Papier-mâché (Fr., 'mashed or pulp paper'). This name is applied to a material consisting either of paper-pulp or of sheets of paper pasted together, which by a peculiar treatment resembles varnished or lacquered wood in one class of articles made of it, and in another class (chiefly architectural ornaments) somewhat resembles plaster. Other substances are, however, mixed with paper, especially for the latter class of objects. Among eastern nations, where varnished and decorated articles in papier-mâché have long been made, the finest work has been produced in Persia, and next to it in Cashmere. The articles chiefly made are cases for pens and other writing materials, as well as boxes and trays. In Japan various objects are manufactured by glueing together a number of sheets of the soft and flexible paper of that country upon moulds, when it is in a damp state. This kind of papier-mâché, which is light, strong, and elastic, was at one time used in that country for helmets and other parts of armour. No doubt it was from one or other of these eastern countries that the art of working in papier-mâché was acquired by Europeans.
Articles of papier-mâché were extensively made in France in the first half of the 18th century. Subsequently the manufacture was largely developed in Germany. The painted papier-mâché snuff-boxes and other articles termed Vernis Martin work, from the fact that they were made by a coach-painter named Martin, who had a peculiar way of varnishing them, were in the 18th century popular throughout Europe, and fine specimens are still sought after by collectors. Papier-mâché appears to have been introduced into England for the purpose of imitating Japanese trays of lacquered wood. In 1772 Henry Clay of Birmingham took out a patent for making papier-mâché of sheets of specially prepared paper pasted together upon a mould. In this way he produced panels for doors and walls, besides cabinets, screens, tables, tea-trays, &c., and these are still manufactured. The best papier-mâché is made by Clay's method; but it is also made from paper-pulp to which glue has been added, and this is pressed between dies to give it the required shape. There is a third kind made of coarse fibrous material, mixed with earthy matters and a binding size, certain chemicals being added to render it incombustible. Suppose that a tray-blank of pasted sheets has been formed upon a metal mould. It is then heated to 120° F., and afterwards dipped in a mixture of linseed-oil and spirits of tar (other mixtures are used) to harden it and make it resist moisture. It is again placed in a stove, and when taken out it is planed and filed to give it the required finish. The tray now gets several coats of tar varnish and lampblack, each of which is rubbed down with pumice, and stoved once more. It is then ready to be decorated, after which it receives a coat of transparent varnish, and is finally polished with the hand.
Carton-pierre, which has been extensively employed for the internal decoration of buildings (much in the same way as plaster), is formed of paper-pulp mixed with whiting and glue, and pressed into plaster moulds. It is next backed with paper, allowed to set, and dried in a hot room. Ceramic Papier-mâché (Martin's patent dated March 15, 1858) is a very plastic substance, which can be readily moulded or otherwise worked into any required form. It is composed of paper-pulp, resin, glue, drying oil, and sugar of lead, well kneaded together.
There are various ways of decorating papier-mâché. For tea-trays, caskets, panels, and other objects with a black varnished surface, what is called 'inlaying' with plates of mother-of-pearl shell, scarcely thicker than stout writing-paper, has been largely practised. The pieces of shell are stuck on with varnish, and the design painted on them with a protecting varnish. An application of acid dissolves away the unprotected parts, and then the interspaces are filled up with varnish. When the surface is rubbed with pumice-stone the superfluous varnish is removed, and the shell ornaments displayed. In a similar way the surface can be 'inlaid' with cut-out metal devices. Flower and landscape painting has also been much employed in the way of decoration, as well as borders and other ornaments in leaf gold. Owing to the extensive importation in recent years of cheap Japanese lacquer wares (see LACQUER), the Birmingham manufacturers of papier-mâché have now largely resorted to an inexpensive decoration by transfer-printing, which can be done by boys and girls instead of highly-paid artists. A change has also taken place in the nature of the material itself, which has recently been chiefly made of wood-pulp from Sweden. A limited quantity of the old high-class papier-mâché is, however, still regularly manufactured. The variety of papier-mâché adopted for architectural ornaments, which are usually more or less in relief, can be readily painted, gilded, or bronzed. The application of papier-mâché to articles requiring great strength, such as wheels for railway carriages, has not proved so successful as was at one time anticipated.