Philadelphia HandMade Paper Co

The Programs

Visiting program

I am fully insured and in compliance with all school, state and federal clearances and, regulation for visiting programs.

Historic Programs

Richard Aldorasi conducting a historic program. Approximately 40 minutes in length, I present the full assembly program in a period costume using 100% authentic tools. I demonstrate the 2,000 year old craft of papermaking by forming sheets of linen paper out of a three foot coppered vat. I also operate an 18th century wooden lever press, demonstrating the five centuries of letterpress printing.

Your students and school will be transported into scenes from past centuries as well as life in colonial America. Barrowing intriguing stories from the history of these trades I include the important part that the Philadelphia area and Pennsylvania once played. Working with individual classes of 30 to40 students a time, my papermaking or printing programs can be utilized as a 30 minute hands-on workshop after the assembly program.

Letter Press Printing	Each student experiences the actual process of inking the plate with inking balls , setting the paper, rolling the plate under the platen and working the lever of an 18th century wood printing press, and printing a sheet of colonial currency on handmade linen paper.
Papermaking	Using an 18th century antique laid wire mould with the water mark of the Philadelphia Handmade Paper Company, each student experiences the hands-on process of making their own sheet of linen rag paper. Included in this program, I introduce the environmental issues of recycling paper in the 21st century. Emphasizing the first 1,750 years of making paper without trees, I share the many ways we can, “Go Green Now”.

Letter Press Printing

Each student experiences the actual process of inking the plate with inking balls , setting the paper, rolling the plate under the platen and working the lever of an 18th century wood printing press, and printing a sheet of colonial currency on handmade linen paper.

Papermaking

Using an 18th century antique laid wire mould with the water mark of the Philadelphia Handmade Paper Company, each student experiences the hands-on process of making their own sheet of linen rag paper.

Included in this program, I introduce the environmental issues of recycling paper in the 21st century. Emphasizing the first 1,750 years of making paper without trees, I share the many ways we can, “Go Green Now”.