The government issued gummed paper strips to shopkeepers in Paris during the First World War to prevent flying glass. The brown paper was often shaped and patterned into shapes and patterns to add a touch of flair. During the summer of 1914, the German Army advanced to the city’s eastern outskirts. The First Battle of the Marne kept them at bay, but airplanes and zeppelins could reach the French capital. The German Army deployed the gargantuan Paris Gun, which could fire 234-pound shells into Paris in March 1918.
The gummed paper was also used in the United Kingdom during World War II. There were rolls of gummed brown paper, commonly known as ‘scrim,’ provided to each household.
