“Step back in time to a 19th-century patent office, captured through the then-new technology of halftone engraving. This print reveals the detailed world of invention and legal protection, offering a fascinating window into a bygone era of American innovation.”
This halftone engraving, a marvel of early photographic reproduction, offers a glimpse into the world of intellectual property in the late 19th century. The scene depicts a bustling office of Copp & Co. Patent Attorneys in Washington, D.C., where inventors and legal professionals converge. You can almost hear the scratch of pens and the rustle of papers as men in suits pore over documents, some with an air of intense concentration, others in animated discussion. The intricate detail, from the patterns on the wallpaper to the meticulous rendering of facial expressions, showcases the halftone process's ability to translate photographic nuances into printable dots. This image serves not just as an advertisement for patent services, but as a historical document, illustrating the burgeoning importance of innovation and its legal protection during a period of rapid industrial expansion in America.
- Artist
- James Henry Moser
- Medium
- Halftone engraving in black ink on paper
- Location
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
- Dimensions
- Platemark: 14 × 21.7 cm (5 1/2 × 8 9/16 in.)
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The fine dot patterns of the halftone process, visible up close.
The diverse expressions on the faces of the men in the office.
The detailed architectural elements of the office interior.
The signage "Copp & Co. Patent Attorneys" clearly displayed.
1 more detail is waiting.
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The full narration walks you through Half-tone Engraving: How to Obtain a Patent, Copp & Co. Patent Attorneys, Washington, D.C. — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
James Henry Moser
1854–1913 · CanadaJames Henry Moser was a Canadian painter whose career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Further Works by Moser
Sunset, Mount McIntyre
1907 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
A Bridge, Design for Washington Board of Trade Dinner, May 13, 1908
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
On Woodward's Farm
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Shipyard and Pier
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
The Capitol in Washington, D.C., for the Weekly Times
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Woodland Camp
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Self-Portrait
1887 · Smithsonian American Art Museum