The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-09-26
How Paper Hangings Are Made.

The making of paper hangings is an in
terresting process, and the valuable hints
In regard to this and some other matters
treated In this article are taken from pa
per read by W. f. Adams of Whitney &
Adams, before the Springfield Art Associ-
alton some time ago. Paper hangings are
reported to have been produced in Spain
and Holland previous to 1862. Speci-
mems of leather paper used in Moorish
Castle in the fifteenth or sixteenth century
have been found, and the designs equal
those Of modern times, while the material
surpasses anything attempted by manufac-
turers OF to-day The Japanese, whose
requirements have long since ceased to
awaken surprise, are also adopts in paper
hanging making; but their distorted con-
celts and unique combinations of color are
not destined to more than a temporary
popularity, anywhere outside of Japan.
Indeed, when Yankee originates any de-
vice so odd that he does not care to father
it himself, he dubs it Japanese" Phleg-
matte Germany has given little play to
fancy to paper-hangings, but France and
England had the field almost to themselves
till American enterprise wrested superiority
from them. The Yankee, as has been
said, is quick to copy effects, combining al
so in his origination the brighter tints and
faccies of the French, with the more mass,
i've English designs,
New York and Philadelphia produce
most of the paper-hangings used in this
country, much the larger share coming
from Gotham. The grades, as classified
by the trade, are numerous, There are
the "brown blanks, made from the cheap
est kind of material and the lowest priced
hangings in the market "Bluff blanks"
are an improvement in quality. The
"white blanks the grounded" so called
from the ground color given before the
paper is printed. The ''satin" paper with
polished surface; the "machine bronze"
the most popular quality of gilt goods; the
embossed gill" and the handmade" fol-
low. The process of making all machine
goods varies little. Having placed large
roll of paper in position for being fed out
to the machine, the paper is grounded,
or passed under 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 reeled
up for the printing A second trip takes
it over large cylinder, having series of
nicely adjusted rollers, each one printing
separate pattern and color. The rollers,
are of wood and the patterns are skillfully
cut in brass on their surfaces The drying
process is then repeated, and if gold or
bronze is used in the pattern, the paper, in
its progress by the endless chain, passes
through an auxillery machine which de-
posts gold or bronze dust on parts that
have been printed with varnish instead of
the colors used When finished the paper
is reeled 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 handmade. The designs are cut on
wooden blocks, each color having separate
block and as only small part of the paper
can receive an impression at a time, and
great care is necessary, the stamping pro-
cess is monotonous and slow. While a
machine will print about 1000 rolls of
twelve colors each in day, man can
print only 100 rolls of one color. Velvet
papers are also made by hand, the design
being built up in layers.