When I began making paper about twenty five years ago, there were but a handful of hand papermills in the U.S. But the resurgence of handcrafts in the last two decades and the intrinsic appeal of the medium have brought hand papermaking back to a popularity it has probably not seen before in the twentieth century. The present volume is a lovely and even sumptuous collection of the work of some of the more prominent hand papermakers today. The book offers a snapshot of a moment in papermaking history. There are two issues of this collection, a regular one (numbers 26-195) with papers made by 27 craftspeople and a special one (numbers 1-25) with seven additional samples. Each sample forms a single folio, measuring about 11 1/4" x 8 3/4", and each folio is composed of a blank leaf and a facing leaf containing the words of the maker of that sample. These papers are preceded by a wonderful title page printed with its text in black and Donna Thomas's excellent linoleum cut in brown of a man couching a sheet. Peter Thomas's Foreword sets the stage for the samples inside. Both issues then have a table of contents list of "The Papermakers," enumerating 27 of them; the special issue, however, has seven additional sample sheets and it does not list these in the table of contents. Perhaps this is because the 27 papermakers in the regular issue have also supplied a statement about their work, while the seven additional samples list only the papermakers and the materials they made their papers from. I find it curious that Peter and Donna Thomas--who have supplied their own handmade papers here for the end papers, title page, forward, and colophon--do not list themselves among "The Papermakers," although they do acknowledge their contribution in the colophon. Both issues are truly beautiful. The regular one is quarter bound with a brown oasis Morocco spine and a lovely paper over very heavy boards (perhaps a bit too heavy for this volume); this is in a stiff portfolio wrapper, with ties. The special issue is in full morocco and has a cloth-covered slipcase. I am not sure the seven additional samples and the variant binding are worth the extra expense. But both are quite elegant and, because the paper samples have such a wonderful rattle and feel, color and texture, the volumes are a pleasure to handle. It is natural when evaluating such a book to compare it to others in the field which purport to cover the same ground, but none such exists. One naturally thinks of perhaps the greatest paper sample book of all time displaying the art papers of its day, Specimens, put out by the Stevens-Nelson Paper Company in about 1953. Or the Andrews/Nelson/Whitehead (ANW) sample book of 1986, Imported Handmade Papers, with its showing of papers from Canada, Japan, Italy, France, and England. Specimens, to be sure, will never be outdone since it combines the best papers from the best makers, with text produced by the best printers and designers throughout the world. It is the most sumptuous and exhaustive sample book on the subject one will ever see. Although more modest, the more recent ANW sampler shows a broad variety of fine papers from many countries; and all of these papers were then available for purchase. Since the demise of that company and of such suppliers as The Paper Source in Los Angeles, it is uncertain that we shall see such compilations done so beautifully in the future. The Thomases' book, then, may be one of the last to display so many fine papers in such an elegant format for some time to come (although the publishers of this journal are producing a portfolio of contemporary decorated papers). And while limited to American papermakers, it shows a wonderful array of samples. Another difference between the former volumes and the present one is that the earlier books were samples of papers for sale by commercial companies; this book is more a showing of the work of contemporary U.S. papermakers. Additionally, Specimens and the other sample books lack the papermakers' own words about their endeavors. This was a great opportunity to make available information about papermaking techniques, how the makers solved whatever problems they encountered, what kinds of fibers they used and how these fibers needed particular kinds of treatments or beating times, the use of dyes and other inclusions in the papers, what kinds of felts they used and how the different kinds of fibers worked with these felts, data about sizing, couching, drying, calendering, or other subjects that would have been of interest and value to the readers of this book. Peter Thomas, in his Foreword, says that "It will serve as a valuable resource for future paper historians." The value could have come from the papermakers' addressing issues like those I have enumerated. But here, for me, the book falls short of its potential. Several of the papermakers lived up to these expectations. For example, in the specimen from HMP Papers, John