On 27-28 August people from ten institutions in seven different countries (on two continents) convened in Cork, Ireland, to present their research at the colloquium on the use and reuse of paper.
The focus of the first two papers was on the use of paper in 17th- and 18-century Icelandic bishoprics. In Skálholt in the South of the country paper for administrative purposes was used quickly, although we do find some dispersed remnants of older paper stocks. In Hólar in the North a lot of paper was used for printing, and we even find some information on the price of paper.
In her keynote lecture, Anna Reynolds discussed waste paper in early modern poetry and paintings. Already Catullus lamented that your text dies once the paper – or papyrus – containing said text was discarded or reused. In Dutch still lives we can often spot reused paper, which in several instances may have been printed almanacs. We see them depicted as cornets for spices, such as pepper, and as crumbled up paper sachets for tobacco. These sachets may have later been used to light pipes, Reynolds suspects.
The first day concluded with a merry reception with Austrian wine and fantastic Irish live music, followed by the conference dinner.
Day two of the colloquium started with sessions on the reuse of paper in bindings. Jemima Bennett analysed Oxford library bindings, concluding that reused paper in bindings increased significantly after the Reformation; before it, there is very little reused paper in bindings. Perhaps a change in binding style brought about this change. According to Bennet, paper was reused relatively quickly after its production. Giovanni Pagani presented a case study of an incunable that was bound in laminated paste boards; some of the paper leaves used for the boards do not only stem from the same edition but are in fact identical copies of one particular leaf.
In the following session, the focus was on reused paper in Iceland. Halldóra Kristinsdóttir and Rannver Hannesson gave an overview of reused paper in manuscripts and in bindings of the National and University Library of Iceland. They presented cases of printed and handdrawn decoration, eg. tailpieces, that were pasted into manuscripts, as well as other cases of reused paper, often letters, that became writing support again, with the new text written sometimes between the original lines of text and sometimes perpendicular to them. Yelena Sesselja Helgadóttir presented a similar case, where letters and envelopes were often used to collect folk poetry in the 19th century. Beeke Stegmann gave insight into the reuse of paper by manuscript collector Árni Magnússon, who wrapped c. 10% of apographs (copies of charters and documents) with reused paper.
In the following session on reused paper in the Americas, Ashley Cataldo often found printed waste as endleaves in 19th-century bindings and waste wrappers in Hawaiian books. In one case, a pastedown was used as separate publication within a book. Martha Elena Romero discussed the issues between native Mesoamerical paper and imported Western paper in Mexico, including the reuse of indigenous paper for bookbinding.
The last session of the colloquium was about non-textual reuse of paper. Sebastian Kirsch presented cases of reused paper in 16th- to 19th-century lutes. These instruments often have joints that were reinforced, or cracks that were repaired with reused paper bearing printed or handwritten texts, drawings or music staves and notes and in some cases also blank paper. Amélie Junqua discussed the use of paper maché for 18th-century ceiling decorations, which were often considered stucco until they were taken down and revealed their true nature as lightweight, cheap, malleable and ubiquitous waste paper maché. Anne Regourd analysed 68 items in the papyrus collection of the Austrian National Library that contained reused paper, including merchants‘ letters and accounts that were reused as lining in clothes, in saddles and even for quilting.
All the presentations at this colloquium were highly informative and interesting, focusing on both textual and non-textual use and reuse of paper in the early modern world. I learnt a lot and gained new insights into hitherto unknown aspects of various cultures. The colloquium was truly inspiring! Thank you to everyone who contributed to the colloquium!
We are planning to publish conference proceedings and hope to do so within two years. Stay tuned!
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