Papier mache making in the Philippines has long been a highly valued, specialized skill.  It appears to have originated in the town of Paete, where the work of indigenous master carvers has been prized for over 400 years.  Indeed, many of the most admired church art in Europe, including the Vatican, were actually carved in Paete.

Beginning in the 1920's, villagers began making papier mache masks and other ceremonial objects for use in religious festivals.  To make these papier mache objects (known as "takas," the original forms were carved in wood, known as "takaans."  Visitors to the area began buying and collecting these papier mache items produced by the local artisans and eventually a thriving industry emerged.  The Philippines became, and still is, the largest producer of papier mache products in the world.

In recent years, however, as demand for papier mache has declined, and as other undeveloped countries have entered the trade, many Filipino papier mache workshops closed.  Fortunately the original takaans, or wooden molds, were preserved.  These molds, some of them up to 70 years old or more, have become treasured by collectors and designers alike.  Mary's Angels has been privileged to offer a select number of these charming and unique remaining wooden molds for sale since 1992.  

How Papier Mache Was Made:

Strips of paper--usually cut from discarded newsprint--were dipped in paste and layered over the wooden form (takaan) and allowed to dry.  The dried, layered paper was then cut off the wooden mold in sections.  The sections were then reassembled and a final coat of brown paper applied.  One of the defining characteristics of a genuine takaan is often the tell-tale "cut lines" in the wood where the paper was cut off time and time again.  In some cases, however, wooden molds constructed and intended for production, were retired before actually use, and do not show such cut lines.

To View the Wooden Molds, click on a thumbnail photo of the item.  This will bring up a larger image; then click on the maximize button for that image to obtain the largest view of the item against a full-screen black background.