A Visit to The Research Institute of Paper History and Technology
International Paper Museum - Research Institute of Paper History and Technology
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If you're a hand papermaking geek, you're going to fall head over heels for The Research Institute of Paper History and Technology.Tucked away in Brookline, just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, is the coolest 100-year-old carriage house in town, housing a paper museum and hand paper making facility.Pay a visit, and you'll meet Elaine and Sidney Koretsky and tour the Museum of International Paper History.Elaine is an absolutely incredible paper historian. Since the 1970s, Elaine and her husband have traveled extensively to film, document, and write about hand papermaking in every corner of the globe.During this visit, "Before Paper" was current exhibition. It featured writing surfaces that folks used before the invention of paper. Here's a general list of featured items: papyrus, beaten bark, leaves, animal skin, wood, metal, fabric, bone, stone, clay, and pith paper.Elaine and Sidney can also treat you to a viewing of one of their documentary videos. Burmese Festival of Fire Balloons, anyone? They have quite a few films online, click here to browse and shop. From the "Before Paper" exhibition - a replication of The Art of War, with the Chinese characters brushed on thin slats of wood.Just some Shifu (cloth woven from paper) hanging out!These paper blinds are not part of the current exhibit, but just one of the many paper objects around the building.There is so much more to see and share, including an old and rare book collection, paper tools and plants, and samples of paper from around the world. Go check it out yourself!
Visiting information and location - admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
Read this great article by Nicholas A. Basbanes, author of the recently published book, On Paper.
Killing Green: An Account of Hand Papermaking in China, by Elaine Koretsky, chronicles her journeys through China, interviewing hand paper makers and documenting their histories and processes.