Where can I find real parchment paper? I want to use it for an effect using a contract with the devil and believe it will look better with parchment instead of typing paper.

Samuel : Real parchments are not made of paper --they are made of leather!

That's a real problem, because few stores sell real parchments and moreover they are not "hand-made" (for the modern parchments I have seen), that's why they are too regular and not really credible.

But you can solve this problem when you know how a parchement is done : leather and a bath of burnt lime. But I don't tell you to make your own because it's very long and it needs a garden far away from every house because it really stinks.

But you can avoid this problem by :

* buying an old parchment (in an antique dealer). These parchments are already written, but the major part of them are only written on 1 side, which leaves you the other side on which to write your pact. Then you have to justify why this pact was written on the back of a used parchment (just build your story). The price of such an old parchment is proportionnal with the interest of what was written on. In France we can find old parchments from $ 25 to far more expensive prices. But you don't need (or you are a purist) a royal parchment to make a pact !

* buying a modern parchment and put it in a bath of burnt lime to give it a more "hand made" aspect. Be careful with burnt lime and be careful with the odor : It's awful.

Hope this helps,

See you soon,

CENDER.. that was downright evil...

I didn't notice, but I think you left out the fact that Parchments used for religious work (especially esoteric Christian rites) came from Sheep-skin... (those early Christians found lots of uses for Sheepskins... )

Knowing this process, we must ask ourselves which will be more entertaining... the trick planned or allowing the audience to witness our making of the sacred parchment?

If you offer a clamp to every spec to close their noses, it may be fun

But you are not totally right Darmoe. Up to 17th century, parchments was usually used to keep a recording of a lot of common facts :
* an account payable by someone to someone
* a local law
* an accountancy
* music
etc...

Actually, you can find real esoteric parchments, but they are far too expensives.

Nevertheless you can find at a lower price many christians chorus scores !

But I'm not sure that's a very good idea to write a pact at the rear of a christians chorus scores (even if it's a parchment)


I doubt that your fellow magicians who practise gospel magic will like it !

You can get Parchment or Vellum at any well stocked art supply store or perhaps a alternative religion supplier. Failing that you can get it online here
http://nt.bnt.com/talas/menu.html?keywor......amp;y=15
There are also plenty of faux parchments available at your local art store that age well. Bakers parchment works in a pinch and my mother used to make a interesting fake parchment by rubbing vegtable oil on butcherpaper.
If your going for complete authenticity with your scroll don't forget to use a goose quill pen and nut gall ink

O.k... getting realistic. You can buy modern day "Parchment" paper such as is used for stationary at most office supply stores like Office Max or Staples in reams of 500 count or smaller.

If you are going to use it in Bizarre Magick I'd suggest finding a source for the "tattered edge" parchment... this is a very cool (but expensive) edge finish that reveals fibers and an unever "aged" look.

Poor Man's Parchment for a show... regular printer paper soaked in coffee for about an hour, then hang it on a clothes line with clips until dry... looks nice and tanned (yet whitish) can also be treated for flash paper if desired at this point.

A good way to get a nice soft edge on a piece of paper is to fold it then lightly dampen the edge, running your tounge along it works well, then tear it at the crease. This will result in an edge that looks worn, not cut. You can also get "deckling" shears at craft stores that do a good job of making ragged edges.

I favour the use of parchment from an art dealer and there are numerous methods of aging it that have been detailed before. The interesting thing about parchment is that some types look like heavy paper and are almost impossible to tear unless there's a cut in them. You can always capitalise on this fact and have someone try to destroy the pact by tearing it up. They've got a good chance of failing depending on your parchment...

Darmoe !

Treating a paper to become flash paper is a VERY VERY DANGEROUS EXPERIMENT !

DON'T DO IT !

Maybe you are a chemist but for all of us who are not : leave this kind of thing to chemists. It's far too risky.

And why do you say "getting realistic" ?...
I'm realistic when I say that. Every item I use are real antiques. And I already had the idea to use a parchment, that's why I've already done research on where we can find these items. Maybe I'm a purist, but I'm sure that a spectator can tell the diffrence between a false "cheap" couterfeit artifact, and a real one.

Thanks a heap folks. You have given me some really great information and some useful info at that. I am planning to have a deal with either the Devil or Death written on the parchment. I will check the avenues you have given me. See ya.

You can also check gift shops at most Colonial historical sites. They sell it as a replica of the paper used to draft the Constitution and whatnot...

or...Fake cheap parchment paper at your local art supply store - Michaels and or Aaron Brothers in my area...

Blessings,

You can also buy parchment paper on a roll at many supermarkets. It's usually in the same place as wax paper and aluminum foil.

Jim

You can use fake cheap parchment paper, aged with tea... It's a very precious and rare thing, so it's in a frame ! (a beautiful aged frame) Nobody can touch it (and see it's not real) because of the glass....

best-
D.

I would be shocked if a spectator knew the differance between real and fake parchment being that most people have never seen, let alone handled the actual stuff. I think a good heavy peice of faux, propery aged, would suffice for most people. Unless of course you feel better using the actual stuff.

Payne,

The frame is only a suggestion to avoid the spectator feeling under his fingers "something like paper", and secondly, to put in the spectator's mind that bizarre props are precious, rare and weird, and can be touched "only with the eyes" !

But I agree with you, real parchment is very rare, a good heavy piece of faux, would suffice for most people.


best-
D.

I like the idea of a frame as well but it is not practical for all effects. I was just trying to point out that faux parchment would work as well as actual as most people have never encountered the real thing before.

You have already received many good suggestions for "modern" parchment. One other place is the local "Psychic Eye" store. There is usually a witchcraft or pagan section with supplies such as different color candles, various inks and herbs, and parchment for writing spells.

David

I read somewhere about how to treat every day paper to resemble the look & feel of parchment paper..
I tried it & was very satisfied..
I took liquid brown shoe polihs & rubbed it
on paper getting it very moist,then let it dry.
Try it!

SouthWorth has some great deals on specialty papers including parchment, cards and colored envelops.
http://www.southworth.com/
check out the special deals on the site.
Hope it's Helpful.

M. Perk