The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-10-13
HOW PAPER HANGINGS ARE MADE

The making of pcr-hangingS is AZ
interesting process, and the valuable
hints i'll regard to this and some other
matters treated in this article are taken
from paper read by W. F. Adams, OF
Whitney & Adams, before the Spring
field Art Association some time ago
Paper-hangings are reported t" have
been produced in Spain and Holland
previous to Doe. Specimens Of leather
paper used in a Moorish Castle III the
fifteenth or sixteenth century have beer
modern times. while the material sur
passes any thing attempted by manuiac
turers Of to-day. The Japanese, who's,
requirements have l,sag since ceased IL
awaken surprise. are also adopts in paper
hanging making: hut tlci" distort con
ceitS and unique combinations of colon
are not destined to more than temper
airy popularity anywhere outside oi ia.
pan. Indeed. when Yankee OF. CLIMATES
any device 80 odd that he does not care
to father it hi,nsalf, lie t!uhS it ".iana.
neSr" rhleLmatic Germany has civ"l
little pay i" faucy i'll paper hangin@s.
but Franc, ami England had the titl
almost to themselves till American On
terpse wrestei superiority from them.
The Yankee, as has been said, is quick
to catch and copy effects. combining also
in his origiuatioir the brighter tintS and
fancics of the French, with tie more
m assiye and elegant English designs.
New York ard Philadelphia produce
most of the paler-!laugings used III tins
country. much the larger share coming
from Gotham. The grades, as classified
the ''hIown ilankS, m, de from the
cheapest kind OF material ard the lowest
price llanyinyS III the market. Bluff
blanks are an Improvement Ill quality.
The IVY hite blanks, the grounded, so
called from the ground color given before
the paper is printed. i he satin paper,
W lII l'pilSIit' Stii6tI IiI ilIittllllJ
bronze" the most popular quality Of gilt
goods; tie embossed gilt and the hand
made" follow. The process Of making
all machine goods varies "A little Having
placed a large roll Of paper in position for
being fed out to the machine. the paper
is grounded, or passed under a series
of brushes, which apply color Of one
shade evenly over the surface. The paper
is then caught up in loops, carried by an
endless chain over steam pipes, being
completely dried in its journey of about
400 feet. and then reelcd up for the print
ing. \ second trip takes it over Il large
cylinder, having a series Of nicely adjust
ed rollers, each one printing a separate
pattern and color.
The rollers are o wood and the pat
terms are skillfully cut in brass on their
surfaces. The drying process is then
and if gold or bronze is used in
the pattern, the paper i'll its process by
the endless chain, passes through an
auxiliary machine which deposits gold
or bronze dust on parts that have been
printed with varnish instead of color.
In expensive papers sometimes a dozen
different colors are used. When fin
ished the paper is rceled into rolls of
eight yards or double rolls of sixteen
yards.
The costliest papers, the rich borders,
special orders where the quantity to be
printed would not warrant the expense
of preparing rollers, specimen patterns,
etc., are hand made. The designs are
cut on wooden blocks, each color having
a separate block, and as only small
part of the paper can receive an i'm
preston at time, and great care is
necessary, the stamping process is mono
tonous and slow. While IL machine will:
print about 2000 rolls Of twelve colurs
each in a day man can print only 100
rolls of one color. Velvet papers are
also made by hand, TIE design being
built up in layers The designing de
partment of a paper-hanging manufac-
tory is a hive of industry. Artists are
busy studying effects and obtaining
hints from foreign patterns, tapestries,
stuils OF various kinds, pottery, etc.