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Subject: Japanese paper collections for sale

Japanese paper collections for sale

From: Mark Argetsinger <archetyp>
Date: Saturday, September 11, 2004
    **** Moderator's comments: Please respond directly to the
    author.

Two Japanese conservation paper collections for sale:

    Descriptive Sample Books of Japanese
    Conservation Papers.

        Two-volumes, 9-1/4 x 6 inches, describing sixty-six papers
        with full-sized samples of each paper interleaved before its
        description.  Bound Japanese style with slate-green dyed and
        sized kozo covers, unryushi endleaves, plum thread, and
        brocade corner pieces.

        The two volumes are placed within a four-sided,
        Japanese-style, cloth folding case closed with bone clasps.
        The set is the proposal for a never-realized project (one of
        only two existing prototypes) that shows samples of the
        best, pure-fibered, hand-made Japanese conservation papers
        imported into North America.

        The volumes were intended to include not only technical
        information from the makers but also independent testing for
        wet and dry strength and pH. The latter tests were never
        carried out and thus the project languished, but much
        invaluable information was gathered from the paper suppliers
        regarding the manufacturer's technical information (and the
        complier's inquiries along these lines resulted in several
        of the suppliers now including some of the information in
        their catalogues and prices lists as a matter of course,
        although the level of detail recorded in the books is much
        more extensive).  As the Note on the Descriptions states,
        "The papers are arranged in order of weight, from lightest
        to heaviest, expressed in g/m2.  The place of origin begins
        with the name of the Prefecture (ken/fu) followed by the old
        Province name (kuni) in square brackets, and then follow,
        where possible, the district (gun), town (machi/cho) or
        village (mura/son), and the cooperative union and/or
        individual maker."

        In addition are listed the paper fiber, additive (if any),
        dimension (in mm and inches), weight, cooking solution,
        bleaching and beating methods, screen and drying methods,
        and bibliographic references (in some cases pH values are
        provided by the suppliers).  The preliminaries (which
        include the Note on the Descriptions, a bibliography of
        important Japanese paper reference books, and the list of
        suppliers) and descriptive grids are printed by letterpress,
        with the gathered information for the particular sheets
        written in by hand.  The price for the set is $500. Photos
        of the volumes and case will be sent upon request.

    Inventory of a Wide Selection of Hand-made
    Japanese Conservation Papers.

        Associated with the above book project are about 189 sheets
        of 60 or so varieties of the best Japanese, pure-fiber,
        hand-made Washi available from four North American
        suppliers.  Although the selection is extensive, there are
        typically only a few full sheets (from 1 to, say, 10) of
        each kind.  The sheets range in size from 13 x 15 inches up
        to 38 x 74 inches and range in weight from 7 to 91 g/m2.
        These sheets would serve as a particularly valuable sampler
        for purposes of hands-on evaluation, testing, and assessment
        for conservation work.  The inventory in the form of a Word
        document showing supplier, cooking, dimension in inches,
        g/m2, number of sheets, and original price paid per sheet
        will be sent upon request. The price for the collection of
        papers is $1000, which is about half the price paid in ca.
        1996, and in many cases the costs for these papers have
        nearly doubled.

Please kindly contact:

    Mark Argetsinger
    735 Mt. Hope Ave.
    Rochester, NY 14620
    585-546-6902
    Fax: 585-546-3391
    archetyp [at] rochester__rr__com


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:15
               Distributed: Wednesday, September 15, 2004
                       Message Id: cdl-18-15-011
                                  ***
Received on Saturday, 11 September, 2004

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