watermark

AAT Definition

Faint designs or devices incorporated into paper as it is made and appearing as translucent or shaded areas visual only through transmitted light. They are often used to give the name of the manufacturer and the date of the paper’s manufacture; symbols, seals, and initials are also common. Watermarks have also been used to detect and prevent counterfeiting and forgery. Watermarks were first introduced in Bologna, Italy in 1282.

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