Papier mache

March 1989

Interior Design



The great age of papier mache is English of the Georgian and Victorian
periods, but the origins of this unusual craft are a thousand years old.
One early Chinese use of papier mache was as a material for war helmets,
which were then toughened with lacquer Another example was the recent
discovery of some red lacquered pot lids attributed to the Han Dynasty
circa 206 a.d.

The term papier mache, which is composed of French words, appears not to
be of French origin. The phrase was probably used by the French emigre
workers in the London papier-mache shops of the eighteenth century At
that time, the pulp was descriptively and colorfully referred to in
English as chewed paper. The French words for the verb to chew is
matcher, and, of course, papier is paper

The paper industry did not flourish in England until the end of the
seventeenth century The manufacture of papier mache began shortly
afterwards, early in the eighteenth century, as paper products began to
be used more widely. Paper pulp consisted of mashed paper mixed with a
binder of glue and gum arabic. Sometimes flour, sawdust or plaster was
added, depending on the purpose for which the pulp was to be used. This
prepared pulp was molded into articles like inkstands, card trays, bread
baskets and other small items. The hand-turned molds were made of wood
with a hole in the center through which the excess water and paste
drained away. Some molds had intaglio designs cut into them for
obtaining raised figures on the surface of the object. As more
sophisticated techniques of pressing, molding and shaping were
developed, more intricate and complex products appeared.

One of the most innovative uses for papier mache was for wall and
ceiling moldings. In 1778 a Frenchman, in admiration of this English
style and its practicality, wrote: "The English cast in cardboard the
ceiling ornaments that we make in plaster They are more durable, break
off with difficulty, or if they do break off, the danger is of no
account and the repair less expensive"

At Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill, a bedroom ceiling had star and
quatrefoil compartments with roses at the intersections, all made of
papier mache. In Alscot Park in Warwickshire, a fireplace was ornamented
with flower festoons in burnished gold. Even the House of Lords, when it
was rebuilt after the fire of 1834, had ceiling cornices and wall
moldings of papier mache.

Most of the papier mache, however, was used for furniture and
accessories, and these were ornamented with lacquer, gold, paint in
various colors and mother-of-pearl. Chairs and tables, small in size but
sturdily constructed, were popular The sewing table in the accompanying
photograph is a fine example. Dated 1850, it is stenciled in gold with
inlaid mother-of-pearl and chinoiserie painting. Elaborate bedroom
suites were created and decorated with colorful floral panels and gilt
edging. Trays were made in all sizes and shapes, and their decoration
ran the gamut. Also in demand were small chests, tea caddies, albums and
lap desks. Freestanding screens and wall panels were practical adjuncts
to the earlier ceiling and wall moldings. Most of them were decorated in
the Chinese style. Oriental figures and landscapes were drawn with metal
leaf, paint or imitation tortoise shell. Then the faces and hands were
made of a mixture of whiting and varnish that was laid onto the drawn
figures and molded with small sticks or modeling tools. When dry they
were painted pink or white, and the features were drawn in. This made
for an interesting three-dimensional quality

The Italians probably learned to make papier mache from the Orient via
the Venetian trade, and from there the art spread to Persia and India.
There were excellent craftsmen in Germany who produced tobacco and snuff
boxes as well as molded toys and doll heads. In Russia, lacquering on
papier mache was first done by peasant craftsmen who created a
distinctive kind of folk art. And in America, where English style has
always been valued, papier mache has been sought after since Washington
used it in his Mount Vernon home.

The popularity of papier mache in furniture and accessories, is not
surprising. It is highly decorative and fits perfectly into the English
country style so many designers favor. I have used a papier mache a
small chest as an end table and a tray made into a coffee table. It
furnished just the right touch of whimsey to a formal sitting room with
colorful floral panels and gilt edging.

There are several places in New York to find papier mache, One good
source is Kentshire Galleries on East 12th Street, where we found the
illustrated sewing table. Another is Garvin Mecking, around the corner
on 11 th Street. I have bought small but choice pieces of papier mache(I
remember best a perpetual calendar) from Vito Giallo on Madison Avenue.
And for exquisite papier mache mantel and wall clocks, try Fanelli's
Antique Timepieces on Madison Avenue.