Watermarks in paper in Holland, England, France, etc. in the XVII and XVIII centuries and their interconnection / by W.A. Churchill.

  • William Algernon Churchill
Date:
1935
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Watermarks in paper in Holland, England, France, etc. in the XVII and XVIII centuries and their interconnection / by W.A. Churchill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    instead of producing an original Dutch work, which he might have done, gave a translation of the French manual by De Lalande. It was printed on French paper and published by Messrs. Blusse in 1792 and dedicated by them to Messrs. Blauw & Briel, renowned paper-makers of Wormer- veer with whom they had enjoyed friendly and commercial relations for many years. This preference for French paper confirms the opinion of the late Mr. J. W. Enschede, an authority on paper and printing, who asserted that Holland never excelled in the manufacture of printing paper, and that the best product was used for writing. On the other hand it must be admitted that Dutch paper has been successfully used in various countries for printed works, and excellent maps and atlases have been engraved on (12) Dutch paper. One must turn to France for evidence of Dutch superiority. Towards the middle of the 18th century, the Inspector of Manufactures in France recommanded Vimal of Auvergne (his watermark was a pig, being an (13) allusion to his name) as one of those best qualified to maintain the super¬ iority of his produce, if he would only transform his plant in accordance with the Dutch process. Merchants had such a high opinion of him that they begged him to imitate Dutch paper, with the same laid lines and watermarks as made in Holland, so that the public who were prejudiced against the native article should no longer refuse it. In describing the Dutch industry in 1762 De Lalande said that “although Dutch paper is finer than French, it lacks the finish of the latter. Dutch paper has a finer, smoother and more transparent appearance than ours. This is due to the uniform fineness of their linen rags, which are carefully selected and not mixed. Dutch paper is thicker and better prepared than ours, because their moulds are deeper, and because pulping by Dutch cylinders is superior to that by stampers. Moreover, Dutch workmen work with more care and deliberation than our workmen are accustomed to. The wealth of their paper-makers, the thrift of their inhabitants and the power of their finances combine to make their mills more efficient than ours. What has been said, however, concerning the properties of Dutch paper applies only to the superfine qualities, such as: large horn, Pro Patria and the arms of England and Venice. There are many sorts that are inferior to our paper of Auvergne, such as: the double fine crown and double (14) fine “ecu” (arms of France) made at Thiers, Ambert and Annonay”. [8]
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