ephemera: paper items that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles
I’ve heard of a rare book (possibly in a Swedish library) that houses paper experiments created by Jacob Schaffer in the 1700′s. Supposedly, one of the pages in the volume was created with wasp nest materials after Schaffer noticed these winged insects were essentially doing what humans had been attempting to do at the time, but with much greater success. This was during a time when newspapers and books were being produced in great numbers and, along with wartime needs, rags made of plant-based fibers were in high demand, forcing alternative papermaking methods during shortages.
Wasps make their nests by mixing sawdust with saliva. When you look closely, you can see dozens of paper strips pressed into each other to create one short-lived masterpiece.
~2012