HUNTER’S MAGNUM OPUS, Papermaking by Hand in America

While printing Papermaking in Indo-China, Dard Jr. managed to work simultaneously on another book his father was compiling. For the second edition of Papermaking: The History and Technique of an Ancient Craft, Hunter had amassed information about early American watermarks. Recognizing that little had been written on the subject of American papermaking history, he wrote a well-received article in the January 1946 issue of the magazine Antiques, titled “Ohio’s Pioneer Paper Mills.” At the end of the article, Hunter included a note, “The author of this article is gathering material for a book on the early papermakers of Kentucky, western Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Should any reader of Antiques possess watermarked papers made in pioneer days in this region, or have information relating to the early mills, please communicate with Doctor Dard Hunter, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts.”

Readers did indeed send useful information, and Hunter sent additional enquiries to most of the local historical societies and libraries in those three states. Eventually, Hunter expanded the book to include a description of the first mill established in each state or colony from 1690 to 1817—from the year when the first American papermaker, William Rittenhouse, began operating his mill to the year Thomas Gilpin installed the first papermaking machine in America. As the book neared completion, however, Hunter narrowed the focus and changed the cut-off date to 1811.

For this new book, tentatively titled Papermaking by Hand in America, Dard Jr.’s entire font was to be used for the first time by the Mountain House Press. After the publication of Specimen of Type and A Considerable Speck, Dard Jr. wanted to re-cast his font by machine. In 1942, he purchased used casting equipment from the defunct H.C. Hansen Type Foundry in Boston. The machinery was stored there until March 1946, when it was shipped to Mountain House. According to a small envelope containing one piece of type, the first cast made on one of the Martin Torlsaas casting machines was at 6:35 p.m. on 29 May 1946. Dard Jr.’s original matrices proved unsuitable, however, and he struck and justified a second set using the Hansen machinery.

Over the next year, he worked on his font of type in readiness for printing Papermaking by Hand in America. In addition, he also cut punches for seventeen new type ornaments, most of which were designed by his father. On one sheet of paper, Hunter sketched ornaments for specific states; a flower for New Jersey, a fish for Massachusetts, a stylized maple leaf for New Hampshire and Vermont, and a lobster for Maine. (plate 80) The lobster was not executed, however, and instead a pine tree represented that state. Some of the ornaments were decidedly patriotic and included two versions of eagles and a shield with “stars and stripes.” Hunter designed at least two other ornaments, which, it appears, were never cast: a windmill, for which a punch was cut, and a scallop shell. (Cornell also cut a punch of a flower, but it was never cast.) Judging by other sketches that appear on proofs of text pages, the ornaments were designed as printing went along. The ornaments used in Papermaking by Hand in America from the last two rows in plate 54. These were used either singly or in combination with other “flowers” to produce decorative chapter headings, tailpieces, and borders.

In the spring of 1947, Dard Jr. went to Lime Rock to pack and ship to Chillicothe all of the remaining paper stored there. After a careful inventory, Hunter was dismayed to find that there was not enough of one type of paper to print Papermaking by Hand in America. For the estimated 200 folio pages and 210 copies, at least 21 reams of paper were required, more allowing for spoilage, endpapers, guards, and fillers required for binding. In August, Hunter wrote both the Hayle and Wookey Hole Mills asking for quotes on 30 reams of paper to be made on the Bull’s Head and Branch watermarked moulds. Before sending the order, however, he decided to flout convention and print on four types of the most abundant of the Lime Rock papers. This was a radical idea: the papers were all different weights, sizes, textures, and colors. However, it is precisely these differences that give Papermaking by Hand in America its unique visual and tactile qualities. (plate 81)

 The most prevalent paper was white and modern laid. Dard Jr. later stated that this paper

was unsuitably thin and unsized making dampening and printing most exasperating and sometimes almost impossible. The registration pins on the tympan of the press would have a good tendency to tear the dampened sheets during printing, thereby making registration on the verso page improbable. It was almost a wonder that the printing of this folio came out as well as it did considering all of the various obstacles encountered.

 Papermaking by Hand in America was copiously illustrated. The frontispiece was the sepia photogravure of the 1852 lithographic view of Mountain House and Chillicothe, first used in Primitive Papermaking. It was handcolored for the new book. To make facsimiles of early documents, photographs and photostats were ordered from historical societies and libraries, and line etching were made from them. In addition, other illustrations were photographic prints, processed by Dard Jr. in his newly equipped darkroom off the studio in Mountain House. In early 1947, Hunter sent another round of letters requesting photographs of early American ream labels, with a view to reproducing some of these in the book. As if he did not have enough to do, Dard Jr. also made facsimiles of watermarked paper at the Paper Museum in 1946 and 1947. 

In reproducing these watermarks, special attention had to be given in order to imitate them to conform to the originals. Since all were of the laid variety, to accomplish this, mould screens had to be woven to duplicate the gauge of wire and number of laid and chain lines to the inch. For a number of these screens, the wire was reduced to the correct dimension through a drawplate. After approximately 5 month’s labor, and with enduring patience, the task was finally concluded.

