+-----------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber's Note: | | | | Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original | | document have been adjusted. | | | | Italics is displayed as _PLATE XXIV_. | | Small caps have been replaced with all caps. | | | | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For | | a complete list, please see the end of this file. | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ OLD TIME WALL PAPERS WE HAVE PRINTED 75 SIGNED AND NUMBERED COPIES OF THIS BOOK ON FRENCH JAPAN PAPER, AND 975 NUMBERED COPIES ON AMERICAN PLATE PAPER. THE TYPE HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED. NUMBER. [Illustration] OLD TIME WALL PAPERS AN ACCOUNT OF THE PICTORIAL PAPERS ON OUR FOREFATHERS' WALLS WITH A STUDY OF THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF WALL PAPER MAKING AND DECORATION BY KATE SANBORN [Illustration] GREENWICH CONNECTICUT THE LITERARY COLLECTOR PRESS NEW YORK 1905 CLIFFORD & LAWTON 19 UNION SQUARE WEST, NEW YORK CITY _SOLE AGENTS_ Copyright, 1905 BY KATE SANBORN TO A. S. C. THE CHATELAINE OF ELM BANK [Illustration] INTRODUCTORY NOTE If a book has ever been written on this subject it has been impossible to discover; and to get reliable facts for a history of the origin and development of the art of making wall-papers has been a serious task, although the result seems scanty and superficial. Some friends may wonder at the lack of fascinating bits of gossip, stories of rosy romance and somber tragedy in connection with these papers. But those who chatted, danced, flirted, wept or plotted in the old rooms are long since dust, and although the "very walls have ears" they have not the gift of speech. But my collection of photographs is something entirely unique and will increase in value every year. The numerous photographers, to whom I have never appealed in vain, are regarded by me as not only a skillful but a saintly class of men. I am greatly indebted to Miss Mary M. Brooks of Salem and Miss Mary H. Buckingham of Boston for professional assistance. Many others have most kindly helped me by offers of photographs and interesting facts concerning the papers and their histories. But I am especially indebted to Mrs. Frederick C. Bursch, who has given much of her time to patient research, to the verification or correction of doubtful statements, and has accomplished a difficult task in arranging and describing the photographs. Without her enthusiastic and skillful assistance, my collection and text would have lacked method and finish.