Dard Hunter Ream Wrapper Reproduction

This month's feature is a ream wrapper reproduction by Dard Hunter and Dard Hunter II. It is numbered in the Dard Hunter Collection as #6155.4, accompanied by seven other reproductions by the father and son. The original design was a letterpress from a wood engraving by Abel Bowen, produced around 1820. A ream wrapper is a paper mill label, commonly placed with orders of reams of writing paper. Many ream wrappers have images of the mill from which the paper came, and eagles are commonly placed in the design. 

This ream wrapper has a view of one building of a paper mill owned by Elijah Burbank, which was burned in 1827. The term 'Pot' at the top refers to the size of the sheet contained within the ream, much like 'letter' sized paper - in this case, a piece of pot paper measured 12.25 x 15.75 inches. Ream wrappers like this are very popular collector's items amongst historians; they were disposable and thus have become a rarity today, but many had illustrations of historical mills and landscapes that offer valuable insights about their locations, daily staff, and operations. 

We hope that you enjoyed this peek at our collection! We'll be back next month with another artifact. Have a great March!