Volume 1, Number 4
Oct 1988

Editor's Page

Those Little Line Drawings

The line drawings in this newsletter are tracings or watermarks, dating largely from 1300 to 1800 AD. Most of them are from European mills. They were not traced directly from the watermarks themselves, but from photocopies of pages in books that reproduce them. Sometimes I reverse them, or reduce them to fit the space, and of course all of then get reduced when the pasted-up pages are reduced for reproduction by the printer. Sometimes I use only part of a complex watermark. The reason many of them look so primitive is that so many people have had a hand in making, using and passing them on. Wires came loose as the mould was used, the people who collected the images often had to trace ambiguous figures under very difficult conditions, and some accuracy of line is lost with each tracing. It is amazing to me that the little animals retain so much of their vitality after all this, and I am happy to be able to give them an appropriate setting in a newsletter about paper, where more people can appreciate them.

Combined List Of Distributors Ready

A list of North American distributors for the products of the fourteen 100%. alkaline companies has been compiled and will be sent on request to subscribers in return for a self-addressed envelope with 45¢ postage on it. The list does not include distributors for companies that make both acidic and alkaline paper.

The Alkaline Paper Advocate will appear five times in 1988 and six times a year thereafter. There are about 230 subscribers. Subscriptions (which include a free pH pen) are on a calendar year basis: all start with the first issue of the year (unless requested otherwise) and end on December 31. Individual subscriptions, and uncomplicated subscriptions from institutions, are $25; others are $40. Overseas subscribers may pay either in dollars or in pounds sterling. Checks and money orders should be made out to Abbey Publications, 320 E. Center St., Provo, UT 84601.

No paid advertisements are accepted, but anything with news value will be printed if there is room for it. News items and information may be sent by mail or called in at any time, including evenings and weekends: 801/373-1598. Readers are encouraged to copy or circulate issues and parts of issues, and to reprint unsigned articles and news items; but the Editor's permission must be obtained before reprinting signed articles.