 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 usedlnuch 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 particu
lar 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 thor
oughly 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 pow
dered sandstone on them and rubbing In all directions with a smaU 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 179
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
wiU 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 etch
ing 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 weU 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 easUy 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
tiie 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.

i8o TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 re
draw the lost places with crayon.
Printing crayon work is the most difficult of all lithography, but can
be done perfectly if aU 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 easUy ; (c) good stretching of the leather,
industrious lubrication, and an underlay of taffeta ; (d) a good, finely
mixed inklng-color that will not shade off In printing and yet does not con
tain too much lampblack; (e) soft and well-dried ink-rollers; (/) 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE i8i
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 devel
opment 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 aU 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 suc
cess. 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 suc
ceeded. 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 puUed 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 shaU be faithful to aU the beauties of a
crayon design is a matter dependent on so many trivial detaUs 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

i82 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 wiU
appear on the Impression.
Let us suppose that after inking-in, a plate shows aU 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 wiU 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,

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 183
with a more or less sharp needle of good steel, so that what remains looks
quite like a good grain. A litde 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 weU 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 aU faulty places have been treated, a little
tallow or linseed oU is smeared over the plate and then washed away
weU 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-draw
ing them. The stone must be washed off first with a great deal of very

i84 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
pure water and the crayon must contain much soap. This kind of cor
rection 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 cor
rections 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"gende
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: —
(i) The tanners of Munich manufacture an inking-ball, made espe
cially 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 yeUowish, 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 durabil
ity. Ifa 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 slightiy before
being inked; but on the contrary, if the stone is kept too wet, the con
stant moisture will gradually prepare the roUer, 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 soft
ness and becomes useless for fine work. StiU worse is a roUer that has
hardened from the drying of die ink. It is surprising to see what a dif-

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 185
ference 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 im
pressions of crayon and fine pen work than even the quality of the print
ing-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 ofhis 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 economi
cal 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 wiU print weU 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 con
noisseurs hold it to be die triumph of the lithographic art.

i86 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 suffi
ciently, yet not so very thickly that it wiU 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 He
evenly and nicely on the plate when appHed 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 sur
face, but the paper wiU stick. Wet It with weak aquafortis till it Is com
pletely 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 weU. 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 187
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 wIU 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 wiU 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 ofthe design. When the first impression was made, the
printed paper was cut away exactly at the marked points, and laid accu
rately, 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 care
fully for each impression and that the slightest inaccuracy spoiled the reg
ister. 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 Httle movable
frame that has two steel needles whose position is adjustable at will. Lu
bricate 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 litde frame so that they will be
exacdy 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 litde frame must be so
adjusted that it can be folded back out ofthe way before each impression,
and the printing-frame must hold the sheets of paper so that they cannot
move.

i88 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 hav
ing 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 sten
cils 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 aU 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 generaUy 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 de
signed and treated according to the necessities of color, impressions can be
made that resemble the English colored copper prints very closely, es
peciaUy if the crayon and pen or brush methods are united,
(6) A stone plate maybe etched so that it wUl 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

TEXt-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 189
which Is mixed a little lampblack, so that one can see if the coating Is per
fectly 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 aqua
fortis 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
aU 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 weU
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 diat the more delicate places would suffer, but if I

190 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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) Ifa 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 appHcable. 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 tur
pentine 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. Ill
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 in
scription that Is first put on paper with the fatty substance. This is possi
ble only for lithography, and I incline to the belief that it is the most im
portant of aU 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 191
engineer officers can draw plans and have them circulated among the
officers who need them.
Autiiors and scientists will find the method to be the means of circulat
ing their works in manuscript very cheaply.
Even artists will respect the method when its gradual perfection en
ables them to draw their pictures on paper with ink or crayon and repro
duce 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 aU this would take too much space. I wiU 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 ori
ginal. 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 diat is necessary for good impressions. From this time on the

192 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 Hmited, 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 ofthe design Is nicely inked. This rubbing-in of color is an
important part of many of the processes that wUl 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 193
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 trans
fer. 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 pro
ducts 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 prin
ter'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 beautl-
fuUy even. Then if It Is transferred to a stone properly prepared as de
scribed 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 foUows : —
Make a paint-Hke 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 die 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
tiU the type matter is only faintly red. Then the paper must be washed
very thoroughly with many pourings of water and laid between waste

194 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 ordi
nary copper-plate ink Is not so good. It wiU 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 pro
cess 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 pres
sure 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 wiU 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 charac
ter 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. Etch
ing, preparation, and printing are the same as with other styles.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 195
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 witii water, coated well with soap-
water, wiped, dried, and finally coated widi 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
Hke 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 aU 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
ha:rd 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 ofthe
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 ofthe
acid and the resisting power of the ink very accurately. It is well to

19^ TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 Instandy 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 wiU come into wide use
soon. It is done as foUows: —
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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 197
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 oudines 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 ofthe 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.

