"Vélin pur fil" (literally pure thread wove paper), invented by English publisher John Baskerville, is so named because its smooth finish evokes the ancient vellum skin that preceded the invention of paper and was used for a long time for unique books commissionned by prominent patrons.  

Smooth and satiny, usually perfectly white, it is a homogeneous paper with no grain or texture that does not offer itself to the reader's admiration for its beauty, but carries the text clearly and without transparency. “Pure thread,” meaning ‘rich’ (but rarely made exclusively) in linen and hemp, like the papers mades from rags, it is supple to the touch, inviting insatiable reading and lending itself ideally to the discovery of unknown texts and new authors.

> View our selection of first editions on "vélin pur fil".