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Description:
Ref: 875WB      http://hygra.com/box/875WB-Watts-copying-Patent

A  rare small size mahogany traveling box of dovetail construction, the compartmentalized interior with a  Watt's patent  copying machine circa 1790. The box retains many of the accessories including the crank handle and a special tool for adjusting the tension of the rollers. The roller mechanism of machined brass and steel  is particularly interesting in that the pressure and alignment of the rollers can be adjusted and are connected to each other by cog-wheels. 
Watts was granted a patent in 1780. The patent covered not only the roller press but also the ink which had to be semi soluble in water. 

The original idea for the patent came from a discussion at the Lunar Society in Birmingham in1779. Up to that time a copy had to be made by a scribe. 
Erasmus Darwin, a poet, a physiologist,  grandfather of Charles and a fellow member of the Lunar society, described what he called  the "Bigrapher, a duplex pen, a pen with two or more quills, by the help of which one may write two copies of anything; which will thus, in a single operation produce both the original and a transcript". Darwin's "bigrapher" seems to describe Mark Isambard Brunel's patent "Polygraph" patented in 1799. See: Hygra: Antique Hygra: Antique Brunell Patent "Polygraph" Circa 1803

Origin: UK ;  Circa: 1790; Materials: mahogany, brass, steel.

Size: 39.3 cm wide by 31 cm by 20.3 cm:  15.5 inches wide by  12.2 inches by  8 inches.

Condition: good overall; working locks and keys; see images and detailed descriptions.

Keywords: Hygra.com, Antique box, James Watt, copying box, copying machine, Lunar Society, Mathew Bolton, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,

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This invention really changed the way people worked. Previously all copies had to be made by yourself or an employed scribe.

Instructions for using Watt's Patent copying Machine 1814

James Woodmason a stationer in Leadenhall Street London was the main supplier of Watts machines as well as the special copying paper and ink.

There are several letters between Benjamin Franklin and Woodmason including an invoice for 3 machines. The copy press of 1780 was not in a box but was a desk model. The price of the copying machine was £6-6s.

A ream of paper was 480 sheets.
See: http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-35-02-0435 

"Dr Franklin,
The 3 Machines for Copying of Writings which you subscribed for, are now ready to be deliverd to your Order.4 I beg the favour of you to order payment to be made on delivery. as Messrs: Watt & Co: have deliverd none without. Each Machine is £6/6s. & the packing Cases 6s/ more. The Paper which is particularly prepard is only to be had from me at 18s/pr Rm insides. The Copying Ink Powder will be necessary to be had also at 18s pr dozen. The Copy which you sent will not stand any time. Ours will stand as long as the original. I am Sir Your most Obedt. hble Servt.
James Woodmason"  This was sent to Franklin in Paris in 1781.

Although Watt did not make portable copying machines until 1794 (Bedini pg 24), other box makers did. William and Frederick Fleming, cabinet makers (1775-1808) of Chandos Street Covent Garden were selling a "press" in 1784. 

Following a visit William Temple Franklin wrote to his grandfather Benjamin: "The Whole forms a small writing Desk-...(Bedini pg 23)

The box opens to a compartmentalized interior.  

The idea behind the patent seems to have been prompted by Erasmus Darwin, (1731-1802) a respected physician, grandfather to Charles, who used to meet up with James Watt and Matthew Bolton at the monthly meetings of the Lunar Society in Birmingham. 

 "At one of these meetings, (1779) Darwin stated that he had discovered a pen formed with two quills, by means of which, at a single operation, an original and a copy of a letter might be produced. Watt almost immediately observed that he could find a better expedient, and that he would turn it in his mind that night. By the next morning the COPYING PRESS was invented, for which he afterwards obtained a patent."

" This machine, which is now so generally used in counting houses, consists of a rolling-press, by which a leaf of thin paper, previously damped, is pressed upon the letter to be copied. The writing of which the ink is not yet quite dry, leaves its impression upon the thin paper thus pressed upon it, and the copy taken in this manner is read through the semi-transparent paper."

-  page 300 The Steam Engine Explained and Illustrated ... Seventh Edition, Etc – Dionysius LARDNER

The roller mechanism in this box is particular in that it has tension adjustment screws to both sides.

There is a special tool in the box for making the adjustments.

The rollers are connected to each other by cogwheels. 

I have been unable to find either a drawing or an example of another roller-press with this adjustment mechanism. 

