Finding Aid for the Peter and Donna Thomas papers on the History of Papermaking in the Philippines, 1980-2005
Processed by Linda Isaac in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Kelley Bachli, 2009;
machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/
© 2009
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Peter and Donna Thomas papers on the History of Papermaking in the Philippines
Date (inclusive): 1980-2005
Collection number: 1828
Creators:
Thomas, Peter
Thomas, Donna
Extent:
3 document boxes (1.5 linear ft.)
1 flat box.
Abstract: Peter and Donna Thomas have lectured and taught numerous workshops internationally and have published books and articles on
papermaking, book binding, and other aspects of the book arts. The collection consists of drafts, correspondence, photographs,
handmade paper samples, and research materials related to the writing of the book, The History of Papermaking in the Philippines.
Language: Finding aid is written in
English.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of
the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC
Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Papers were included with purchase of the deluxe edition of the book
The History of Papermaking in the Philippines in 2006.
Processing Note
Processed by Linda Isaac in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Kelley Bachli, 2009.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Peter and Donna Thomas papers on the History of Papermaking in the Philippines (Collection 1828).
Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
Peter Thomas was born in 1954 in Los Angeles and graduated in 1978 with a major in Aesthetic Studies. Donna (Millar) Thomas
was born in 1957 in San Francisco, California, and graduated from the School of Expressive Arts in 1979.
Peter and Donna Thomas established a private press in 1976 and have worked individually and collaboratively on creating books,
making paper, letterpress printing and book binding. Their books have been shown in the U.S.A. and abroad and purchased for
collections around the world. They printed their first book in 1978 and concentrated on producing "fine press" books for the
next ten years in both full size and miniature formats. They have always made the paper, printed and bound the books completely
by themselves.
In the late 1980s they began exploring new formats in non-traditional book structures and shaped book objects, as both limited
editions and one-of-a-kind books. In 1992 they printed
Good Books, a bibliography of their work, listing over fifty titles representing many authors and a wide range of subjects. They have
lectured and taught workshops internationally and have published articles on papermaking and other aspects of the book arts.
In the early 1990s, they began a project to document the history of papermaking, both at home and abroad. They have published
a number of books that document the renaissance of the craft and also made video documentation of traditional hand papermakers
in Europe.
In 2005 Peter and Donna published
The History of Papermaking in the Philippines, which was the culmination of almost twenty years of work. It began with Peter attending a one-day papermaking workshop in
Santa Cruz taught by Nida Dumsang from the Philippines. Upon learning that there was no written history of papermaking in
the Philippines, the idea of writing the first history of
Filipino
papermaking was born. He first visited the Philippines in February of 1990 and gathered various information over the following
ten years. The book includes discussions of the pre-historic precursors to paper, including Philippine bark cloth. It contains
a survey of the first printed books made in the Philippines and the paper they were printed on. It ends with a chronological
history of both commercial and hand paper making in the Philippines up to 2000.
Peter and Donna Thomas received many awards and recognition over the years: In 1997 their binding was given special mention
for innovative design in the Helen DeGolyer Triennial Exhibition.
A Collection of Paper Samples Handmade in the USA was featured by the Guild of Bookworkers as the set book for a national traveling show titled
Paper Bound during 1997-1998. In 1997 the Miniature Book Society presented them with the Norman Forgue Award for their work promoting
in the miniature book. In 1998 and 1999, one of their books was chosen for the Distinguished Book Award. In 2001 their binding
of James Joyce's Ulysses was awarded the Judges Distinction for Innovation in the Helen DeGolyer Triennial for American Bookbinding,
and the Art Museum of Santa Cruz featured their work in a comprehensive show titled
Art Undercover.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of drafts, correspondence, photographs, handmade paper samples, and research materials related to the
writing of the book,
The History of Papermaking in the Philippines.
Organization and Arrangement
Collection is arranged in chronological order within two subjects: correspondence and research materials.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Papermaking --Philippines -- History
Paper, Handmade --Philippines -- Specimens
Related Material
Thomas, P. & Thomas, D,
The History of Papermaking in the Philippines. Santa Cruz: Peter and Donna Thomas, 2005. Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University
of California, Los Angeles.
Box 1, Folder 1
Correspondence with Fiber Industry Development Authority
1980 February 22 - 1990 March 29
Box 1, Folder 2
Correspondence with Nida Dumsang and Michael Parsons; paper samples; 4 photographs
1986 October 2 - 1993 August 1
Box 1, Folder 3
Correspondence with P.M. Picornelli
1988 October 13 - 1991 July 12
Box 1, Folder 4
Correspondence with William Henry Scott
1989 January 1-1993 October 28
Box 1, Folder 5
Correspondence with Harold Conklin and Chuck Frake; notes
1989 January 1-1991 July 7
Box 1, Folder 6
Correspondence and research materials from Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines
Box 1, Folder 7
Correspondence with Spain; correspondence with Loreto Apilado regarding translation of Spanish text
1993 December 17-2001 April 14
Box 1, Folder 8
Correspondence and notes relating to United States Visa for Loreto Apilado; 5 photographs; newspaper clippings
1996 August 7-2005 July 13
Box 1, Folder 9
Various correspondence; notes
1988 February 16-2001 November 15
Box 1, Folder 10
E-mail correspondence
2002 January 23-2005 July 18
Box 1, Folder 11
Notes from phone conversations with Harold Conklin
ca. 2001 December
Box 2, Folder 1
Original illustrations by Donna Thomas
undated
Box 2, Folder 2
Copies of illustrations from various sources
undated
Box 2, Folder 5
Paper samples and plant descriptions from Dumtog Paper Mill; 10 photographs
undated
Box 2, Folder 6
Correspondence and paper samples from Asao Shimura of Cannabis Press
2004 September 3
Box 2, Folder 7
Paper sample from Juan Merin
undated
Box 2, Folder 8
Fiber Industry Development Authority. Maguey and Its Cultivation - pamphlet
undated
Box 2, Folder 9
Pamphlets; Roadmap of the Philippines; business cards
undated
Box 2, Folder 10
Correspondence from Harold Conklin with paper samples and reprint of Ifugao Ethnobotany 1905-1965: the 1911 Beyer-Merrill
Report in Perspective
Box 2, Folder 11
Reprint of Vision of a Collector from the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection in the Library of Congress
1991
Box 2, Folder 12
Paper samples from the Philippines
undated
Box 3, Folder 1
Research articles and notes
undated
Box 3, Folder 2
Research articles and notes
undated
Box 3, Folder 3
Fiber Development Authority. Profile of the Philippine Abaca Industry
undated
Box 3, Folder 4
Fibert Development Authority. Ramie Production Manual
undated
Box 3, Folder 5
Pilipinas. A Journal of Philippine Studies (No. 22, Spring)
undated
Box 3, Folder 6
Kalin Di Duntog - Journal (8 issues)
ca. 1990-1992
Box 3, Folder 7
Hand Papermaking - Journal (3 issues)
ca. 1993-2002
Box 4, Folder 1
Journal and letters (copies) of Peter Thomas from Philippines
1990 March 1-15
Box 4, Folder 2
Paper samples from C&J Specialty Papers (Phils.), Inc. - Vol. 3 and 5
undated
Box 4, Folder 3
Fiber Development Authority. Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Miniature Specimens of Philippine Fibers
undated
Box 4, Folder 4
Proofs and notes
ca. 2004
Box 4, Folder 5
Proofs - First 19 pages before 1993
undated
Box 4, Folder 6
Overseas correspondence and translated documents
ca. 1997-2001
Box 4, Folder 7
Translation of Spanish document relating to the history of papermaking