The Holbein family at Ravensburg--a town famous to this day for the manufacture of paper--used a "bull's head". Fust and Schoeffer (_circa_ 1460) used a "clapper" or rattle, which has a somewhat curious history. At Ravensburg there was an hospital for lepers, and whenever any of the inmates had occasion to leave the building he was strictly enjoined to flourish a rattle with which he was provided, so that healthy folk could get out of his way. Paper made at the town is often found marked with the rattle, that having grown, by reason of its frequent use, into an institution of the place.
The next marks in point of date are in all probability the "unicorn," "anchor," and the "P" and "Y," the initials of Philip of Burgundy and his wife Isabella, who were married in 1430.
The famous English printer Caxton (_c._ A.D. 1424-91)[4] used the "bull's head" paper from Ravensburg, the "P" and "Y," the "open hand," and the "unicorn"; sometimes even the "bunch of grapes," which came from Italy.
The first folio of Shakespeare's works (1623) has paper marked with a "fool's cap" among other devices. The "post horn," another favourite device, which has given the name to a particular size of paper--namely, "post"--was first used about the year 1670, when the General Post Office was established, and it became the fashion for the postman to blow a horn.
In modern times paper-marks have become so numerous that it would be next to impossible to classify them; nor would it be of much advantage to the book collector even if it could be done. With old marks it is different, for _fac-simile_ reprints of scarce and ancient volumes are frequently detected by looking at the water-mark on the paper. Of course, this also may be imitated, but there is often considerable difficulty in attaining the requisite degree of perfection; and, under any circumstance, some little knowledge of the early history and appearance of water-marks will be found useful as well as interesting. The best books to consult on the subject are Herring's _Paper and Papermaking_ and Sotheby's _Principia Typographica_, 1858, the latter of which is a masterpiece of learning and constructive skill.
[4] It is very improbable that Caxton was born in 1412, as nearly all his biographers state, but about ten or twelve years later. Evidence of this is contained in the records preserved at Mercers' Hall, Cheapside, London, where his name is inscribed as having been apprenticed in the year 1438, the age at which apprenticeship was entered upon being most commonly between twelve and fourteen years.
