"A genus of cephalapodous mollusca, pretty generally known by the name of Paper Nautilus, and in consequence of similarity in the form of the shell, often confounded with the genus Nautilus, but in fact much more nearly allied to the Poulpe (Octopus)." — Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1875

Argonaut

"A genus of cephalapodous mollusca, pretty generally known by the name of Paper Nautilus, and in consequence…

"A may-basket which can be made in a moment is simply a bright-colored paper six inches long and three inches wide, with on if its long sides brought together at the two corners from the middle and fastened securely." -Beard, 1906

May Day basket

"A may-basket which can be made in a moment is simply a bright-colored paper six inches long and three…

An illustration of a binder.

Binder

An illustration of a binder.

Ring binders are folders in which punches pieces of paper may be held by means of clamps running through the holes in the paper. This is an adjustable type which makes transferring papers easier.

Adjustable Transfer Binder

Ring binders are folders in which punches pieces of paper may be held by means of clamps running through…

The Southern Literary Messenger was a periodical published in Richmond, Virginia, from 1834 until June 1864. Each issue carried a subtitle of "Devoted to Every Department of Literature and the Fine Arts" or some variation and included poetry, fiction, non-fiction, reviews, and historical notes. It was founded by Thomas Willis White who served as publisher and occasional editor until his death in 1843. White hired Edgar Allan Poe in 1835 as a staff writer and critic. Others involved with the periodical included Matthew Fontaine Maury and Maury's kinsman Benjamin Blake Minor. It ended in June 1864 in part due to Richmond's involvement in the American Civil War.

Southern Literary Messenger Building

The Southern Literary Messenger was a periodical published in Richmond, Virginia, from 1834 until June…

A small little chicken modeled out of tissue paper.

Tissue paper chicken

A small little chicken modeled out of tissue paper.

"Daffodils modeled from tissue-paper." -Beard, 1906

Tissue paper daffodil

"Daffodils modeled from tissue-paper." -Beard, 1906

To fasten the paper, lay a sheet on the board with the left edge an inch or so from the ending, place a T-square in position and "true up" the paper with the T-square.

Adjusting the Paper

To fasten the paper, lay a sheet on the board with the left edge an inch or so from the ending, place…

A small elephant modeled out of tissue paper.

Tissue paper elephant

A small elephant modeled out of tissue paper.

An illustration of a family reading a newspaper together around the table.

Family Reading Paper

An illustration of a family reading a newspaper together around the table.

"Invert the second vessel over the first, mouth to mouth, so that the contents of the two vessels shall be separated only by the paper. Each vessel is filled with an invisible gas. Remove the paper, and notice that the invisible gases quickly-diffuse into each other and form a dense cloud." -Avery 1895

Mixing Gases in Inverted Containers

"Invert the second vessel over the first, mouth to mouth, so that the contents of the two vessels shall…

An illustration of a group of people reading a newspaper.

Group Reading

An illustration of a group of people reading a newspaper.

Hand writing with pencil.

Hand

Hand writing with pencil.

Hand drawing with chalk.

Hand

Hand drawing with chalk.

All lines in a mechanical drawing are made with the aid of an instrument. Horizontal lines are drawn with the upper edge of the T-square blade as a guide.

Drawing a Horizontal Line

All lines in a mechanical drawing are made with the aid of an instrument. Horizontal lines are drawn…

"The fish banners are hollow so that the wind ma fill them, causing fish to rise and fall as the breeze comes and goes...The fish used on this eventful day are the famous carp, which the natives call koi, the unconquerable." -Beard, 1906

Paper Koi Birthday Pole

"The fish banners are hollow so that the wind ma fill them, causing fish to rise and fall as the breeze…

"The Japanese carp stands for good cheer, indomitable will, perseverance, and fortitude, and it is used to impress these virtues upon the boys, but all the good qualities named are fully as necessary for girls even though the Japanese do not mention the fact, but girls are not forgotten." -Beard 1906

Paper koi

"The Japanese carp stands for good cheer, indomitable will, perseverance, and fortitude, and it is used…

The label of a Jacksonville packaging company.

Packaging company label

The label of a Jacksonville packaging company.

The paper-making machine almost superseded the old hand making process of forming paper.

Paper Making Machine

The paper-making machine almost superseded the old hand making process of forming paper.

"Morse magnetic telegraph will be understood by reference to the accompanying diagram, which represents the construction and arrangement of this form of telegraph. F and E are pieces of soft iron surrounded by coils of wire, which are connected at a and b with wires proceeding from a galvanic battery. When a current is transmitted from a battery located one, two, or three hundred miles, as the case may be, it passes along the wires and into the coils surrounding the pieces of soft iron F and E, thereby converting them into magnets. Above these pieces of soft iron is a metallic bar or lever, A, supported on its center, and haing at one end the arm D, and at the other a small steel point, o. A ribbon of paper, p h, rolled on the cylinder B, is drawn slowly and steadily off by a train of clock-work, K, moved by the action of the weight P on the cord C. This clock-work gives motion to two metal rollers, G and H, between which the ribbon of paper passes, and which, turnin in opposite directions, draw the paper from the cylinder B. The roller H has a groove arond its circumference (not represented in the engraving) above which the paper passes. The steel point, r, or the lever, A, is also directly opposite this groove. The spring r prevents the point from resting upon the paper when the telegraph is not in operation." —Wells, 1857

Magnetic Telegraph

"Morse magnetic telegraph will be understood by reference to the accompanying diagram, which represents…

An illustration of a man wearing a bonnet and a woman sitting at a desk reading a paper.

