1. Joseph von Karabacek, Arab Paper.

First published in 1887, Don Baker’s work provides an accessible and refined translation of Karabacek’s seminal work.

Translation by Don Baker and Suzy Dittmar with additional notes by Don Baker. London: The Don Baker Memorial Fund/Archetype Publications, 2001.

2. Johannes Pedersen, The Arabic book.

Originally published in Danish in 1946 (Den Arabiske Bog), Pedersen’s work looks at the production of books in medieval Islam. ‘Chapter 5: Writing materials,’ covers bone, potsherds, parchment, papyrus, and—finally—paper. Pedersen discusses the introduction of paper technology from China to the Islamic lands, before mentioning various paper types cited in historic works (Samarkand, Baghdad, Yemen etc.), sheet formation, and preparation. It draws heavily on Karabacek.

Translated by Geoffrey French, edited with an Introduction by Robert Hillenbrand, Cambridge (Mass.): Princeton University Press, 1984.

3. Don Baker, "Arab Papermaking."

Don Baker’s work on Islamic paper brought the conservator’s practical eye to a previously largely historical subject and builds on his translation of Karabacek which he made around the same time.

The Paper Conservator 15, 1991, pp. 28–35.

4. Helen Loveday, Islamic Paper: A Study of the Ancient Craft.

2001 was a bumper year of the study of Islamic paper! Building on Don Baker’s legacy, Helen Loveday’s work aims to classify Baker’s library of sample papers—with considerable additions—based on a methodology developed by Baker to document their physical characteristics. The resulting work provides a summary of Persian and Syro-Egyptian papers from the 12^th to the 19^th centuries.

London: The Don Baker Memorial Fund, 2001.

5. Jonathan M. Bloom, Paper Before Print: The History and Impact of Paper in the Islamic World.

Bloom’s pivotal work offers an in-depth and brilliantly illustrated study of the history of paper in the Islamic world. The importance of good illustrations really cannot be overestimated in materiality studies, and Bloom’s contextual and sociological study brings a lot to the table. Start your reading here!

New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001.

6. Mandana Barkeshli, "Historical and Scientific Analysis on Sizing Materials Used in Iranian Manuscripts and Miniature Paintings."

This is a more focused study, looking specifically at the sizing of Iranian papers from the 15^th to 19^th centuries. However, as surface sizes are such an important aspect of Islamic paper production, and key to the conservators’ interactions with this substrate, this paper is an essential read.

The Book and Paper Group Annual 22, 2003, pp. 9–16.

7. Francis Richard, "The Writing Surface: Paper."

Richard’s work gives a practical overview of paper production and use, paying particular attention to material analysis, sheet production, the adoption of watermarked papers, and the use of decorative techniques.

In François Déroche, et al. Islamic Codicology: An Introduction to the Study of Manuscripts in Arabic Script, London: Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, 2006, pp. 49-63.

8. Hend Mahgoub et al. ‘Material properties of Islamic paper.’

This recent paper provides an interesting look at the possibilities of using non-destructive analytical techniques and micro-chemical testing to characterise Islamic papers. Their methodology also incorporates close looking to describe paper morphology and asks what should or should not be considered an Islamic paper.

Hend Mahgoub, Tiphaine Bardon, Dirk Lichtblau, Tom Fearn & Matija Strlič, ‘Material properties of Islamic paper,’ Heritage Science 4, 34 (2016).

You can read more about CBL Heb 761 here.

Kristine Rose-Beers, Head of Conservation.