Moulds and deckles have a hard working life and this pair were overdue for replacement. Moulds could last for several hundred thousand sheets and may have had one or two replacement deckles in their entire life.
This is a rather tired paid of moulds used to make F J Head Laid Medium. They may have been used to make our Maidstone, Medway & Eltham papers but I think those had slightly different watermarks. They were unpopular with the vat crew as they measured 1250 mm (49 1/4") hand to hand in order to make two sheets 456 x 589 mm (18" x 23 1/4"), this size being called Medium. Not only was this a wide stretch for most people (bearing in mind the mould was held a little way in front of the body) but it was also difficult to keep the weight even from side to side, which could make for "wedgy" sheets. Made by W Green, Son & Waite 2/1942.
© Copyright Simon Barcham Green 2011. Not to be copied or reproduced without written permission
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