118 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1923. 



to the caster and governs the justification and the characters cast, 

 but in the reverse order, the justification of the last line composed 

 being the first thing to take effect in the caster, then the type and 

 proper spaces are cast automatically at a speed of one hundred and 

 fifty to one hundred and seventy a minute for small type. The 

 speed for larger type depends on the time needed to chill the metal. 

 This system of composing and casting justified lines of single type is 

 thoroughly' successful. The original patent was granted to Tolbert 

 Lanston in 1887. 



In 1835, George Baxter, the English artist, engraver, and printer, 

 developed and patented a process of printing pictures in colors. Up 

 to this time only aquatints, mezzotints, and stipple engravings had 

 been printed in full color ; decorative prints in several flat tints from 

 relief blocks had been made for a long time. George Baxter com- 

 bined the two ; the key block would be in intaglio, aquatint, or mez- 

 zotint, and contained all the details and modelling. Over an im- 

 pression from this plate the various tints would be printed from the 

 proper number of engraved wood blocks. The division has been 

 fortunate in obtaining this year a set of blocks engraved by Baxter 

 with a print in full color of " The Reconciliation ". This includes 

 the aquatinted steel plate and nine of the eleven wood blocks used 

 by George Baxter in producing this color print. These give some 

 idea of the work and the steps of the process, and the perfection 

 reached. Little is known either of the inks used or the methods of 

 printing. Few, if any prints, liave been issued commercially since 

 the death of Baxter in 1868. Several firms had been granted per- 

 mission to use the process and his blocks but probably the lack of the 

 inventor's enthusiasm, the rise of the chromolithograph and the 

 fickleness of fashion caused the death knell of the Baxter print. 

 In England since about 1890 collectors, in increasing numbers, have 

 been hunting for these beautiful prints, which of course has made 

 them rapidly increase in value. Little interest has been shown out- 

 side of England in the Baxter oil print. America will wait till it 

 is a millionaire's game. 



A series of loan exhibits were held as folloAvs: 



January. "'The Rotary" of the Brooklyn Society of Etdiers. 



February. The traveling exhibit of the Print Makers Society of Cali- 

 fornia. 



March. Etchings by Bertha E. Jaques, Secretary of the Chicago Society 

 of Etcliers. 



April. Work of Resident and non-resident Washingtonians. 



May. A part of the " Second International Exhibition of Etchings " held 

 under the auspices of the Brooklyn Society of Etchers. 



These averaged about ninety prints: Etchings, drypoints, aqua- 

 tints, soft grounds, mezzotints, wood-block prints, and lithographs, 

 both in black and white and in color. American work predominated 



