J Whatman Ledger
J Whatman Ledger
J Whatman Ledger
J Whatman Ledger

J Whatman Ledger

Regular price €24,95

BUY 3 SHEETS OR MORE OF THIS PAPER AND SAVE 25%

This is an AUTOMATIC discount, no code required.

This antique handmade J Whatman paper dates from the late 1700s or very early 1800s before the J Whatman countermark (name watermark) changed to a more rounded version.

It's from the same family of 1794 J Whatman paper we used to create our CODEX binding, (which can be seen here).

Lightly ruled in red ink, this paper was found in a semi-bound state, as a broken ledger (a commercial account keeping book) part of a collection we aquired, kept by a now retired bookbinder. 

CONDITION

The photograph above shows a half-sheet in natural light. 

A NOTE ABOUT THE PHOTOS - Some of the photos where the paper appears darker have been taken on a lightbox. These show the paper in a different condition than to the naked eye. The other photos, where the paper surface is lighter in colour, have been taken in natural light.

As you can see from the photos, the paper is showing characterful signs of age which comes from a combination of factors - from the way it has been stored for the past 220ish years, from the quality of linen fibre used to make the sheets and from how well the pulp was cleaned.

There will be a crease along the centre where they were folded and bound, and all sheets have puncture marks where they were sewn into the bindings. 

All sheets show blotched discolouration and other minor signs of age

Despite this, the paper is solid, the surface strong. 

USE: We anticipate that these will be of interest to antique paper collectors, the size and completeness of the sheets making them very rare.

Above is a letterpress print made on this paper. Being tough ledger paper, it has a very stong surface and is able to withstand the rigours of studio life.  

For creative purposes this paper will be suitable for printmakers, calligraphers, cyanotype, light watercolour, bookbinding and conservation. 

This paper is as close as you'll get to the type of paper the old masters would have used back in the day and so, especially for those intrigued by what it's like to work on actual old paper, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Size: 26 x 18 inches, 660 x 455 mm (approximately)

Before modern size types (A, B etc), different sheet sizes were given names such as Foolscap, Imperial, Post etc.

The size watermark in these sheets tell us that this paper's designated traditional size was "Medium".

You can read a lot more about traditional paper sizes in our blog.

Weight: 150gsm +/-, heavy text-weight (varies slightly from sheet to sheet)

Surface: Laid (lines 1⅛ inch apart)

Fibre: Linen

Stock is VERY limited - these are the only sheets that we will ever sell.