The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-19
WATER OF THE
old PAPER MAKERS
AntiquarianS Turn Attention
to Those Of Ancient Date.
ASCERTAIN DATES OF BOOKS
Especially Useful in Cases Of Forgery,
Where Paper Used Can Be Detected If
Not of Current Date With Writings
Some Family Badges.

&SOk Va S0AASGA OdIE III
Some Family Badges.
The water-marks adopted by the old
paper makers to distinguish their own
manufactures, have engaged the attention
of antiquarians. particularly photograph
ers, as by this aid a proximate date to
books or documents may be obtained In
courts of law such evidence has been of
use. and especially SO when brought 70
bear on cases of forgery, where the paper
could be proved Of much more modern
date than the purported document
One of the earliest paper-marks con-
sists of a circle surmounted by cross,
resembling those borne in the hands Of
sovereign princes on co-onations OF state
occasions. and typical of the Christian
laith-the cross planted on earth This
very interesting mark is met on docu-
ments as early at 1901
The papers manufactured in the low
countries OF Europe for the use of the
early printers have a great variety of
marks, and clearly prove that the new art
soon gave impetus to the trade Of the
paper makers. Many of them were the
marks or badges of noble families, whose
tenant fabricated the paper Thus the
letter and the letter Y sometimes sep
arate and soretimes conioined, are the
initials of Philip the Good, Duke of Bur
gundy, who reigned from 1419 to 1867. and
his wife, Isabella, daughter OF John, King
of Portugal married 1929. and whose
name was, IL accordance with the custom
Of the age, spelled isabella. The letter
P had been used alone as a paper-mark
from the time Of the Duke Philip de
Ronvere t134s). so that for lie years it
had been Z national water mark. Other
symbols Of the house of Burgundy also
appear, particularly TIE single feur-de-
lis, which was the peculiar eognizance
of this important family, and is borne on
the shield of arms of the famous Jean
Sans-Peur.
Some Family Badges
The unicorn, tue anchor. and the bulls
head. were also badges Of the family The
unicorn vas the supporter of the armoriaI
bearings of the dukes; it was typical of
power and purity. and Monstrelet relates
the fondness of Duke Philip for displaying
it on all occasions.
The bull as typical OF power, and the
anchor of stability and hope, were part OF
the fancifuI imaginings with which the
great Of the Middle Ages delighted to in
dulge themselves.
It is curious to note that some of the
most ancient technical terms used in the
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modern printers. We ali at the present
day ask for paper in accordance with the
ancient distinctive wateY-marss of quail
ties or sizes. The aeur-de-Iys alluded
to has long been the distinctive mark Of
denny paper; but a still more curious in
stance occurs il the foolscap paper, orig
inaIly marked with a fools head. wearing
the cap and bells, such as the privileged
testers of the old nobility and gentry ap-
pear to have worn, from the thirteenth to
The seventeenth Gentry. This curious
mark distinguished the paper until the
middle Of the seventeenth century.
Another interesting paper-mark is the
post, from which post paper takes its
name. This mark was used as early as
1870. It sometimes appears on a shield,
and in the seventeenth century is sur
by ducal coronet, in which form
it still appears on our ordinary writing
paper.
Oldest Paper Marks.
An open hand. sometimes surmounted by
a star or cross, with the fingers some
times disposed as if giving the pastoral
benediction of a clergyman, is one of the
Oldest paper-marks. 1t was in use at
the commencement Of the fifteenth cen
fury and probably earlier. It occurs on
documents preserved in the Library of
Congress of that early date, and con
stantly appears On books which were is
sued from the presses of Germany OF the
Netherlands in the very infancy of the
art Of printing continuing to a compar-
atively recent date, and giving the name
to what is still called hand paper
BookworEls who haunt the Library of
Congress are no doubt familiar with the
small square quartos, known as pot
quartos, which were extremely popular
in the sixteenth and seventeenth cen
turtles, for printing editions OF plays and
This paper takes it's name
from the pot OF tankard in common use
at the time of its original manufacture
1t was particularly characteristic Of
Dutch paper, and is found in the account
books of Matilda, Duchess Of Holland,
still preserved at The Hague. It contin-
ued TO be used on paper OF different forms
and sizes. made in the low countries, and
is found the paper of books printed
at Gonda. Louvain Delft, and other places
in the Netherlands, during the fifteenth
century.
The excellence of Dutch paper, its
quality and durability, have never been
excelled. Dr. Dibdin speaks of the music
of the rustic of leaves when turned over
in a good old book. The modern papers,
though whittier and more beautiful to the
eye. obtain their qualities by chemical
agencies that carry in them the elements
Of decay.
Ready for Business.