People have taken the trouble to conserve and recycle paper ever since it was invented in China early in the 2nd century A.D. The strength and durability of this medium is demonstrated by the survival of Chinese war helmets and pots.
	In Germany in 1883 a Dresden watchmaker made a watch entirely of paper mache. Its maker clamied it was durable and performed as well as any metal watch
	The technique of molding paper pulp and hardening with lacquer was known in France in the 17th century and subsequently the rest of Europe. Its uses ranged from snuff boxes and tea trays to architectural molding and furniture. Methods of production were refined to produce an extremely resilient material that reached its heyday in Europe and America in the second half of the 19th century. There are records of its use in the building of a boat and remarkably, a village of ten prefabricated houses ordered by an English immigrant for a settlement in Australia.
	How strong is it? A paper mache church erected in Norway survived 37 years gefore being demolished.
	However by the 1920’s the manufacturing of paper mache objects had ceased and was relegated to the classroom where children struggled with gluey fingers to create strange lumpy creatures. The craft of paper mache has rich folk art roots worldwide that have remained unchanged for centuries. Dolls, puppets and masks are familiar traditional uses of this accessible material. Today, paper mache is being rediscovered by artists and has been elevated to the status of a fresh and exciting art form.