Before printing of Papermaking by Hand in America began in earnest, Hunter realized that two presses would greatly facilitate printing. The large Shniedewend Printers Proof Press, acquired in 1922, was ideal for printing “two-up” (two pages at once), and it was reserved for the text pages. The small Shniedewend hand press was still at MIT, and initially Hunter did not want to move it. However, when he could not locate another, it was shipped to Mountain House in August 1948. As usual the facsimiles were printed first, although the ream labels continued to be printed up until the book was ready for the binder in August 1950.

By the summer of 1947, the two Dards had their routine down. Hunter “composed at the type case …without the usual prepared copy customary in regular book composition, but with the aid of copious notes and myriad references gathered together during the many years of research.” On a good day, Dard Jr. could proof and print two pages of text on the large press; his father printed the illustration pages on a single leaf on the small one. *

When the time came for negotiations to commence regarding the binding, Dard Jr. was delegated “manager.” In October 1948, Dard Jr. informed Peter Franck that he had one or two more chapters to print, and once those were done, he could start tipping-in the illustrations and specimens for the copy to be sent for a trial binding; he expected to complete the job that winter. While Franck was delighted with the prospect of binding the book, he declined to give any estimate until he received a complete copy.

Progress was slow, however, and without finishing the type-setting, Hunter returned to MIT in December 1948. There he suffered the first of a series of severe asthma attacks and had to return to Mountain House. In many ways, his attack was fortunate, as it allowed printing to continue almost non-stop during the first six months of 1949. However, further delays were caused as more and more ream labels were discovered, and the book continued to grow. Finally, in early February 1950, Dard Jr. sent Franck a copy, still missing a few illustrations. Even though the book was incomplete, Franck was impressed. 

I am awed by the work of creation, truly to be a testimonial to the work of Dard Hunter and his disciple son. It is the BOOK PRESERVATIVE of the history of American papermaking, a story beautifully told and done into a book of beauty, interest and a charm all of its own. About the title page, I also felt the impression of great top weight and am pleased that you are reprinting it. I am not a critic of printing; often it is a matter of opinion and taste anyway but I feel that there is enough poetic charm in the book and its arrangement to outweigh any criticism which may be made.

What a job you accomplished in making all the many special watermarks and papers so excellently done, and the picture gallery reproduced from old paper labels which would inspire the most commercial papermaker of our time to label-making of his own if he sees your collection in the book. The texture of most of the text paper used looks innocently delicate and refined. I hope to see a great deal of this book and have more opportunity for study and discovery of the work…. I can wait for the cover siding paper you are printing as I have other work at present which will keep me alive….

IRISH LINEN much heavier and better than we used before is available at present. We bought a sample yard and a piece of it is included here. An early decision by you on the use of this material for the edition [and the printed side papers] would be wise. Do not be too economic minded on the binding please as the people who buy the book will and should be glad to pay for a decent binding job if it can be and IS produced. I would also, somehow, make the buyers sense that the books can not be run through the bindery like ordinary books and, what of it; is it not the most extra ordinary book on papermaking that ever was and is likely to be published?          

Although I dislike to suggest it, a slip case seems necessary in view of the very irregular edges where dust can penetrate so easily.

I think you are to be congratulated, both of you on the conclusion of a fine job.

 Dard Jr. and his father confirmed with Franck that the binding was to be similar to that used for Old Papermaking in China and Japan, a three-quarter linen binding with printed side papers. In early March 1950, Franck finished the trial binding at a cost of $91. In the absence of the printed side papers, he covered the book in his own marbled paper.* Franck wrote that after making some changes, he was sure he could get the cost down to about $46 with a slip case. Hunter was stunned at the price. He had envisioned charging a modest $100 for the book, although book dealer Philip Duschnes and Elmer Adler had urged him to charge at least $175. Hunter wrote a letter to Franck, above Dard Jr.’s signature, stating that if the binding was $40 then the Press would realize a very small profit once other bills were paid (including the salary paid to the pressman—Dard Jr.). Before the letter was sent, however, Hunter wrote both Gerhard Gerlach and Arno Werner asking for quotes based on a description of Franck’s binding. Gerlach’s response is unknown, but in early May 1950, Werner wrote from his bookbinding studio in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, acknowledging the receipt of two copies of the book sent to him for a firm quote. Within two weeks, Werner had completed the bindings. He estimated that the work including a clamshell box covered in natural buckram with a back of red leather would be $40. In the meantime, an anxious Franck wanted to know what was holding up Hunter’s decision about his binding. Finally, in August, Hunter visited Franck at his studio in Gaylordsville, New York while en route to MIT. He brought with him both Franck’s and Werner’s trial bindings. Franck’s opinion of Werner and his binding was made clear in a letter received by Hunter a few days later.

