THE HISTORY OF UK SIZE PAPERS

Tracing the development of different size papers in the UK

PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ISO STANDARD IN 1959, IMPERIAL PAPER SIZES WERE WIDELY USED IN THE UK

Old English paper and book sizes

Emperor = 72 ins x 48 ins

Antiquarian = 53 ins x 31 ins

Grand Eagle = 42 ins x 28.75 ins

Colombier = 34.5 ins

x 23.5 ins

Atlas = 34 ins x 26 ins

Imperial = 30 ins x 22 ins

Pinched Post = 28.5 ins

x 14.75 ins

Elephant = 28 ins x 23 ins

Princess = 28 ins x 21.5 ins

Cartridge = 26 ins x 21 ins

Royal = 25 ins x 20 ins

Sheet and 1/2 Post

= 23.5 ins

x 19.5 ins

Old English paper and book sizes

Medium = 23 ins x 18 ins

Demy = 22.5 ins x 17.5 ins

Large Post = 21 ins x 16.5 ins

Copy Draught = 20 ins x 16 ins

Small Demy = 20 ins x 15.5 ins

Crown = 20 ins x 15 ins

Post = 19.25 ins x 15.5 ins

Foolscap = 17 ins x 13.5 ins

Brief = 16 ins x 13.5 ins

Small Foolscap = 16.5 ins x 13.25

ins

Pott = 15 ins x 12.5 ins

THE PREVIOUS TABLE IS THE FULL SIZE OF EACH FORMAT. EACH SIZE CAN ALSO BE FOLDED AS NEEDED, AND THESE ARE ALSO GIVEN NAMES.

Folio : cut in half

Quarto : cut in quarters

Sexto : cut in sixths

Octavo : cut in eighths

16mo : cut in sixteenths

Double : twice the size

Quad : four times the size

Double Quad

: eight times the size

THE PAPER SIZE COMBINED WITH THE NUMBER OF FOLDS RESULTS TO A SPECIFIC SHEET SIZE. EXAMPLES FOR THE IMPERIAL SIZE ARE:

Imperial = 30" x 22"

Imperial folio = 15" x 22"

Imperial quarto = 15" x 11"

Imperial octavo = 7.5" x 11"

Standard sizes for Commercial Cut PaperBrief = 13" x 16"

Draft = 10" x 16"

Foolscap = 8" x 13"

Quarto = 8" x 10"

Medium Quarto = 8.5" x 11"

6-mo = 8" x 6.75"

8-vo = 8" x 5"

IN 1959, THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTE ADOPTED THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANISATION (ISO) SYSTEM OF SIZES

FOR PAPERS USED IN PRINTING AND WRITING.

THE ISO SYSTEM

ISO is a practical and economical system of paper sizes. If you put two pages of one paper size next to each other, or cut it parallel to its shorter side into two equal pieces, the resulting page will have again the same width/height ratio.

THE A, B, C SIZE SERIESISO is defined on 3 general paper formats for trimmed paper end sizes:

• The A Series is based on a rectangle with an area of one square metre, referred to as AO (841 x 1189mm).

• The B series of sizes are based on a basic sheet size of 1000 x 1414mm.

• The C series of sizes are based on a basic sheet size of 917 x 1297mm.

Common uses for papers in the ISO system

A sizes For general printing and stationery

A4 is usually used for business stationery, brochures, booklets etc

A5 is commonly used for smaller items such as leaflets/flyers etc.

A6 is the international postcard size.

A7 for labels etc.

A8 for business cards

B sizes for posters, wall charts, some maps and some larger envelopes

C sizes for general envelopes or folders to contain A sizes

UNTRIMMED RAW PAPER SIZES

Other ISO standards define the format series RA and SRA for untrimmed raw paper. These formats are only slightly larger than the corresponding A series formats. Sheets in these formats will be cut to the end format after binding.

RA Series Formats SRA Series Formats

RA0 860 × 1220 SRA0 900 ×

1280

RA1 610 × 860 SRA1 640 × 900

RA2 430 × 610 SRA2 450 × 640

RA3 305 × 430 SRA3 320 × 450

RA4 215 × 305 SRA4 225 × 320

These are common untrimmed paper formats that printers order from paper manufacturers. The RA and SRA dimensions are also used as roll widths in rotating printing presses.

HOW DO THE IMPERIAL PAPER SIZES COMPARE TO THE MODERN ISO SIZES?

THANK YOU TO THE OFFICE SUPPLIES SUPERMARKET FOR PROVIDING THE INFORMATION USED IN THIS PRESENTATION. VISIT THEM AT WWW.THEOFFICESUPPLIESSUPERMARKET.COM

TO KNOW MORE.