Nineteenth century holograph recipe book recording manufactured commercial colored papers
[ no place, Massachusetts ? ]: [ Fairfield Paper Company ] [ 1892-1893 ]. First Edition. Oblong octavo, approximately 6 x 3.5 inches; not paginated, but approximately 70 leaves lined in blue and red, plus blank pale white endpapers; all but nine leaves have relevant holograph notations in ink or pencil; flexible, worn leather covers; light stains and soiling to many leaves; good overall. Aeg. Good. Wraps. [28625]
A recipe notebook, possibly owned by one John Sommerville [whose name is written on one pastedown] or another person connected to the Fairfield Paper Co. in Fairfield, MA (now Woronco, within the town of Russell, MA in the Berkshires).
The notebook gives nearly 200 detailed recipes for paper of various uses and colors, along with the manufacturing date and occasional brief annotations about the quality of the product or possible changes in the recipe. In addition, the writer also gives 42 recipes for colors used in the pigmentation process. These latter include both combinations of pigments and pigments combined with other resources, such as pastes, oils and powders. There are two named sources for the formulas cited by the writer: “Boothwick's formulas” and “Allen's formulas.” The writer notes on occasion what date he made a recipe. Many are marked "large machine" or "small machine" etc. Some recipes have the a time notation underneath the ingredients "6 hours" or "8 hours"
By 1890, the Fairfield Paper Co. employed nearly 700 workers who resided in company boarding houses and tenements. The factory and housing were located adjacent the Westfield River about 10 miles west of Chicopee, near the present-day Mass Turnpike (I-90).
Original, holograph recipe books for making colored paper rarely appear, most survivals of this type being ensconced within the archives of paper companies.
The booklet is a significant resource for researchers in the history of commercial paper companies in the US at the close of the 19th century, or for those researching the commercial process itself.
A unique survival of this maker's trade secrets.
ITEM SOLD