An Anthology of Decorated Papers

Rich in ornamentation, decorated papers have been in use for centuries - as wrappers and endpapers for books, as the backing for playing cards, and even as linings for chests and cases. Yet despite the many contexts in which they can be found, they often go unnoticed. This remarkable new book not only showcases several hundred of the best and most exquisite examples of decorated paper, but also provides a fascinating introduction to their history, traditions and techniques. They may all have had different uses, but what unites all the papers in the book is the richness of their ornamentation and the thin, flexible characteristics of the original sheets. They are all further united by having been collected by Olga Hirsch (1889-1968), a trained bookbinder who left her collection of some 3,500 papers to the British Library, where they remain one of the largest and most diverse collections of decorated papers in the world. The collection has never previously been extensively published. This new, beautifully designed album of the best and most exquisite papers in the collection will be a revelation and an inspiration to designers, bibliophiles and anyone with a love of pattern and ornamentation.