ANASTATIC PROCESS OF LITHOGRAPHY A process of lithography by which prints, particularly old ones, may be treated so as to yield a transfer, which may be inked up and printed from. The essential features of the pro cess are that the ink of the print is softened and made transferable by damping the back of the paper with dilute acid ; or the print is so treated that the ink can be reinforced by rolling it up with an ink roller without soiling the paper. The usual method, when the print is not too old, is to wet the print with a weak solution of nitric acid in water. It is then placed face downwards on a sheet of polished zinc and passed through the press. Sometimes the plate is flooded with turpentine, and, after allowing it to stand, the surplus is squeegeed off. Then the print is laid down before the turpentine has had time to evaporate. Another procedure is to float the print face upwards on a solution of i part of sulphuric acid in zo parts of water. When damped through, superfluous moisture is removed between blotting-paper, and the print is then left in contact with the plate for some time.
The following is said to be a process employed by a Paris firm, who make a speciality of litho graphic facsimiles of old and rare prints. Pre
pare a bath as follows :— Sulphuric acid . . . 3 to 5 parts.
Alcohol . . . . 3 to 5 „ Water . . . . Too PI The proportions are varied according to antiquity of the print, thickness of paper, etc. In this solution soak the print from five to fifteen minutes, remove, spread face downwards on glass, and wash thoroughly in a gentle stream of running water. If the paper is heavy, reverse the sides, and let the water flow over the print as well • remove carefully, and place on a heavy sheet of blotting-paper, cover with a similar piece, and press out every drop of water possible. A wringing machine with rubber rollers is most convenient for the purpose. The print, still moist, is laid face upward on a heavy glass plate, or lithographic stone, and smoothed out. With a very soft sponge go over the surface with a thin gum-arabic solution. The print is now ready for inking, which is done with a lithographic roller and lithographic ink thinned with tur pentine. The print is then applied to a zinc plate or a lithographic stone, and as many copies as desired " pulled "—that is, printed by the usual lithographic method.