Collection & Research
Research
Research at Triton & Shell develops through the collection and examines paper and the book as historical evidence, technological products and artistic objects. Books, technical and trade publications, archival and ephemeral material, paper samples, tools, machinery and other objects serve as primary research sources for the study of paper history, from early traditions of handmade papermaking and the transmission of technical knowledge to the transition to industrial production.
Central to this research is the study of the object itself and its material characteristics. Fibres, watermarks, traces of manufacture, printing and binding techniques, stamps, inscriptions, trade names and manufacturers’ marks can help identify materials, workshops, papermakers, mills, factories and networks of production and circulation. Ephemeral and trade material — including catalogues, advertisements, technical manuals, sample books, letterheads and invoices — is particularly valuable for reconstructing information about production, raw materials, equipment and commercial relationships. Through these sources, research addresses the history of handmade papermaking, the transmission of techniques and knowledge, the development of materials and equipment, bookbinding, book arts, conservation and industrial paper production.
A major long-term research area is the history of papermaking in Greece. Triton & Shell collects, preserves and documents archival, commercial and technical material relating to Greek paper mills and factories, their equipment, machinery manufacturers, raw materials, and professional and commercial networks, with the aim of documenting a history that remains largely fragmented and insufficiently recorded.
A distinctive aspect of research at Triton & Shell is the connection between historical sources and living technical practice. Experience in handmade papermaking, bookbinding and conservation enables historical descriptions, tools and materials to be interpreted through an understanding of the production processes themselves. Practical investigation can therefore help clarify technical knowledge that appears only fragmentarily in historical sources or was considered self-evident by the practitioners of its time.
Research continuously feeds back into the collection by enriching object documentation and generating new questions. It also informs exhibitions, publications, lectures and educational programmes, contributing to an evolving body of knowledge around the histories, materials, techniques and people of paper and the book.
Planning a research visit? Learn more about access to the Triton & Shell collection and Historical Archive.