James watt was granted patent for  the copying process in 1780 and  with Mathew Bolton and James Kier set up the Birmingham works to manufacture the machine.

Watt's  first machines were fixed to a table top and not portable. They took foolscap size paper. They were sold through several stationers in London including James Woodmason, who sold 3 to Benjamin Franklin.

The box is of dovetail construction. 

A piece of wood slides to give access to the roller mechanism. It is held in place by a brass pin through the facing.

The rounded skeletal form side carrying handles are countersunk  and held in place by steel screws. 

The square hole with brass facing is to enable the box to be clamped to a table.

There are a few repairs to the bottom with a similar wood,

The tray with the writing tools lifts out. Beneath it there is a felt covered copy-board.

The original letter written with special semi soluble ink covered with sheet of special dampened copying paper would be rolled through the press by turning the crank handle.

see: Instructions for using Watt's Patent copying Machine 1814

The rollers or Roles as they are called by Watts  are turned brass with  steel axels. They  are 22cm (8.7) wide. The Paste book is 19  cm (7.5 inches) wide. The maximum length of the paper would be 29 cm (11.5 inches)---The machine is designed for Quarto sized paper which is slightly smaller than our  A4. 

The roller press is heavily constructed from cast and then machined brass. 

The lower roller  which has a steel hub is raised with strong steel springs.

The upper roller is tensioned against it .

The rollers are kept in sync by the cogs.

This is the most complex version of the Roller press  I have seen.

 

Watt does not seem to have made a traveling version. During 1794-95 letters to James Watt Jr  from his friends R Chippendale and Josiah Wedgwood reveal that Watt Jr was designing a portable copying press.

Competitors were also active. In 1795 Chippendale informed Watt Jr that one of his neighbors John Folgham had completed a machine and wished to use the patent paper and ink supplied by Woodmason.

see: Thomas Jefferson and His Copying Machines, Silvio A Bedini

This is the most complex version of the Roller press  I have seen.

I have not been able to find any marks which would identify the maker.

 

The underside of the press.

The box when closed was compact for traveling.

 

 The side carrying handles are secured to the box with steel screws.

A piece of wood slides to give access to the roller mechanism. It is held in place by a brass pin through the facing.

A piece of wood slides to give access to the roller mechanism. It is held in place by a brass pin through the facing.

The box has a hinged lock tennon so that it can be flush with the writing surface when in use. 

This design which was complicated to make was only used for a short time around 1800.

The box opens to a sloping leather covered writing surface. There is a place for storing paper beneath. 

The tray with compartments for the crank-handle and the tool for adjusting the roller tension as well as a curved pen tray  and pounce pot has been lifted out.

The crank handle folds

Beneath it there is a felt covered copy-board.

The original letter written with special semi soluble ink covered with sheet of special dampened copying paper would be rolled through the press by turning the crank handle.

see: Instructions for using Watt's Patent copying Machine 1814

 

The roller tension can be adjusted on both sides.

The roller tension can be adjusted on both sides.

The sheet with the writing written in a semi-soluble ink sandwiched with a dampened sheet of transparent tissue and sometimes with a sheet of oiled paper was cranked between the pressured rolers.

Special compartments in the tray are used to store the handle and the adjustment tool.

The box has a pounce has a period  pounce pot. 

The leather covering on the writing tablet is original.

 The drawer was probably lined with a water resistant surface.

The watt instructions indicate that "spring water" must be used to avoid it becoming smelly!  

The box has both a lift out tray and a separately lockable drawer. The drawer was used for damping the thin paper used for making copies.

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The steel lock tennon is hinged and folds in. 

This design was only used for a few years around 1800.

Another feature which points to an 18th C date is the catch for the writing surface. 

At about 1800 most makers were putting it on the box with the bolt going into the writing flap, rather than as here.

The steel lock tennon is hinged and folds in. 

 The box is of dovetail construction reinforced by inlaid brass corners.

there is a repair to the facing of the writing flap.

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The drawer is only accessible when the box is closed. It has a working lock and key.

 Box from the underside.

 There is a repair to the corner using similar straight grained mahogany.

The hinges are attached with iron screws.

There are as would be expected various marks to the top! 

In 1780 a partnership was formed between James Watt, Mathew Bolton, and James Kier to manufacture the machine.

See: Thomas Jefferson and His Copying Machines, Silvio A Bedini

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