Irispapier is described in the Handbuch Buntpapier (p. 116) as being mechanically produced with a series of wide brushes which feathered and blended the stripes of painted color into soft gradients. This half sheet was previously used as an overcover for a small book: the outer areas were folded in around the boards and thus protected from the soiling shadow of the book's profile seen in the center. This technique was popular in the 1840s and 50s—this paper likely dates from that time period.