Man & Woman Reading Paper

An illustration of a man wearing a bonnet and a woman sitting at a desk reading a paper.

An illustration of a man and woman sitting at the table reading.

Man and Woman Reading

An illustration of a man and woman sitting at the table reading.

An illustration of a man handing a young boy a section of a newspaper.

Man Giving Boy Paper

An illustration of a man handing a young boy a section of a newspaper.

An illustration of a man sitting at a table reading a newspaper.

Man Reading Newspaper

An illustration of a man sitting at a table reading a newspaper.

An illustration of a man writing a letter.

Man Writing Letter

An illustration of a man writing a letter.

"Morning-glory modeled out of tissue-paper.' -Beard 1906

Tissue paper morning-glory

"Morning-glory modeled out of tissue-paper.' -Beard 1906

An example of how to model a morning-glory out of tissue paper.

Tissue paper morning-glory

An example of how to model a morning-glory out of tissue paper.

An illustration of a small package wrapped in paper and twine.

Small Package Wrapped in Paper and Twine

An illustration of a small package wrapped in paper and twine.

One side of a leaf of a book or manuscript.

Page

One side of a leaf of a book or manuscript.

"Argonauta argo, the "Paper Nautilus," female. The animal is represented in its shell, but the webbed dorsal arms are separated from the shell, which they ordinarily embrace." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Paper Nautilus

"Argonauta argo, the "Paper Nautilus," female. The animal is represented in its shell, but the webbed…

"A press or stamp bearing dies on its jaws, or a die and a bed, for imprinting or embossing any device upon paper or a plastic material, as lead. It is much used to form the seals of seal-locks, and may be a kind of heavy pincers. a and a1, dies; b (dotted outline), bar sliding in guide c; d (dotted outline), abutment for coiled spring e; f, lever with cam g at the bottom. The lever moved in the direction in dicated by the arrow forces a down upon a1; when it is released the spring reverses the motion." —Whitney, 1889

Seal Press

"A press or stamp bearing dies on its jaws, or a die and a bed, for imprinting or embossing any device…

"A printing-press of the time of Gutenberg."

Printing Press

"A printing-press of the time of Gutenberg."

This is a printing press attachment that is used to facilitate the process of feeding paper into a printing press.

Feeder, Printing Press

This is a printing press attachment that is used to facilitate the process of feeding paper into a printing…

Calico printing was the first "operation connected with the printing of cloth."- Lupton

Calico Printing

Calico printing was the first "operation connected with the printing of cloth."- Lupton

A scroll used to present writing.

Scroll

A scroll used to present writing.

"A cartridge containing shot instead of a bullet, and intended to serve various purposes. a, paper case to which is fitted the brass base b, with a reinforcement of layers of paper, c, cemented together; d, cloth or felt wads; e, powder; f, shot; g, paper shot-wad, half as thick as one of the wads d; h, primer." —Whitney, 1889

Short Cartridge - Paper Case

"A cartridge containing shot instead of a bullet, and intended to serve various purposes. a, paper case…

A mechanical device used to cut paper into chad, typically either strips or fine particles.

Paper Shredder

A mechanical device used to cut paper into chad, typically either strips or fine particles.

"A long ribbon of white paper is attached on a spool, and connected to a receiver that is wired to a switch. When the switch is closed, a signal is sent to the receiver, and it marks either a dot or dash on the paper." -Avery 1895

One Way Telegraph

"A long ribbon of white paper is attached on a spool, and connected to a receiver that is wired to a…

"Tenacity is that property of matter by virtue of which some bodies resist a force tending to pull their particles asunder Its measure is the ratio between the breaking weight and the area of the cross section of the body broken. It varies with different substances, with the form of the body, with the temperature, and with the duration of the pull." -Avery 1895

Testing for Tenacity

"Tenacity is that property of matter by virtue of which some bodies resist a force tending to pull their…

The Small Passion is part of a series of woodcuts by German artist Albrecht Dürer in 1512. It depicts Jesus entering Jerusalem. A woodcut is a printmaking technique where a wooden block is carved out to the desired design, then rolled over with ink, and then printed on paper.

Small Passion

The Small Passion is part of a series of woodcuts by German artist Albrecht Dürer in 1512. It depicts…

An illustration of two men reading the newpaper.

Two Men Reading Paper

An illustration of two men reading the newpaper.

An illustration of a woman writing a letter while a soldier is laying on a bed.

Woman Writing Letter & Man on Bed

An illustration of a woman writing a letter while a soldier is laying on a bed.