BOOKBINDING PAPERS
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 ca
n 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.
Take me to the Bookbinding Papers
Cannot find what you want? We offer a matching service for orders of 80 sheets or more. We also have papers left over from special makings in a variety of subtle colours so we may have what you are looking for. Please contact the Mill with your enquiry.
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.
Take me to the "Antique" Papers
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 fibres, they have a reasonable tooth & are suitable for pencil, pen & chalk drawings.
Show me the drawing papers.
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. The article here explores this by contrasting the styles of J.M.W Turner & J. S. Cotman - two artists working in the same period .
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LETTERPRESS PAPER
Letterpress paper is made to the customer's specifications ie wove or laid , the required grammage & colour. Please contact the Mill to discuss what you would like.
HISTORIC WALLPAPER
During the last twenty years Griffen Mill handmade wallpaper & lining papers have been used for projects such as Uppark House, The Royal Pa
lace at Kew, the British Galleries in the V&A & the restoration of Horace Walpole's House at Strawberry Hill, London. Here is an extract from a purchasing guide to choosing the correct handmade paper for your project. The full article can be found here.
Extract: The demands placed on any wall paper during jointing, printing & hanging are considerable and not all handmade papers are suitable. During the colouring & printing processes the paper must be able to be handled when damp, have a good tear strength, and a low rate of cockling. Tensile strength is important because the paper should not stretch or fall apart when it is hung up to dry. It is at the hanging stage that the paper is under the most strain. In addition to the properties listed above one can add excellent rub resistance,a degree of stretch to allow for pattern matching & moulding, low elasticity,high tear strength, low expansion even when damp & good burst strength. Finally the absorption rate of paste should allow for efficient hanging.
Please contact the Mill for further information.