198 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 finaUy
carmine if It is mixed first with Venetian turpentine before being com
bined 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 smaU amount, suf
ficient 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 yel
low ochre with mineral blue or Indigo does not produce a pretty green, and
Eang'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 de
sign 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 su
perior; and it is susceptible of such perfection that in future true paintings
will be produced by its means. My experience convinces me of this.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 199
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 sec
ond 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 impres
sions on a clean stone under the press and passing them through as for
printing, with the proper tension. This tension must be adjusted accord
ing to the firmness ofthe printing-color; therefore it is best to make test
with one sheet. Then, if the metal does not adhere sufficiently, the pres
sure 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 bril
liancy 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 sil
vered, pressed, wiped, and cleaned, is the black design to be printed on

200 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 ofthe Relief method ; and I hope that I have
made it all so clear that good results will come to all who follow my direc
tions.
CHAPTER II
INTAGLIO METHOD
This differs from the other in that the fat, which is to attract the print
ing-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 ofthe best kind. Grind It as finely as pos
sible. 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. Im
mediately 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 pene
trate 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 201
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 en
graver can see his work, and of covering the prepared surface ofthe 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
Httle gum must be used in it, the permissible amount being only just
enough to insure that the coating shaU 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 ofthe 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 mak
ing 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 wiU 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 en
grave, 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

202 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
coating gum will dissolve, penetrate into the engraved lines and give them
a preparation, so that they cannot take color afterward. Therefore, espe
cially 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.
Ifa 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 ori
ginal red or black coating also.
Thus the hitherto colored stone becomes perfectly white, while the en
graved design, which has appeared white, is now black. The first impres
sion that the eye will gain will be that now the design appears much finer
than it did before. That Is because every white Hne on a dark background
looks wider than a black line ofthe 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 203
In printing the stone the usual precautions required in every form of
litiiographic 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 (i) 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. Every
thing must be mixed perfecdy. 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 col
ored 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 thor
oughly. 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 impres
sions 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
weU 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.

204 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 weU filled with
it. It is necessary, also, to learn by practice how to work the color into aU
the deep fines.
The impression must be made Immediately after inking, as otherwise
the color will sink too deeply into the stone and not give a strong impres
sion 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 de
sired 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 : —
(i) It happens often that after the first rubbing-in of fat color and the

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 205
succeeding cleansing with water, the stone gets a "tone" over its whole
surface; tiiat is. It takes color at least partiy, and tiius 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 rubblng-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 correc
tions, 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 deli
cate 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 care
fully 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 ap
pears 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 lighdy
rolled a few times with the ink-roller after being rubbed-in. The roller
wiU take the specks. Indeed, the fault hardly ever appears If the inking-in

2o6 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 graduaUy 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 ahnost level with the surface
ofthe 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, especiaUy 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-roUer, but it Is merely adding unnecessary work, as proper practice in
Inking-in and the use of exacdy 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 deHcate Hues, or, at least, is hard to print; but by
applying it first, the printing of the wider and deeper lines is facUitated,
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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 207
II
THE ETCHED METHOD
In tills the design is not engraved into the stone by pressure ofthe 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 free
dom of action and is applicable especially for landscape work and for
drawings in Rembrandt's style. In treatment as in effect it resembles cop
per 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 recom
mend the method to artists. In other respects it is not different from work
ing 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 pre
pared. The aquafortis maybe 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: —
(i) Warm die stone till an ordinary copper etcher's etching-ground will
become so fluid on it that It can be worked with a leatiier ball like a varnish,
and can be spread very thin and very evenly. Great care must be exer
cised lest uneven warming crack the stone. If one can put it into a nearby

2o8 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 dif
ficult, 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 wiU 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 trans
ferred, 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 trans
parent. 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 inequali
ties 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 209
of acid should cease as soon as the very finest lines of the design have been
etched sufficientiy. Wash away every bit of acid with clean water and let
it dry. Then, with a smaU brush and chemical ink, coat all parts that are
not to be etched further. It is weU if die chemical Ink used for this purpose
contains a little more soap than usual, so that it can penetrate well into all
the depressions and leaTe no litde holes. The coating must be done very
cautiously, and It Is belter to paint on too much Ink radier tiian 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 tiU 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 cov
ering. The object ofthe previous coatings was to prevent access of acid to
the parts; but at the same timre 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 widi gum solution. Then the stone may be 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 materiaUy.
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.

210 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
An intaglio design often is gready 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 tiie 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 an
other 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 fines 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 pre
paration of the corrected places with aquafortis or phosphoric acid and
gum may not attack the rest ofthe design. Those who attain skill In scrap
ing or grinding with a small piece of black slate can make the softest gra
dations 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 211
III
DESIGN WITH PREPARING INK, COMBINED WITH SPATTERED AQUATINT
If a litde 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 print
ing, the design or inscription will print white.
Some drops of gum arable 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 immedi
ately. 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 perfecdy
black. Then a litde water is poured on, after which there must be a little
more roUing 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 aqua
fortis. Then it Is coated with gum and die printing Is not likely to damage
the design.

