Historical Paper
Record
of the Month!
This month we are featuring the types of paper that can be
found in the Licking County Records & Archives Center. Today as our digital
society moves more towards paperless everything, it is easy to forget that
paper and its production were revolutionary technological breakthroughs. In
fact, the various techniques used to manufacture high quality paper were
closely guarded secrets among tradesmen for centuries. Prior to paper and
paper-like substances, people would record all manner of things by carving
stone, bones and clay tablets.
Paper as we define it today is made from macerated or water softened
fibers, which are pressed together to make a thin continuous sheet.
The first paper-like substances were papyrus and rice paper,
however due to how these materials are produced they are not considered true
paper. Papyrus is made out of thin reeds that are cut and “laminated” together
with paste. Rice paper is not actually paper, but thin spirally cut sheets from
the pith of a type of tree indigenous to Asia. Additionally, parchment and
vellum are made from thinned sheets of animal skin. All of these materials were
labor intensive and expensive to produce.
Paper was invented in China around 105 AD by Ts’ai Lun and
was made in porous molds from macerated plant fibers. With a more cost
effective and less laborious production process, paper swept across Asia,
Europe, Africa and eventually the Americas. As paper became more prominent over
the centuries, tradesmen experimented with raw materials, pigments, and
production techniques. Moreover, paper production became more mechanized as
tradesmen looked for cheaper and more refined ways to manufacture paper as a
commodity.
When Licking County was founded in 1808, the paper industry
and paper production traditions were well established in the United States. In
the early 19th century paper was made primarily from rag pulp
derived from cotton, linen or other cloth. However, wood pulp paper was quickly
gaining in popularity due to the lower costs and availability of wood.
Below
are examples of pre-Civil War era rag pulp paper and wood pulp paper found in
the Licking County Records & Archives Center:
This is rag pulp paper or “rag paper” which turns cream
and/or bluish as it ages. With a relatively neutral pH level, this paper
preserves well compared to its wood pulp cousin.
This is wood pulp paper which yellows and becomes brittle
with age. Wood pulp paper is more of a preservation challenge with the higher
acidity and the various chemicals used to produce it.
In the 19th century the two predominate types of paper
production in the United States were laid paper and wove paper. Laid paper,
with its distinct wire mesh pattern imbedded in the paper from production, was
the only type of paper until the 1750s. Around 1755 wove paper was developed
using a finer woven wire mesh that did not leave an embedded pattern behind.
The differences between laid and wove paper are easily seen when held to light.
Below are example of early 19th century laid paper and wove paper
found in the Licking County Records & Archives Center:
This is laid paper; if you look closely you will see the
outline of the wire frame embedded in the paper. Frames had thicker support wire running at
approximately 1 inch intervals, with a finer wire mesh running between them.
This is wove paper, as you can see there is no pattern
embedded into the paper due to the finely woven wire mesh used to make it. Wove
paper is the most common type of paper found today.
For more information about the history of paper, types of
paper and paper preservation please check out the sources below, which were
used to write this blog post; or please contact us at 740-670-5121 or archives@lcounty.com
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