The Database of Watermarks of the Salzburg Dommusikarchiv

Bernstein–The Memory of paper: http://www.memoryofpaper.eu

The music collection of the Dommusikarchiv, preserved in the Archiv der Erzdiözese Salzburg is, compared to many others, a rather small collection. However, a rather complete and self-contained collection of sacred music has survived, which we are especially lucky to have, since very little secular music from the Salzburg Hofkapelle has survived. The major part of the collection consists of part materials on papers dating between the 1670s and the end of the 19th century.

While in the beginning of the 18th century, mainly the produce of Salzburg paper-mills, especially that of Lengfelden, was used, the paper-mills of Raitenhaslach (Bavaria) and Braunau became more important towards the middle of the century. From the 1770 on papers were primarily imported from the area of Toscolano (Italy), while, during the first half of the 19th century, the papermills of Lengfelden and Braunau were in business, again.

Beginning in 2007, papers were recorded and drawings were made of the watermarks. By now, we have identified almost 300 watermarks, and have organized them in a small database.

The catalog of watermarks of the Dommusikarchiv, that gives an overview of the staff paper used in Salzburg during the 18th and 19th centuries, has been published in the database of Bernstein–The Memory of paper: http://www.memoryofpaper.eu. This, together with the catalogue of copyists existing at the Archiv der Erzdiözese, to which 250 new copyist’s samples were added and several of the anonymous copyists could be identified, are part and parcel in identifying and dating Salzburg manuscripts.