INDEX
Association Books, [107]
Auctions, [102]
Autographs in books, [16], [25], [107]
Autograph Letters in books, [108]
Back, Lining up, [20], [48]
Back, Shaken or broken, [19]
Binding, Cheap, [78]
Elaborate, [103]
Original, [73], [83], [92]
Bleaching, [33], [35]
Book-worms, [93]
Books as an investment, [101]
Book sizes, [94]
Catalogues, [102]
Cataloguing, [94]
Collating, [15]
Corners, Repairing, [22], [63]
Covers (leather), Cleaning, [51]
Patching, [55]
Polishing, [56], [90]
Restoring, [55]
Transferring, [72]
Dealers, [99]
Dusting, [15], [91]
Edges, Cleaning, [65]
Gilt or Uncut, [81]
Finishing new back, [46]
Gilt, Removing, [71]
Restoring, [67]
Glaire, [59]
Hinges, Repairing, [62]
Ink, Brightening autographs in, [26]
Removing, [33], [54], [66]
Inlaying covers, [60]
Inlaying pages, [18]
Inlays, Tinting, [18]
Kama Shastra Society, [106]
Leather for bindings, [39], [84]
Leather Paste for inlays, [61]
Light, Effect on books of, [90]
Limited Editions, [106]
Lining up backs, [20]
Marginal MS Notes, [16]
Margins, Trimming, [78]
Modern Editions, [105]
Niger Morocco, [85]
Old Paper imitated, [18]
Pages, Repairing torn, [17]
Paste for repairs, [20]
Presentation copies, [16], [84], [107]
Preservative for leather, [40]
Preservative Polish, [90]
Privately Printed books, [106]
Rarity of books, [104]
Rebacking, Tools for, [47]
Rebinding, Best leather for, [84]
Directions for, [80]
For Amateurs, [79]
Price of, [77], [82]
When advisable, [55]
Report of the Committee on Leather for Bookbinding, [85], [90]
Re-tinting, [31]
Sewing, [82]
Shelves, Lining for, [64], [91]
Sizing, [22], [30]
Slip-cases, [84]
Slip-covers, [92]
Spots, Small, [30], [54]
Stains, [31]
Stains of Blood, [34]
Egg Yellow, [33]
Fecal Matters or Urine, [34]
Fruit Juice, [34]
Grease, [31], [54]
Ink, [33], [54], [66]
Mud, [33]
Sealing-wax or Resin, [32]
Stearine, [32]
Tar and Pitch, [32]
Unknown Origin, [30]
White or Yellow Wax, [32]
Tools, Making, [68]
Tooling, [46], [67]
Tooling, Restoring old, [67]
Transferred Impressions, [34]
Varnish for bindings, [57]
Vellum Bindings, Cleaning, [59]
Velvet for shelves, [64], [91]
Washing, [33], [35]
Footnotes:
[1] M. R. Yve-Plessis in his “Petit Essai de Biblio-Therapeutique” suggests an excellent way of preparing a paper patch for an inlay. Which is, to lay the paper from which the patch is to be taken under the torn page and trace the outlines of the tear on the new paper with a clean pen filled with water. By tracing over several times, the water will saturate the new paper on the line made by the pen, so that the paper may be pulled apart, providing a patch having more exact outlines than could be secured by cutting with scissors.
[2] In 1809 Paul Louis Courier discovered at Florence a complete manuscript of Daphnis and Chloe, containing a long passage in Part I which was missing in all texts known until that time, and the existence of which, as a connecting passage, had long been a subject of speculation among scholars. Unfortunately, he had hardly more than completed a transcript of his discovery when he accidentally upset a bottle of ink over the original manuscript, partly obliterating the passage. The incident caused a bitter controversy among scholars. Courier was violently attacked and, although he had fifty copies of his text printed for special distribution, was even accused of purposely spilling the ink in order to render his transcript unique. M. S. B.
[3] M. R. Yve-Plessis, elsewhere quoted, suggests that it may sometimes be desirable to strengthen the ink of some valuable and desirable signature, instead of removing it, and for this purpose recommends a mixture of: Tannin, six grammes; alcohol, thirty-five grammes; distilled water, one hundred grammes; applied with a small brush and the part afterwards brushed over several times with clear water. This operation, however, should certainly not be undertaken except in extreme cases where the signature appeared ready to entirely fade out. M. S. B.
