17/09/2026
Did you know the pages of historic books hide secrets you canāt see with the naked eye? š¤«
Having recently learnt that early modern books often contain watermarks, designed to show which manufacturer or mill produced the paper the book is made from, I (Lucy, a member of the Senior Librarian team) set off for my usual shift at the Chained Library armed with nothing more than a torch and hope that I would find some examples hidden within our collection. I would need the torch, as these symbols arenāt visible unless bright light is shone directly on them š¦
After carefully examining a few 16th century volumes, no luck. Then finally, success! āØ
My colleague, Senior Librarian Mike Twomey, suggested we look at Brian Waltonās Polyglot Bible (c. 1657) where, hidden in plain sight, was a beautiful Fleur de lis which leapt off the page the moment the torchlight was shone upon it. The presence of this symbol would seemingly confirm what we already suspected: that the paper was manufactured in France.
Next, we examined our beautiful 1595 Geneva Bible. To our delight, another watermark! This time, a two handled pot was visible and, like the Polyglot Bible, this watermark was replicated across almost every page.
This exciting discovery prompted me to carry out some research into the subject of watermarks. The two handled pot is actually very common in English books dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, so much so that itās more unusual to see a book without the pot symbol than with it!
Working alongside these historic volumes is a privilege, as is delving into their long histories. Just when you think youāve uncovered everything they have to offer, they reveal another secret; a reminder that there is always more waiting to be discovered!
Did you spot the watermarks? Let us know in the comments šš»
