Why does pre 1850’s paper look different? Because it was made differently. Prior to then paper was made by hand and by dipping a wire mold into a container of pulp. The mold was then allowed to dry and the wire left its mark on the finished product; which are the lines you see. The technique and technology of the mold improved around the 1750’s which resulted in those second lines standing out less; they were much more prominent before then. Post 1850’s paper has none of these lines. The older “