What paper to which book?
What is a "Grand paper"?

"The paper has this peculiarity and admirable being the product of substances almost worthless and often waste material, the result of a crushing tatters and rags, once shaped and printed (...) it acquires unparalleled power, a kind of universal sovereignty.
It changes our ideas and beliefs, transforms our manners and our laws, reverses or restores States, decided on peace and war: he rules the world, so to speak. "(Albert Cim)



If the amateur no mistake, the uninitiated reader sometimes tends to consider the deluxe editions of prints for their only symbolic value and thus paying only the numerical ranking of different papers.

Yet before the book symbol is an object, and sensual qualities of this object depends partly receiving the immaterial work. If the instrument is not the symphony, it allows its realization, he lends his voice.



Similarly the paper (and one might say the same of typography or binding) is not the literary work, but it is, in the best sense, his "spokesman".

Thus the reader's, let bibliophile, collector or amateur, should he compose his ideal library thinking of the flesh that composes books and for each title, each author, prefer one or another paper which, its own affinities, ideally carry the voice of the author and keep intact over time.



See our articles on:

- Japan paper

- The Chinese paper

- The Dutch paper

- Pure vellum wire

- Alfa