Handmade paper

MFA Acc. #: 2005.142.5

Description

Paper made by hand rather than by machine. Handmade paper characteristically has uneven edges that are referred to as edge paper deckle edge paper. Some machine-made papers may also have irregular edges, such as paper made on the cylinder cold machine, and are difficult to distinguish from the handmade papers. In general, handmade papers, as well as all deckle edge papers, are considered high quality. Size, such as starch or gelatin, is usually added to the pulp and additional size is put on the surface to minimize the spreading of ink.

MFA Acc. #: 2002.618

Synonyms and Related Terms

hand-made paper; vat paper

Authority

• Hermann Kuhn, Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986

• Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982

• The Dictionary of Paper, American Paper Institute, New York, Fourth Edition, 1980

• E.J.LaBarre, E.J.LaBarre, Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Paper and Paper-making, Swets & Zeitlinger, Amsterdam, 1969

• Silvie Turner, Silvie Turner, Which Paper?, Design Press, New York, 1991