This is one of the few moulds I own from other mills. Until the middle of the 18th Century the Swedish government imported their currency paper but in 1755 they constructed a mill at Tumba which is about 20 km South West of Stockholm and imported some Dutch papermakers with knowhow. At the time the mill seemed very remote from civilisation so for many years it ran not only its own school but also a dairy and a brewery. It was still a very forested area when I visited in the 1970s but is now fairly suburban. The modern papermill is now a subsidiary of Cranes, the US currency maker but there is a museum - http://www.tumbabruksmuseum.se/index_eng.htm.
I do not know why Tumba use the beehive as their symbol but this is a particularly lovely mark with the wreath of flowers and the bees. Size 380 x 482. Thought to be made at Tumba Bruk who had a loom on display.
© Copyright Simon Barcham Green 2011. Not to be copied or reproduced without written permission
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