Title
Watermark paper specimen: Lion with sheaves and staff standing within a circle topped by a crown.
Coverage
London,
Date
ca. 1813.
Description
This undated painting estimate for a “Mr Carpue of Dean St[reet] Soho” bears a clue as to when it was made. Using a light, one can discern a watermark of a lion with sheaves and a staff—an 1813 design produced by the English paper-making firm Messrs J. Dickinson & Co. From 1806 to 1833, Joseph Constantine Carpue resided at this address in London, where he operated a famous anatomical school reputedly supplied by “body snatchers.” This watermark, known to many as “the RBS lion,” began to be used by Rare Book School in 1984 to advertise its programs.
Source
From the collection of Rare Book School