Roller-printed wallpaper gallery
These papers are created using a rotary machine-printing technique in which the wallpaper is fed around a large central drum.
This central drum is surrounded by several smaller rollers. These rollers may be engraved or etched (intaglio) or alternatively have a raised surface (relief). Each roller contributes a different part of the overall design and is fed by its own tray of colour.
These formed a significant part of production from about 1850 to 1970. The wallpaper industry commonly referred to relief-printed papers as Surface-Printed wallpapers. Examples of these papers are shown below.
For intaglio-printed papers, usually referred to as Sanitary wallpapers (from about 1880 to 1930), please see our separate Sanitary wallpapers page.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush
Early Victorian fragment salvaged from a door. 19C. Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush
Designer unknown. Note: 'BCM/WPM English-made Registration applied for'. A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
Designer unknown. Note: 'BCM/WPM. English-made. Registration applied for'. AB Collection. Photo: A Bush
Source: C Weedon & Co, London. Builders sample wallpaper book, 1903 season. Designer/maker unknown. AB Collection. Photo: A Bush
Many colours, but printed on ungrounded paper. Thin brown background stripes show a now discoloured paper base. Designer/ maker unknown. 19C. NT. Photo: A Bush
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush
Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush