All change in 2019
In 2019 plans have been made to train up a new generation of papermakers to make fine handmade paper. As the apprentices will need continual access to the vat & presses and close supervision, it means that the normal production of paper & sales will have to be suspended during 2019.
Last orders from customers wishing to order from the Mill is December 6th 2018 .
From the Ist of January 2019, all sales will be handled by our stockists:
J Hewit & Sons Ltd http://www.hewit.com , Shepherds London http://bookbinding.co.uk & Conservation by Design http://www.cxdglobal.com
Griffen Mill is a small handmade paper specializing in making fine, archival handmade paper from natural materials such as cotton & hemp. Each sheet is made by hand and has four true deckle edges. All the papers are internally buffered & neutrally sized.
BOOKBINDING & PAPER CONSERVATION
Griffen Mill's archival handmade papers for bookbinding are designed for use in book conservation & book restoration. The heavier weights are used for the replacement of endpapers whilst the lighter weights can be used for leaf & spine repair. All can be handled easily when damp. Papers are internally buffered & neutrally sized to give a pH reading of between 7.3 - 8.4 and come in different weights.
The papers differ in character & feel. Some are wove & some are laid. Others, like the soft bulky jute tissue, can be moulded & coloured to repair bumped corners. Some such as Akbar & the ledger paper are tough, dense, papers which can be used as endpapers for larger books or they can be used as covers for soft bindings.
RECREATION OF OLD MAPS, BOOKS & DOCUMENTS
Since Griffen Mill's papers have been specifically designed as sympathetic repair papers for old books, maps & documents they are also ideal for recreating replicas for film props.
TONED DRAWING PAPERS
Griffen Mill produces a range of archival, toned drawing papers which can also take a light watercolour wash. Made from cotton & hemp fibers, they have a reasonable tooth & are suitable for pencil, pen & chalk drawings.
19th CENTURY WATERCOLOUR PAPER
The papers used in earlier centuries were very different from those used today both in terms of grammage, behaviour & surface texture. Struggling artists would use the cheaper grades of handmade paper whilst those that were more successful used the better qualities of paper that were gelatine sized. The way in which the paper absorbed the paint often dictated the artist's style.
Copyright Griffen Mill 2019