Printing Processes
Early Decoration
Several methods for decorating tin boxes were available in the early nineteenth
century: embossing words or designs; moiré métallique which gives an
all-over crystalline effect but paper labels were the most common, usually covering
just a small area as paper was taxed. 1851 saw the repeal of paper tax and the boxes
were given labels that covered them completely. The same year saw Huntley & Palmers
commision a design from White & Pike in Birmingham which became their trademark design for
paper labelled tins for the next century. It was 'copied' loosely by many bscuit firms.
Direct Tin Printing
The Tin Plate Decorating Co of Neath, South Wales was among the first to use
this method which on the whole was not a great success. The patents that they
registered had come from France. The main problem with the method was that
tin plate does not absorb ink and the direct contact with the lithographic
stone was incompatible.
Philip and Wickham Flower's two patents tried to improve on this situation one by
changing the recipe of the inks used (1864) the other by adding a coat
of 'paint' before the process began.
Transfer Printing
This system of decoration was slightly more complex and involved the design
being printed on thin transfer paper which was in turn applied to the tin plate.
First a layer of oil colour was applied to the tin, so that the transfer would stick,
this was rubbed down and then the transfers were applied, this sequence might be
repeated several times according to the amount of colours required. Tins decorated by
this process were usually simple in shape as the method was inaccurate.
Ben George
Ben George was a book printer who became interested in the tin printing problem.
His first transfer process patent was registered in 1861.
He also issued two patents in 1870 and 1873, the first patent eliminated the layer
of oil colour by making a transfer with extra layers of flat background colour
which were printed onto the transfer last so they came off on to the tin first.
The later patent speeded up the transfer process by layering the tinplate
and transfers between cardboard and putting them through rollers so several
sheets could be done at once.
Offset Lithography
In 1875 Robert Barclay and John Doyle Fry patented an offset process which
in the end was taken over by the whole industry. The design was printed from
the stone onto cardboard (later rubber) and from there offset onto the tin so
there was no point at which two hard and incompatible materials came together.
Huntley Boorne & Stevens and Bryant & May were licensed to use the process
and when the patent lapsed in 1889 tin box manufacture increased dramatically.