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Above: Making Paper in Bac Ninh Province, Viet Nam

PAPERMAKING IN VIET NAM

Handmade from a bast fiber obtained from the Do tree

VN Tissue, natural

No one was ever certain if handpapermaking was happening in Viet Nam. Many years ago, I had obtained some pictures which were taken by Fred Siegenthaler that demonstrated that somewhere in the north of the country, someone was collecting fiber and making paper. After returning from Viet Nam in 2005, I began some intense research on the matter, determined to find whomever it was that continued the art, presumably started in the 11th century. When I returned in 2006, we headed for Bac Ninh Province and not only found the papermaker, but also found a Viet Namese national treasure who has kept the art of wood block printing alive.

I start the "show" with a tissue paper. For me, this is one of the most important criteria regarding a papermaker's abilities. If he can make a super thin, strong paper, he has already surpassed most of his peers. The tissue I held would probably fall between 9 gsm and 11 gsm. I tugged on it, but that will not do. One of the members of the Friends of Dard Hunter and research scientist, Dr. Lawrence Murrell, has asked me for small samples for testing purposes. When we get his findings, we will post them on the site. Conservators take note!

We also learned during our visit that during the cooking process of the fiber, no chemicals are used for purification. The fibers are left to cook at times for three entire days, before they are removed, rinsed and then beaten.

What was most interesting was that the papers I looked at could have all been made in Japan. This is not only from a quality standpoint, but also from the esthetic angle. The Unryu paper was simply gorgeous, and it appears that the majority of these papers are used for lanterns during Tet, which is the lunar new year in Asia. I could not believe that an artist outside Ha Noi had never enjoyed working with any of these grades. We certainly are hoping to change the status quo!

VN Laid Cream

VN Unryu Type Heavy

Bast Fiber from the Do Tree

The Magic is in the Fiber

What we have been able to determine so far is that it would take about a month to produce 500 sheets of paper size 22" x 30" or thereabout. This is not very much, but until there is an expansion of this workshop (dialogue is in progress at the moment regarding this idea), we might not be able to increase the capacity unless we introduce some mechanization in the process, or train other papermakers. We will also have to decide based on supply and demand, once the paper hits the market. For block printing, there was a sheet that was about 20 gsm. in size 16" x 20" in a natural color that would be very well suited. I dubbed it the Viet Namese "Kitakata", since most of the papers I have did not have their own names, except for those you see on the right.

The majority of the sheets, except for the very heavyweight brownish cover, have a laid format, and the lines are quite visible and lovely. The small sheets to the right are all wove and were about an A4 size; I suspect this was so just for sampling purposes. Other than white and natural, there were no sheets of color. The only colored sheets we saw were at the Dong Ho Workshop, which we visited earlier, where only natural ingredients are used for color, and for sizing, mother of pearl is crushed into a powder, mixed with water and applied to the top of the sheet on one side only. You can see these items below, and my hands are all over the place holding one thing or another to be photographed.

Our first priority is to obtain pricing on the 16" x 20" printing sheet, and perhaps the Unryu types. This is where I am asking for your feedback as far as what you'd like to see first. The sheet with the bamboo leaves is interesting, but not sufficiently different than inclusions we have seen before. There are flora which are native to Viet Nam, and we will investigate whether those are suitable for introduction into the papers.

VN Cu Nghe

Hoa Muop

Mau Thuc Pham

PRICE TABLE - all prices are suggested retail

Description	Features	Size in inches	Color	Per Sheet
Giay Gio Lua	smooth/archival	19�" x 27" & up*	pink cast	US$3.95
Goau Gop Sieu Mong	tissue thin	19�" x 27" & up	greyish/wh	US$3.95
Giay Gio Lua Hong	thin	19�" x 27" & up	pink cast	US$3.95
Giay Gio Co Gan	thin	19�" x 27" & up	cream	US$3.95

Regarding Sizes: we chose the above size as standard until we begin to establish preferences. Other sizes available are the following: 15�" x 11.8", 20�" x 14�", 23.6" x 27", 27�" x 19�", 31�" x 23.6", 47�" x 23.6", and 43.3" x 31�".

Pricing is predicated on thickness of the sheet which is achieved in layers. For example, if Giay Gio Lua is 4 layers thick, then the price would be double that of $3.95 or $7.90 per sheet, suggested retail.

Sizes starting at 19�" x 27" and higher must be two layers thick or more, as the papermaker cannot make them too thin.

Minimum Per quality is 50 sheets.
Minimum for other sizes not shown on the price table is 100 sheets.
ALL PRICES INCLUDE SHIPPING FROM HANOI TO THE U.S.

Hue Trong, Papermaker

Do Paper with bamboo leaves

Heavy Cover Weight Do Paper

Do Paper w/oyster shell finish

VN Light Unryu type, natural

Do Paper is very strong

Red minerals are used for natural color

Crushed red mineral ready to be mixed

Crushed oyster shells are used to topsize the paper

Come along for a tour

We are standing in the midst of the workshop

THE WORKSHOP

Finding this papermaker's workshop was tantamount to landing on the moon for me. And watching the papermaking process and the finished sheets would have been akin to finding a lake and a forest on the moon. No kidding.

If you look at the photo on the right, you can spot the huge moulds which are made by the artist himself for custom made orders for large sheets. This is an interesting development which we shall explore further, after we have introduced the standard size sheets which I saw when I was there.

Below, I have taken you on a tour of the shop, though small, but with the necessary tools to make wonderful, pristine sheets. The vat by the window is the main one, with a Japanese style flexible mould hanging there when not in use. Ready pulp filled the vat, which had to be stirred, and I did the honors with a wooden mallet. Next to the base of the vat is a foot lever which assists the vat (woman) in lifting out the newsly wet sheet. I found this improvision nothing short of genius. To the rear of this vat is a makeshift table which serves as the post. When they have gathered a sufficient amount of newly formed sheets, they are transferred to the press (green color), and just as in Japan, there are no felts between the sheets.