Make 18th Century Marbled Paper

Well made 18th century books fare surprisingly better than many 19th century books due to the use of rag paper over wood pulp paper.

Make 18th century marbled paper.

Throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries marbled papers were the endpapers of choice for finer bindings. Through several centuries people have applied marbled materials to a variety of. Sewing is now on recessed cords to give the spine a smooth appearance increasing the type of decoration which could be used. To save money binders started to use marbled or decorated paper sides.

Paper marbling is a method of aqueous surface design which can produce patterns similar to smooth marble or other kinds of stone. Schleicher pgs 130 131 view examples. How to make marbled paper. Make sure to mark the side that you sprayed because it can be hard to tell once it s dried.

Muira pgs 120 121. First prep your paper. Following the lead of france and germany other european countries began marbling papers around the mid 18th century. Elaboration and simplicity binders began to make shortcuts in the binding process to both save money and increase production.

Let the mixture cool and spray a thin layer onto your cotton paper. The spanish pattern was created at the beginning of the 17th century. We used rag paper paste and leather so these books should weather time as good as 18th century books have. Schleicher pgs 130 131 view examples.

Back then a tree resin based surfactant was dropped into a pan of water. The oldest known form of paper marbling called suminagashi which translates to floating ink originated in japan around the 10th century though historians believe that it could be even older than that. The uses of paper marbling. A double marble is created when after the first desired pattern is completed and the paper dried the same paper is again treated with alum and marbled with the second pattern over the top of the first.

Muira pgs 120 121. The golden age of marbling. The first instance of double marbling was seen in the 17th century. The first instance of double marbling was seen in the 17th century.

Lay flat to dry. Fill a spray bottle with warm water. A double marble is created when after the first desired pattern is completed and the paper dried the same paper is again treated with alum and marbled with the second pattern over the top of the first. England and america took up the craft towards the end of the century.