OCR Text |
Show TH OL WATERMARK 29 larger watermarking wires to the moulds. These small lacin wires are discernible in almost all old watermarks if the sheets ar held to a brilliant light The paper that was used in the 42-line Bible, from which th No. 17 The most prominent watermarks of the Gutenberg 42-line Bibl two bull watermarks were traced, is of the finest quality and i many ways its excellence has never been surpassed. The water mark of the bunch of grapes which is found in much of the berg Bible paper is unusuali its brilliance and clearness, althoug the paper is long-fibred, which, as a rule, does not produce shar and distinct watermarks. The strength of the paper must alway be sacrificed if a well-defined and distinet watermatk is desired While the bunch of grapes as a papermark is of Swiss origin, I a inclined to believe that the paper used in the first printed Bibl had its origin in Gutenberg's native land. No matter in what locality it was fabricated, or in what pdrlxcular mill, chis paper show technical skill and workmanship that is scldom encountered i ‘modern times; the texture, xtrcng[h m\d colour have remained un changed over the period of almost five hundred years. 1am afrai that through the use of chemicals, much of the handmade pape of our time, even with the 479 year handicap, will suffer by comparison with that of the Gutenberg Bible in another such period or in the year 2408 Digital Imag © 2004 University of Utah. All rights reserved |