The most common type of paper used in the 1900s was wood pulp paper, which was made from the pulp of trees. Wood pulp paper was relatively inexpensive to produce and was widely available, making it the preferred choice for most printing applications, including newspapers, books, and magazines.
2. Rag Paper
Rag paper, made from the fibers of cotton or linen rags, was also commonly used in the 1900s, particularly for high-quality printing and writing purposes. Rag paper was more durable and had better ink absorption properties compared to wood pulp paper, making it ideal for documents that needed to be preserved for a long time, such as legal documents and manuscripts.
3. Parchment Paper
Parchment paper, made from the skin of animals, was used for centuries before the 1900s and continued to be utilized for specialized purposes. It was particularly well-suited for legal documents and manuscripts due to its durability and resistance to deterioration over time.
4. Specialty Papers
In addition to these primary types of paper, there were also various specialty papers available in the 1900s, including:
- tracing paper, which was translucent and used for architectural and engineering drawings;
- carbon paper, which was used to create multiple copies of a document;
- blotting paper, used to absorb ink from freshly written documents;
- bond paper, a high-quality paper used for official documents and letterheads.
Overall, the paper used in the 1900s was predominantly wood pulp paper, while rag paper and parchment paper were used for specialized applications. The availability of various paper types allowed for diverse printing and writing needs during that time.