Handmade Paper: Its History, Manufacturing, Features and Watermarks

Abstract

The article briefly outlines the history of the handmade paper production, from its invention in China in 105 CE, its expansion through the Arab world and its arrival in Europe, to the end of the 18^th century when paper began to be manufactured by machines. The history of the handmade paper is a long and interesting one, since its first invention as a replacement for parchment which was a writing basis until the first machines for grinding the paper pulp. The paper technology’s voyage through Asian countries via Arab countries to Europe had lasted 11 centuries and had gone through various technological changes. Some of those have been kept until today as part of the paper manufacturing tradition. After paper arrived in Europe the technology and raw material had been adjusted to local feasibilities: linen rags began to be used as raw material, with gelatine as an addition. The technologies became more advanced, paper mills expanded and the demand for paper increased as the result of the invention of the printing press and higher book production. The paper also outlines the historical development of watermarks, from the oldest surviving simple ones from Cremona, Italy to the more complex ones that gradually appeared as the result of the technological advancement. Paper watermark collectors and their collecting passion are responsible for the development of the new auxiliary historic science i.e. filigranology. Today entire digital platforms across Europe are dedicated to this part of paper history, registering their appearance that can help in dating the paper and sometimes even documents.