[4] In a note on this subject, Bonnardot warns the amateur against careless or unskilful use of the various chemicals mentioned, as many of them, improperly handled, not only irreparably damage the page or print, but also inflict serious injury on the operator himself. M. S. B.
[5] After sheets have been cleaned by soaking or washing, they should be re-sized. Sizing is made by dissolving half an ounce of isinglass in a pint of water. The mixture is used at a temperature of about one hundred and twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit and in a shallow pan. Sheets are left in for a few seconds only and then dried between sheets of blotting paper. Sizing will often restore old paper which has become soft. M. S. B.
[6] Potassium permanganate, described in the chapter on General Restoration, is applicable for this operation. In operating on a spot on the page of a bound book, care should be taken always to place two or three sheets of clean blotting paper under the page to prevent any liquid from soaking through to the next page. M. S. B.
[7] Applied with a brush, first around the outside of the spot, then in narrowing circles until the centre is reached. Blotting paper is then placed on both sides of the sheet, over the spot, and a hot flat-iron applied. The absorbent powder (“French Chalk” answers very well) will operate better if the powdered sheet is enclosed simply between two pieces of paper, and a hot flat-iron applied. Plenty of powder should be used. M. S. B.
[8] Before and after using oxalic acid on ink stains, it is best to wash the spot or page with hydrochloric acid mixed with about seven times its volume of water. In bleaching ink from a page, a white mark almost always remains, especially noticeable if the paper is tinted with age. It is far better to soak the whole page, to secure uniform bleaching, and then, if necessary, retint the page to its former color, than to attempt to operate on part of a page only. Sometimes, when a book is loosely bound, the page can be carefully cut out, close to the sewing, and pasted in again when it has been washed and dried as desired. This is, however, a questionable practice, and may seriously injure the value of the book, and on a valuable book it is better to cut the sewing and remove the entire signature, then have the book rebound, or resewn and returned to the old covers, as may be most advisable. M. S. B.
[9] Bonnardot mentions several processes for bleaching a print, equally applicable to the same operation on the pages of a book. I translate the process which seems to be the simplest and most effective. It will be noted that he does not mention the size of the bottle in which the amount of chemical he advises is to be dissolved. I would suggest a full quart bottle, and also that the amateur operator thoroughly try the effect of his solution on some old pieces of paper to make sure it is too weak to injure the body of the paper. M. S. B.
[10] Bonnardot, at this point, discusses in considerable detail various opinions as to the removal of these iron oxide stains, but without coming to any definite conclusion except that they are “of all stains, the most tenacious.” Experiments in chemistry, especially upon any binding of value, should not be lightly undertaken. The use of water-colors for retinting the spot of yellowish bleach might be tried with more safety and a greater possibility of success. M. S. B.
[11] Certain bindings of the sixteenth century have on their covers designs in tint formed simply of water colors. In such cases, the flour paste should not be used, or else the designs should first be accurately traced so that they can be restored, if necessary, after the operation.
[12] Centigrade, i. e. ninety-seven to one hundred and four degrees Fahrenheit. M. S. B.
[13] At the beginning. M. S. B.
[14] The best modern practice in making glaire is to beat up the white of an egg with about half its quantity of vinegar, allowing the mixture to stand over night. This mixture, covered, will keep for several days, or until it gets thick and cloudy. M. S. B.
[15] Unbroken surfaces of white vellum can easily be cleaned with a soft pencil-eraser. A vellum binding which is “tacky” may be rubbed over with powdered soapstone after cleaning. M. S. B.
[16] Whiting (chalk) used as a pigment. M. S. B.
[17] One hundred and fifty-eight degrees Fahrenheit. M. S. B.
[18] This operation does not seem entirely clear, but the idea is evidently to fold a thin strip of the skin into a “V” shape, inserting the strip, folded edge up or down, as the condition of the hinge may require, into the broken hinge all along its length, gluing the arms of the “V,” one to the back and one to the cover to form a new, folded hinge. The operator will probably find, however, that when the hinges of a book are broken through a better and more lasting procedure is to reback the book. Gold-beaters skin is the outside membrane of the large intestine of the ox, properly prepared. Where the hinges of a book are broken, it is better to provide new leather hinges, using strips about half an inch wide slipped in under the broken edges and carried over the edge of the boards at top and bottom. Raise the broken edges, for the proper distance, from back and boards, and paste down again over the new hinge. M. S. B.
