Ideas:
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American wallpaper began c. 1770 and was followed by the assimilation of the European tradition by artisans and entrepreneurs. This much has been ably covered in 'Wallpaper In New England'. My project is to explain what happened next. In 1800 it's likely that a high percentage of wallpaper consumed here was still European, but by 1875 imports had dwindled to a small percentage. The story of fully-developed mechanization and rampant proliferation has been told, but with an uncritical assumption that what really matters about wallpaper is style. But, wallpaper is not merely a carrier of images; it is significant in its own right. The study and elucidation of import and export figures, paperstaining, marketing, and consumer preferences will give us a better understanding of why wallpaper has had such a prominent place in American homes for so long.
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