Illustrations of various implements are given, besides a simple pantograph for reducing the life-size shadow. Many pantographs are mentioned in connection with silhouette work. It is probable the earliest one was invented by Christopher Scheiner, a Jesuit, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, and was called the parallelogrammum delineatorium.
We meet it again in England, where mercifully its name is shortened, and it is interesting to see that it is a woman who applies for protection of her invention. The abridgment of her specification runs thus:—
Patents for Inventions.
Abridgments of Specifications.
Artists’ Instruments and Materials.
1618-1866.
A.D. 1775, June 24.—No. 1100.
Harrington, Sarah.—“A new and curious method of taking and reducing shadows, with appendages and apparatus never before known or used in the above art, for the purpose of taking likenesses, furniture, and decorations, either the internal or external part of rooms, buildings, &c., in miniature.” The person whose likeness is to be taken is placed so “as to procure his or her shadow to the best advantage, either by the rays of the sun received through an aperture into a darkened room, or by illuminating the room.” The face is then brought “directly opposite the light, so that the shadow may be reflected through a glass (or transparent paper);” the glass is movable in a frame “so as to fix it on a level direction with the head of the person.” The outline of the shadow is then traced with a pencil, &c., after which it is “reduced to a miniature size by an instrument called a pentagrapher.”
Respecting furniture, &c., “the articles required to be taken are to be placed in such a direction that their shadows may be reflected as above described, traced out in the same manner and reduced.” The shadows (as also the likenesses) are cut out “and placed upon black or other coloured paper or any dark body” and the external parts are, if required, decorated with cut paper, &c.