Koller explains the complexity of the pulp and his method in dealing with it. He also explains its original purpose (to be used in a Limited Editions Club edition of the works of Boris Pasternak), which in turn accounts for the way it looks. Rick Johnson, slightly more philosophical, still talks of the raw materials and pigments he uses. Many of the papermakers are artists and craftspeople. The very first papermakers statement in the book makes this clear. Madeleine Pestiaux of Atelier Madeleine says that papermaking for her is an art, not a craft. She works with tools that yield specific results. Then she says, Yet it is my body as a whole becoming a tool itself, which impregnates and impacts each sheet of paper formed in a unique fashion. It seems the more the self surrenders to the moment, the better the paper. I am always left in suspense until the final moment, when the paper is dried and I see the actual finished product of my labor. Thus, papermaking remains a mystery to me. As a poetic and spiritual statement, I happen to like this very much, but it does not reveal much about papermaking. One of the craftsmen says that he feels that he had made paper in other lifetimes. Some of the accounts are biographical (and are thus potentially valuable in other ways for future paper historians), some wax ecstatic about the possibilities and products of their workshops, and some merely say how wonderful paper is and how it has changed their lives. While I appreciate all these statements, and while I empathize with most of them, I had hoped to learn more about papermaking from this book. Maybe my own expectations were too high or simply misdirected.
As a poetic and spiritual statement, I happen to like this very much, but it does not reveal much about papermaking. One of the craftsmen says that he feels that he had made paper in other lifetimes. Some of the accounts are biographical (and are thus potentially valuable in other ways for future paper historians), some wax ecstatic about the possibilities and products of their workshops, and some merely say how wonderful paper is and how it has changed their lives. While I appreciate all these statements, and while I empathize with most of them, I had hoped to learn more about papermaking from this book. Maybe my own expectations were too high or simply misdirected. Another small concern is that many of the papers in this collection are decorative; they are clearly not made for printing texts. Nevertheless, Peter Thomas has printed the papermakers' statements on them. In a couple of instances, the papers are so dark or mottled that the texts are particularly difficult to read. That is the case, for example, with the beautiful papers of Claire Lissance and of Terrapin Papermill (Margaret Rhein). And one sheet, by Marilyn Sward (The Paper Press), seems defective in my copy: in the deluxe issue the sheet has a lovely yellow-cream cast and a large decorative blue-green and bronze triangle in the center of each leaf. In my regular issue copy of the book, these gorgeous triangles seem to have burned the paper away; all I have are two large triangular holes in the sheet, surrounded by only a slight hint of the blue-green holes. At least two other regular issue copies I have seen have the holes in the sheet. Perhaps both variations are acceptable to the papermaker and the publishers.
Another small concern is that many of the papers in this collection are decorative; they are clearly not made for printing texts. Nevertheless, Peter Thomas has printed the papermakers' statements on them. In a couple of instances, the papers are so dark or mottled that the texts are particularly difficult to read. That is the case, for example, with the beautiful papers of Claire Lissance and of Terrapin Papermill (Margaret Rhein). And one sheet, by Marilyn Sward (The Paper Press), seems defective in my copy: in the deluxe issue the sheet has a lovely yellow-cream cast and a large decorative blue-green and bronze triangle in the center of each leaf. In my regular issue copy of the book, these gorgeous triangles seem to have burned the paper away; all I have are two large triangular holes in the sheet, surrounded by only a slight hint of the blue-green holes. At least two other regular issue copies I have seen have the holes in the sheet. Perhaps both variations are acceptable to the papermaker and the publishers. I do not mean to be overly critical of a book which I thoroughly enjoy and am ecstatic to own. It is a splendid collection of beautiful papers, and the Thomases deserve our deepest gratitude and hearty applause for putting it all together in such a stunning and attractive way.
I do not mean to be overly critical of a book which I thoroughly enjoy and am ecstatic to own. It is a splendid collection of beautiful papers, and the Thomases deserve our deepest gratitude and hearty applause for putting it all together in such a stunning and attractive way.