[19] To prevent wear on the lower corners and edges of books in the library, strips of velvet may be laid along the shelves under the books. If this is done, the little extra care required in removing and replacing the books without wrinkling up the velvet will be more than offset by the protection which the velvet gives. M. S. B.
[20] Gilding, especially if modern, is apt to soften and come off if rubbed with water. M. S. B.
[21] See my remarks on lining up with Japan vellum in the chapter on General Restoration. M. S. B.
[22] In this place, Bonnardot gives a few simple suggestions for repairing broken fragments of the gold tooling. The amateur is cautioned not to attempt the application of hot gilding tools and gold leaf to any binding for which he has any regard unless he has carefully prepared himself by thoroughly studying the detailed directions for this work which may be found in text-books on binding, and by extensive practice on odd pieces of various leathers. M. S. B.
[23] All set, of course, in wooden or pottery handles. Wooden handles for such tools, or the tools themselves, may be procured at moderate prices from dealers in bookbinders’ materials. M. S. B.
[24] The impression should first be made on the leather by the hot tool, without gold, and painted with glaire. When the glaire is nearly dry, a fragment of gold-leaf is picked up on a pad of cotton wool slightly touched with cocoanut oil and pressed down on the blind impression of the tool. The tool is then pressed into its former impression, setting the gold. The process is very delicate; the tool must be perfectly clean and the gold-leaf, which is very difficult to handle, worked from a padded cloth dusted with brick-dust, or a similar substance, to prevent the leaf from adhering there while it is being cut to the proper size. M. S. B.
[25] Wax would, of course, be used hot. M. S. B.
[26] As mentioned in a note above, gold may often be loosened by merely removing the varnish and thoroughly moistening with water, after which the metal may be coaxed out with a thin, smooth, wooden splinter, preferably wound on the end with a bit of cotton wool. M. S. B.
[27] Or: Gilt edges. (This requires, in many cases, considerable trimming all around.) Or: Bottom and fore edges gilt on uncut edges. (This is a more expensive process and a rather delicate one. It is not in general use.)
[28] It is often difficult to persuade a binder to sew on flat bands or outside cords. The usual, and easiest method is to saw into the backs of the signatures and lay the cords in the “V” shaped cut thus made. This method of sewing should be protested against unless the book has already been so treated in a former binding and no additional cutting is required. Most of the raised bands found on modern bindings are “false,” being in no way an essential part of the binding and serving no practical purpose. Even their use as guides for decoration is doubtful, as they tend to unnecessary convention.
[29] On a valuable book in an expensive binding, the end papers should be sewn in. This means extra trouble for the binder and calls for a little extra charge. End papers are very seldom sewn in on modern bindings, although often so secured in bindings of a century or two ago.
[30] This Society has been credited—or otherwise—with so many volumes, chiefly of an erotic nature, which it never issued, that a list of the genuine volumes, issued with the authority and consent of Sir Richard Burton, may be of interest. These are: Kama Sutra, of Vatsyayana, 1883; Amanga Ranga, of Kalyana Mall, 1885; The Beharistan, of Jami, 1887; The Gulistan, of Sa’di, 1888; Alf Laylah wa Laylah (The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night), ten volumes, 1885; Supplemental Nights to The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, six volumes, 1886-1888. These volumes are all listed in a four page folder, which accompanied Vol. 5, of the Supplemental Nights. The folder mentions two other volumes in preparation; The Nigaristan of Jawini, and The Scented Garden, of the Shaykh al-Nafzawi. The former translation was never issued; the latter translation, made by Sir Richard himself, was burned in MS by his wife, shortly after his death. The only translation of al-Nafzawi bearing the Kama Shastra Society imprint, was issued in 1886, in white vellum, uniform with the other single volumes listed above with the title of The Perfumed Garden. This translation, which was made through a French version, is described, and practically acknowledged as a book of the Society, in a foot-note on page 133, Vol. 10, of the Nights.
Transcriber’s Notes:
Line drawings have been moved from the middle of a paragraph to the closest paragraph break.
The text in the list of illustrations is presented as in the original text, but the links navigate to the page number closest to the illustration’s loaction in this document.