Watermarked paper from archives in Ravenna (1287-1693)

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This comprehensive repertoire of watermarks, acquired in full size from manuscript volumes, appeals to both paper historians and enthusiasts of antique paper artifacts. The author's research emphasizes the significance of paper in human history. By reproducing watermarked paper at a 1:6 scale, the author contextualizes primary and countermark designs within the entire folio. Detailed measurements of paper, including the distribution and width of chain and laid lines, are provided, along with specific case studies on countermark findings. Experimental studies on porosity and transparency further illuminate the characteristics of antique paper. An extensive investigation into the paper stocks used by civil notaries and Church offices in Ravenna, Italy, leads to new hypotheses about the history of papermaking in Medieval Italy. The work documents new watermark designs, many not found in the Briquet or other repertories. It is organized into three sections plus conclusions: a brief history with in-depth studies, a repertoire of nearly 3,000 scanned watermark designs categorized by type, and 641 scaled reproductions of watermarked folios. The author concludes with a discussion on the spread of paper to Ravenna and a method for interpreting the placement of marks on the mould.