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Show 6 OL xPAPERMAKIN been dated in the watermark and then remained i the mill agreat time before the paper wassold, an after being purchased the paper might have bee held for years in the warehouse of the printer before being printed upon. Alsoadated mould migh have been used for many years with the sam date-the papermalser not troubling to change th figures. An illustration of this in modern times i seen in a letter to the writer from the late Josep Willcox, a direct descendant of the founder of Iv Mills, the third paper mill to be established in th state of Pennsylvania. Joseph Willcox took th management of the mill in 185g. His letter read in part: "We had an order for an unusual size o paperand the only moulds we had of the particula size were dated 1810 in the watermarks. I did no like to talse off that old date so X made a lot of pape with the marlk 1810 in every sheet" This made difference of almost fifty years from the date in th paper and when it was actually made It would also be unwise to rely on a watermar as proof of where the paper was made or at wha particular mill. Suppose that a fifteenth centur papermaler established a reputation fora superio quality of paper, there was nothing to prevent newly set up mill from using his watermark. Als moulds might have been sold from one mill t another without removing the wire marks, -o the old worn moulds of a large mill might hav - Digital image© 2004 Marriot Libary, University of Utah. Al righs reerved |