The History of Quilling, or Paper Filigree,
is Closely Tied to the History of Paper Itself
The first writing paper was not actually paper at all. Ancient Egyptians used papyrus reeds to make scribing sheets of “paper”. The reeds were split, flattened together and scraped until thin and pliable. Eventually parchment replaced papyrus as the most popular writing material, but still this was not PAPER. True parchment was actually made from stretched and dried animal skins. Parchment was used especially for maps and documents because the skins were durable and weather resistant. A very fine parchment called vellum was made from calf skin.
Around 105 AD, long before anyone else discovered paper, the Chinese used vegetable fibers to make the very first paper from pulp. True paper comes from pulp which is the physical rearrangement of the fibers. This increased the strength and absorbency of the paper made this way. Papermaking skills remained a Chinese secret until the 8th century when the Chinese city of Samorkand was captured by the Arabs. Soon after, the Arabs established a paper mill in Baghdad.
Much travelling occurred over the next few hundred years. During the Crusades, what skills were not taught or traded were simply taken. Therefore, papermaking as an art form spread to Egypt, North Africa, Morocco, Spain, and eventually to all of Europe. Between the 12th and 14th centuries, the Spanish, French, Italians, and Dutch set up paper manufacturing plants in their countries. England had its first paper mill in 1320. There are some accounts of paper filigree coming from this time period but no pieces are known to have survived. It was not until the early 1600’s that quilling as an artwork really began to flourish, allowing for the survival of many masterpieces.
The first pieces were meticulously made by French and Italian Monks and Nuns. In addition to gilding some paper strips with gold leaf they would cut paper from old documents and letters, or recycle the gilt-edged pages from old books, stripping the edges and using them to imitate more expensive gold and silver metal filigree. This was similar to the way ancient cultures were influenced by other art forms, such as Byzantine carving influenced Egyptian metal filigree. Lacey scrolls, arabesques, and leaves of metal imitated the intricate carving found in Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Etruscan tombs. The Monks and Nuns used the scrolls and coils to decorate religious objects, and detailed pilgrimage mementos. In 19th century Canada, the Montreal Bishop Boutgets would bring a selection of filigree work done by his convent on each of his yearly trips to the Vatican.
The first paper mill in the Western Hemisphere was established in Mexico by the Spanish in 1575. In the early 1600’s bits of rags and cotton were incorporated into the paper making process. In 1690 a paper mill was established near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Because it was difficult to produce mass quantities of paper by hand, the value of each piece was increased. The ladies of Victorian times revived quilling as a popular pastime that demonstrated their skill and patience.
In 1794 Charles Elliot, a royal tradesman, supplied Princess Elizabeth, the artistic daughter of George III, with 15 ounces of different filigree papers, one ounce of gold and a box with ebony moldings made for filigree work. Princess Elizabeth decorated the recessed panels of this box with quilling and when Dr. Alexander Pothergill cured her of an illness, she presented the good doctor with her own handwork.
It wasn’t until the early 19th century that the first papermaking machine (the fourdrinier) was created. Although this allowed paper to become the foundation of book making, which in turn initiated the formalization of schooling, colleges, and universities, it also caused a shortage of raw material. With machines to supply the demand for paper, the value of paper as a “rare and prized commodity” fell. Quilling as an art form fell out of fashion. Yet several extensively elaborate pieces can be found in museums across Western Europe and many shining examples from the Colonial period are still displayed in United States museums.
Modern day quilling is gaining popularity once again as a challenging craft and art form, elusive for some time but not forgotten, and definitely not dead. Many modern crafters have tried their skills and patience with this art, creating stunningly beautiful and imaginative pieces.
The ideal paper weight for quilling is between 65 and 80 pound TEXT weight paper. A papers‘ “weight” is determined by the weight of one ream of that paper (500 sheets). For example, 500 sheets of tissue paper weighs 8 pounds, so tissue is designated as 8 pound paper. Average notebook paper is between 17 and 24 pounds, and construction paper is considered approximately 110 to 120 pounds.
The weight of the paper will affect its ability to hold a quilled coil. Ever try to roll up a greeting card? Or a facial tissue?. A paper too heavy makes thick angular rolls, while fine paper is too limp, unable to hold the spiral shapes. It is also important to roll the paper from strips that are cut ‘across the grain’ of the paper. This gives the coils the proper rigidity. Except for the fact that machines now make the paper, quilling is an art form virtually unaffected by industrialization and technology. It requires today, just as it did when it first began, patience, dexterity, and good eyesight.
For more information, contact: Sherry Rodehaver