Watermarks 1450–1850 offers a concise history of the production of paper in Western Europe from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century. The research is based on watermarks collected from various sources in combination with other elements from the trade, such as decorated paper and ream wrappers. This book includes reproductions of ca. seven hundred watermarks.

Frans and Theo Laurentius have published two more books on the topic in this same book series: Italian Watermarks 1750–1860 (2016), and Watermarks in Paper from the South-West of France, 1560–1860 (2018). In 2007/2008 they published Watermarks (1600–1650) Found in the Zeeland Archives and Watermarks (1650–1700) Found in the Zeeland Archives.