212 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 pre
paring-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 witii chemical Ink as in engraved
work, to make them take color instead of coating them with gum. Then
there remains only tiie 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 perfecdy, especiaUy If the stone is finely pol
ished. 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, phos
phoric 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 aqua
fortis (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 imag
ined that It Is superfluous because the other ways are quicker.
The engraving-needle Is very good for drawing the finer parts of the de
sign through the etching-ground, but the coarser ones cause much trou
ble, 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 213
Thus the whole design, witii die exception ofthe finest parts, is drawn
on the white plate widi die black preparing ink touche. Then, when it has
been covered widi acid-proof ink and made white, die finer parts are
worked-in witii tiie needle. Or they may be left till the end, when tiiey are
engraved-in. For grounding or blackening die plate, one may use a substitute for the
acid-proof ink if the ground is to be firmer. Use the etching-ground (men
tioned several times before) of wax, mastic, pitch, and resin, dissolved In
oil of turpentine and mixed with fine lampblack. It will then be suscep
tible 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 witii 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 pro
cess is not advisable. The stone is dusted with fine resin. A flame of

214 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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. Etch
ing-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 etch
ing 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.

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 pre
vious 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 nec
essary 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, aU 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 lead-

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 215
ing 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 littie phosphoric acid, and hold It in one hand while with a fine scraper
you scrape in the Hghts according to their gradation or grind them in with
a fine stone, for instance, a slate pencil. As you scrape wipe over the de
sign 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.

2i6 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 ofthe copper-plate engravers. A crayon-like design In intag
lio 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 pro
cesses, 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 ofthe 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 manipula
tions. Parts that have turned out too dark can be Hghtened by this polish
ing, 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.

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 217
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 nut-
gall 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 pre
paring-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 wiU 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 pro
cess: By foUowing my instructions exacdy the worker can produce strik
ing 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 im
pressions, so that this process really deserves to be called one of die very
best of all printing-methods.

2i8 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
The outlines of the drawing must be drawn on the finest and thinnest
paper that can be obtained. Then a very finely poHsIied stone is pre
pared with aquafortis and gum, or, better still, with phosphoric acid, nut-
gall, 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 shaU be very uniformly laid over the stone. Every
thing 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 dura
bility 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 EngHsh 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 219
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 wiU 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 ofthe manipulations.

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 en
graved 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 property dried, it is
etched a Htde and prepared, and otherwise handled like an ordinary pen
drawing.

220 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 especiaUy 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. There
fore 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 in
taglio 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 dif
ficult 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

TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE 221
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 ofthe 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 phos
phoric 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 master
pieces 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 be
fore transfers or designs are made on It, As the weak etching with aqua
fortis and alum does not penetrate the places where there is fat, these re
tain their phosphorus-preparation, and thus are not so readily destroyed
by the succeeding application of soap, whereas the etched parts immedi
ately 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: —

222 TEXT-BOOK OF PRINTING FROM THE STONE
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 de
sign. After wiping to and fro quickly a few times, try with the finger if the
design wiU 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 impres
sions, 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 Hke 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 ex
perimentation 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.

APPENDIX 223
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 sev
eral, 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 impres
sions may resemble English or French colored copper-plate prints, the pro
cess is as follows : —
Etch all shades ofthe color pretty deeply in any ofthe stippled or aqua
tint 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 pre
pared 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 ex
cept 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

224 APPENDIX
without being prepared. It need merely be etched into aU the reHef pos
sible without under-eating the lines. All that is needed then is a color-
board or a so-caUed dauber, made as follows : —
A thin board of soft wood, about eight inches long and six inches wide,
is planed down tiU It Is not more than one line in thickness. Glue on It a
piece of fine cloth or felt ahnost 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 bet
ter StiU, 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 baU. 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 ad
vantages, 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, nut-
gall, 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 solu
tion, and dry. When the plate is thoroughly dry, rub-In printing-color.

APPENDIX 225
and clean with a woolen rag dipped Into gum solution and oil of turpen
tine. Then it will become white everywhere except in the deep lines
where it will have taken color. After cleansing again with water and dry
ing, draw-in all parts that are to be blue, using a chemical ink that con
tains a great deal of soap. Let this dry weU, 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 wiU 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 weU. 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 im
pression can be made with the three colors at once. Each inking-in must
be done the same way. Ill
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 appHcable 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.

226 APPENDIX 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, lin
seed 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 de
sired. Then the stone should be permitted to dry, after which all the sur
plus colors can be scraped away v/ith 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 per
fect 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 oU 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 reg
ister exactly, and the process is repeated, till all the colors have been trans
ferred 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.

APPENDIX 227
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 oU, 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 char
acter. This deduction may be correct or not; but it led me to experiment
with oU 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.

228 APPENDIX VII
CHEMICAL PRINT ON METAL PLATES
AU 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 Hke a stone, that Is, they acquire the property of resisting
oil color, thus becoming available for chemical printing.
Iron and zinc can be prepared Hke 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 wIU make stiU 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 en
able me to seU 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.
Inthe last parts of the book I have gone less into details, merely because

APPENDIX 229
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 be
come so vehement lately that I could not possibly delay its publication
any longer, I should have tried to produce sample illustrations that com
bine inner art value with good printing. As it is, I postpone this for a sup
plementary 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
Hthographers. This may God grant!

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