I appreciate greatly that you showed me the book-dummy which A.W. did for you. I am sure it would never have happened through A.W. directly, although he has found this an open “born” of technical information for a number of years. We were at his place Saturday afternoon, last, and took him and family up Greylock; Helen being the driver. He is getting a car himself now and hopes to be a frequent visitor here. W. can be quite generous, especially when his commercial backers the Eaton Co. prop him up. I probably told you that this concern, a few years ago, sent once of their head men around with Arno to take over, lock, stock and barrel, mortgage and all, pay me 6 mills for a year and then probably fire me again…. I will, of course, not mention a thing about the dummy A.W. made, to the binder. It is all in the business of life and living in a “tooth and claw” world, I suppose; anybody can draw his own conclusions regarding this relationship of business, art, the crafts, friendship, etc.

I can however see that I have to be somewhat on my guard if [Cornelia and I] should visit Europe. We may come back and find only one or two clients left. As long as there is health with me there is little to be afraid of, however.

In case you would want Werner’s box—as we considered the possibility—it would be best if you ask him directly for the price on the separate item.

My price for book and box, at best could not come down to A.W. price. He has facilities which I will never have, gluing machine etc. I doubt that he ever uses homemade pastes etc. The time was too short that I could determine details like that on your dummy of his. Most of your unsized papers require special handling in pasting and he might have used something more of a “quick sticker” but I do not know. The success of a job with us was always based on principles of permanence and quality first and then came the consideration of the dollar.

And who did the binding? The Hunters compromised: the work was divided between Franck and Werner. While both Hunters thought that Franck was the better binder, Werner had a distinct advantage over him because his price was lower, and he worked faster. It is estimated that Franck bound about 45 copies while Werner bound approximately 115, for a total of the 160 copies sold by late 1953. One reason why Franck did not bind more copies was that he and Cornelia took a trip to Germany—their first since the early 1920s—from April to September 1951. Although Franck did bind a few copies of Papermaking by Hand in America after his return, his professional relationship with Hunter essentially ended in late 1951. (Just as had happened with Adler, as soon as Hunter and Franck’s professional relationship ended, one based on friendship blossomed. This camaraderie became especially important to the two men after their wives died; Edith from a heart attack in January 1951 and Cornelia from a tragic accident in March 1953.)

Having learned form past experiences, the Hunters had waited to print the prospectus for Papermaking by Hand in America until they had a much better idea of who would bind the books and at what cost. Not only that, but they were still printing facsimiles of ream labels. Finally, the book was ready. Elmer Adler, in a letter dated 18 September 1950, thanked Hunter for the gratis copy of Number Two of the new book. “I am more impressed than ever. It is a remarkable accomplishment.” Adler also commented that he still considered the price, $175, too low, but typically Hunter was not convinced that the book would sell at the set price, let alone an even higher one. The rush of orders took the Hunters completely by surprise. Dard Jr. had not actually completed coloring the frontispieces, tipping-in the illustrations, and collating the three hundred plus pages for all of the copies. He worked diligently, and once a month sent completed books out for binding in sets of ten.

On 29 November 1950, Hunter’s sixty-seventh birthday, Elmer Adler scheduled an exhibit at Princeton University featuring the first public showing of the new book; Dard Jr.’s type appliances were also shown. It was this gesture that confirmed Alder as a loyal friend, and it was he and D. Clark Everest who were responsible for garnering the largest number of orders for the new book.

With the publication of Papermaking by Hand in America, Hunter decided once and for all that it would end his involvement in the Mountain House Press. His decision is reflected in the seventh leaf on the printer’s mark, which flutters from the branch. (plate 82) Dard Jr., however, was interested in writing and publishing a book on decorated papers. But while information and various papers were gathered from around the world, this project did not get much beyond the planning stage, although a few line etchings were made.

O T H E R  H O N O R S

In 1947, Frederic W. Goudy, the renowned typographer, died. To honor him and other pioneer typographers, the Lakeside Press and the R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company of Chicago sponsored an exhibition, “American Type Designers and Their Work.” Both Hunters’ typefaces were represented. In the accompanying leaflet, Hunter’s type is described as “odd but forceful,” with a further note that the type was “properly cut on punches by the designer.” In fact, the Hunters were the only type designers who cut their punches, justified the matrices, and cast the type by hand. For some reason, the date of Hunter’s type was given as 1919; the first Chicago Society of Etchers book predates that by four years.

In all, Hunter received four honorary doctorates: Lawrence College in 1931, The Ohio State University in 1939, Wooster (Ohio) College in 1947, and Lehigh University in 1949. In 1948, he was awarded the prestigious A.W. Rosenbach Fellowship in Bibliography, and the University of Pennsylvania arranged for him to give two Rosenbach Lectures in April 1949. The first was on oriental papermaking, and the second was based on the research he had been doing for Papermaking by Hand in America. Although the University of Pennsylvania Press routinely published the Rosenbach Lectures, Hunter suggested that they instead publish a commercial edition of Papermaking by Hand in America. They agreed and Papermaking in Pioneer America was published in 1952 for $3; once again, Hunter ensured that the information he had so arduously gathered was readily available to all.