Monthly Archives: August 2017

Guangzhou – the Gateway to China

Map of the City of Guangzhou / Canton, 1700.

Given its position at the mouth of the Pearl River, Guangzhou has been an important port and trade hub throughout the centuries. Neighbouring two other giant trade and transportation centres – Macau and Hong Kong – traders from Europe arrived at the end of 17th and the beginning of 18th centuries and gave the city its international spirit. This atmosphere is captured nicely in this city plan from 1700: a busy harbour with a large number of ships coming and going, the symmetrical structure of the houses within the city walls and a second major gate leading inland. Tea was an important subject of trade in the 18th century.

Jason Goodwin’s “A Time for Tea: Travels through China and India in Search for Tea” takes the reader to those places in China connected to this iconic drink including Guangzhou. The history of the city is also depicted through the story of tea.

Buy restored reproduction of this map printed on a high quality handmade paper here.

Handmade Paper Today

The Story of Handmade Paper – Part Four

Paper made of linen, hemp and cotton is still made today. It is a handmade, piece production and that is why handmade paper cannot compete with the industrially produced paper in price or accuracy of the size. Each individual sheet of a handmade paper is unique.

The resulting sheet properties can be affected during production. Different drying methods influence the surface of the paper. The color of the paper is determined by the composition of the pulp, both bleached and unbleached, and can be combined in different ways to achieve the exact shade a customer desires. For decoration, other fibres or dried flowers can be added to the pulp.The use of handmade paper has shifted towards documents of a representative character or towards art and design. It is ideal for graphics, paper installations, and collages. It can be also printed on; because of its unique appearance, it is used as a material for wedding announcements, diplomas or certificates. Invitations and other types of official documents are printed on handmade paper by companies and presidential and government offices.

More about handmade paper:

Part One: Early History

Part Two: Technology of Handmade Paper Making

Part Three: Handmade Paper Decline and a Transition Towards Industrial Production

Part Five: Antique Map Reproductions on Handmade Paper

Irish Season in Kobeica!

Have a look at our selection of antique map reproductions of Ireland. The map of the Emerald Isle is a real symbol indeed. And it looks lovely when printed on a handmade paper!

IRELAND: VINTAGE MAP PRINT, 1573

The theme of this map is the Plantations in Ireland in 16th century.

Buy restored reproduction of this map printed on a high quality handmade paper here.

IRELAND: VINTAGE MAP ART, 1688

This map shows the Emerald Isle during the times of the Jacobite wars.

Buy restored reproduction of this map printed on a high quality handmade paper here.

IRELAND: VINTAGE MAP POSTER, 1840

This vintage map shows Ireland during the Great Famine that had disastrous consequences for the island.

Buy restored reproduction of this map printed on a high quality handmade paper here.

IRELAND: OLD MAP PRINT, 1843

Map of the Ireland with the four Irish provinces depicted. There are legends that give each of them a character!

Buy restored reproduction of this map printed on a high quality handmade paper here.

IRELAND VINTAGE WALL MAP, 1855

The Great Famine Aftermath is the theme of this old map.

Buy restored reproduction of this map printed on a high quality handmade paper here.

IRELAND: ANTIQUE MAP REPRODUCTION, 1888

Handmade Paper Decline and a Transition towards Industrial Production

The Story of Handmade Paper – Part Three

Until the beginning of the 19th century, paper had been solely a handmade product. The resulting products were individual paper sheets. This changed in 1806 when the Fourdriniers brothers invented a machine that enabled the mass production of paper in rolls.

A demand for paper had increased rapidly in both Europe and America and the supplies of linen, hemp and cotton had become insufficient. A shortage of rags made the paper production a very expensive business and efforts were made to switch to another material. During the industrial revolution, the use of lye quickly spread and this was an important factor in the modification of the papermaking process. Lye would decompose a wood pulp and therefore wood, which was cheaper and more accessible than old rags, became the new source for paper production. The mass production of paper made of wood pulp began in Germany and Canada in 1840s. Since then, several steps in improving the chemical infusion to decompose the wood have been taken; from 1870 a mixture of hot water and sodium sulphide and sodium hydroxide was used for the wood pulp break down.

More about handmade paper:

Part One: Early History

Part Two: Technology of Handmade Paper Making

Part Four: Handmade Paper Today

Part Five: Antique Map Reproductions on Handmade Paper