Roller-printed wallpaper gallery
These papers are created using a rotary machine-printing technique in which the wallpaper is fed around a large central drum.
This central drum is surrounded by several smaller rollers. These rollers may be engraved or etched (intaglio) or alternatively have a raised surface (relief). Each roller contributes a different part of the overall design and is fed by its own tray of colour.
These formed a significant part of production from about 1850 to 1970. The wallpaper industry commonly referred to relief-printed papers as Surface-Printed wallpapers. Examples of these papers are shown below.
For intaglio-printed papers, usually referred to as Sanitary wallpapers (from about 1880 to 1930), please see our separate Sanitary wallpapers page.
![Detail of relief roller](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/228089_67e9f2326a5b4b0a8cd7642d787103bb~mv2_d_1936_1296_s_2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/228089_67e9f2326a5b4b0a8cd7642d787103bb~mv2_d_1936_1296_s_2.jpeg)
Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush
![Surface printed wallpaper in water-based colours from relief roller. 19th C](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/228089_4f0fac0aa55b442a985475109ebcc7a5~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_95,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/228089_4f0fac0aa55b442a985475109ebcc7a5~mv2.jpeg)
Early Victorian fragment salvaged from a door. 19C. Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush
![Detail (1) of unexposed 20C wallpaper.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_d84d68fbd6ef408cbd79f6134f6a8664~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_d84d68fbd6ef408cbd79f6134f6a8664~mv2.jpeg)
Designer unknown. Note: 'BCM/WPM English-made Registration applied for'. A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
![Detail (2) of unexposed 20C wallpaper.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_31ae54918159445ea72126104cee3fbd~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_107,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_31ae54918159445ea72126104cee3fbd~mv2.jpeg)
Designer unknown. Note: 'BCM/WPM. English-made. Registration applied for'. AB Collection. Photo: A Bush
![An unexposed sample from a 1903 sample wallpaper book, detail](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_5b82b7c808994986865d6b54ad5dddbf~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_5b82b7c808994986865d6b54ad5dddbf~mv2.jpeg)
Source: C Weedon & Co, London. Builders sample wallpaper book, 1903 season. Designer/maker unknown. AB Collection. Photo: A Bush
![Mid Victorian wallpaper in situ at NT Chastleton House, detail](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_2a63283608254c6e9c78a322086f40ae~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_120,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_2a63283608254c6e9c78a322086f40ae~mv2.jpeg)
Many colours, but printed on ungrounded paper. Thin brown background stripes show a now discoloured paper base. Designer/ maker unknown. 19C. NT. Photo: A Bush
![Source: Portland Wallpapers sample book 6, 1923.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_36a2c08b112f44e591211f6adc0bff8f~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_173,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_36a2c08b112f44e591211f6adc0bff8f~mv2.jpeg)
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
![Source: Portland Wallpapers sample book 6, 1923.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_ed740aa18d2c4fce822a9595fdf35d1e~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_ed740aa18d2c4fce822a9595fdf35d1e~mv2.jpeg)
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
![Source: Portland Wallpapers sample book 6, 1923.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_7a9b7fbf069c490c903d0ee6265037e2~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_7a9b7fbf069c490c903d0ee6265037e2~mv2.jpeg)
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
![Source: Portland Wallpapers sample book 6, 1923.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/56cf39_5260d553b1f641cbb221a814176f9201~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_192,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/56cf39_5260d553b1f641cbb221a814176f9201~mv2.jpeg)
A B Collection. Photo: A Bush
![Floral wallpaper surface printed in water based colours from a relief roller c.1917](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/228089_c1fe683cd7034b35a0aaab769c736a04~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_129,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/228089_c1fe683cd7034b35a0aaab769c736a04~mv2.jpeg)
Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush
![Sanitary wallpaper printed in oil based colours from an intaglio roller c.1917](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/228089_5d2f58b3e52c4ed88b26979e8a4f54df~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_132,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/228089_5d2f58b3e52c4ed88b26979e8a4f54df~mv2.jpeg)
Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush