Sunday, January 12, 2014

Endpapers from ancient manuscripts #marbleing endpaper #Pattern

The Internet Archive (archive.org) continues to be a fantastic source for public domain works of ancient manuscripts, complete with images of the cover, binding and the endpapers.  

Continuing my research on the symbolism and graphic arts of alchemy recently turned up a score of books that have not been available before. Especially important is the personal papers of Manly Palmer Hall (March 18, 1901 -August 29, 1990) who founded the Philosophical Research Society in California. 

The Manly Palmer Hall collection of alchemical manuscripts, 1500-1825 was transferred to The Getty Research Institute, containing 243 manuscripts on the subjects of alchemy, hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and related arts bound together in 68 volumes. The first two endpaper samples on this page are from this collection. The second example is my favorite - with two marbling techniques on the same page.


French Curl style marbling

Spanish Wave
Spanish Wave:  A beautiful 3-D effect that gives the effect of gathered fabric, though the paper is actually flat.  The pattern was supposedly accidentally invented by a drunk Spanish marbler in the 1800's; it is produced by rocking the paper back and forth while printing it. See many more examples of Marbling techniques from Marbleart.


Simple droplets

Spots and Curls

Combed French Curl

Stone Marbling

Stone Landscape



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