Alder Copse -
Email: oldfoldingmaps@gmail.com
Tel: +44 (0) 7913 383346
Specialist publishers of historical maps & charts
Bespokeframers
Marbled paper
Essentially produced through the antipathy of oil and water the technique for marbling paper arrived in Europe from the near east at the end of the 16th century. Travellers from Europe came in to contact with marbled paper and other exotic techniques as they progressed through Turkey and other states to the east. It is believed that the origins of marbling paper originated even further east in China. The processes involved in the making of the paper were perfected by Islamic bookbinders and though the techniques were jealously guarded the increasing contact between Europe and the Ottoman Empire gradually allowed these secrets to filter westwards. With extensive contact with the east Venice was the portal through which many of these ideas entered
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Europe. During the 17th and 18th centuries the supplies of marbled paper increased and it became cheaper as centres such as Florence began to produce the paper in Europe. It became increasingly common to add these papers to the front and back of books at this time. Today Florence continues to be the centre for the making of the paper and some techniques still remain shrouded in mystery.
Our slip cases
Slip cases were used to protect the map and prolong it’s life. When originally published folding maps were expensive, costing up to around £1500 by today’s standards, but they were primarily a practical item made to be used on the open road. Many of the mapmaker's of the 18th and 19th centuries continued the book binding tradition and used marbled paper to cover their cases sometimes waxing them to make them more water resistant.
We have an extensive collection of antique marbled paper dating back to c.1700. For example, the first paper shown above left is an end paper from a book published in Paris in 1714. The other examples date from that time to around 1850. All our cases (photograph above right) are individually hand made and the papers we use to cover them are printed but reproduced from these beautiful original papers.
To see our full collection of marbled paper along with each papers date and origin please click here.