Mother Agnes Shaw has written asking for news of Polly Lada-Mocarski. "She played an important part in my formation as a binder and became a truly beloved friend. I should be grateful for news of her." She continues, "A year or so back, the GBW Newsletter published my inquiry about supply sources and I received many generous replies. Thank you very much! More XII century walls and a probable [trench ?] were found under the bindery floor in the process of restoration. This closed me down for almost a year. Everything is beautifully back in place now and I am binding once again."
Mother Agnes Shaw, O.S.B. may be reached at: Abbazia di San Vincenzo al Volturno, Rocchetta a Volturno 86070 Isernia, Italia.
From Edward "Ted" Snider, proprietor of Cranberry Mills in Seeleys Bay, Ontario to Rebecca Shaffer in Clayton, Missouri:
"Dear Rebecca, I just read your letter on p.5 of the August GBW Newsletter and was delighted to note your reference to the "very sensuous" (and mysterious!) handmade paper that I supplied to the Potomac Chapter for their inaugural project: a limited edition of fifty copies of The Fables of Davinci handprinted in English and Italian by Cita Wheeler-Sullivan at her Snail's Pace Press.
The absence of any identification of the paper in your letter (I hope that there is an acknowledgement in the text!), I am sure, will only add to the curiosity and interest of the GBW Newsletter readers!
My role in this project began with an article on CRANBERRY MILLS that appeared in the summer 1994 issue of the GBW Newsletter. Linda Blaser, Senior Conservator at the Folger Shakespeare Library, wrote to me in August 1994 and then sent me several samples of papers that they use for antique book restoration. After nine tries (using my wife's watercolors as guide!), in January 1995 I produced a shade that she liked and this has become my Archival Conservation Grade, "PF-9", (i.e. Pigmented-Folger!).
In August 1995, after a trial lot in April, the Potomac Chapter ordered 500 sheets of 22"x30", Wove, 100#/ream, Smooth, Internally Sized and Buffered "PF-9". After some time-out for the implantation of my new Pacemaker in January 1996 and a recuperative trip south in February, the final shipment was received by Linda "just-in-time"!
My wife and I have been invited by Linda to attend the opening of an exhibition of the Potomac Chapter's (and others') bindings of The Fables of Davinci, probably in late 1997, to which we are looking forward, and where I hope to meet you, too."