RE-BACKING

Bindings that have broken joints may be re-backed. Any of the leather of the back that remains should be carefully removed and preserved. It is impossible to get some leathers off tight backs without destroying them, but with care and by the use of a thin folder, many backs can be saved. The leather on the boards is cut a little back from the joint with a slanting cut, that will leave a thin edge, and is then lifted up with a folder. New leather, of the same colour is pasted on the back, and tucked in under the old leather on the board. The leather from the old back should have its edges pared and any lumps of glue or paper removed and be pasted on to the new leather and bound tightly with tape to make sure that it sticks.

When the leather at the corners of the board needs repairing, the corner is glued and tapped with a hammer to make it hard and square, and when it is dry a little piece of new leather is slipped under the old and the corner covered.

When the sewing cords or thread of a book have perished it should be rebound, but if there are any remains of the original binding they should be preserved and utilised. If the old boards have quite perished, new boards of the same nature and thickness should be got out and the old cover pasted over them. Such places as the old leather will not cover, must first be covered with new of the same colour. Generally speaking, it is desirable that the characteristics of an old book should be preserved, and that the new work should be as little in evidence as possible. It is far more pleasant to see an old book in a patched contemporary binding, than smug and tidy in the most immaculate modern cover.

Part of the interest of any old book is its individual history, which can be gathered from the binding, book-plates, marginal notes, names of former owners, &c., and anything that tends to obliterate these signs is to be deplored.

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS FOR BOOKBINDING

These specifications will require modification in special cases, and are only intended to be a general guide.

I. For Extra Binding suitable for Valuable Books. Whole Leather.II. For Good Binding for Books of Reference, Catalogues, &c., and other heavy Books that may have a great deal of use. Whole or Half Leather.III. For Binding for Libraries, for Books in current use. Half Leather.IV. For Library Bindings of Books of little Interest or Value, Cloth or Half Linen.
SHEETS.To be carefully folded, or, if an old book, all damaged leaves to be carefully mended, the backs where damaged to be made sound. Single leaves to be guarded round the sections next them. All plates to be guarded. Guards to be sewn through. No pasting on or overcasting to be allowed.As No. I., excepting that any mending may be done rather with a view to strength than extreme neatness.Same as No. II.Any leaves damaged at the back or plates to be overcast into sections.
END PAPERS.To be sewn on. To be of good paper made with zigzag, with board papers of self-coloured paper of good quality, or vellum. Or to be made with leather joint.To be of good paper made with zigzag, with board papers of self-coloured paper of good quality. Large or heavy books to have a cloth joint. To be sewn on.To be of good paper, sewn on, made with zigzag.Same as No. III.
PRESSING.Books on handmade paper not to be pressed unduly.Same as No. I.Same as No. I.
EDGES.To be trimmed and gilt before sewing. To be uncut.To be cut and gilt in boards or coloured, or to be uncut.To be uncut, or to be cut in guillotine and gilt or coloured, or to have top edge only gilt.May be cut smooth in guillotine.
SEWING.To be with ligature silk, flexible, round five bands of best sewing cord.To be with unbleached thread, flexible, round five bands of best sewing cord.To be with unbleached thread across not less than four unbleached linen tapes.With unbleached thread over three unbleached linen tapes.
BACK.To be kept as flat as it can be without forcing it and without danger of its becoming concave in use.Same as for No. I.Same as for Nos. I. and II.Back to be left square after glueing up.
BOARDS.To be of the best black mill-board. Two boards to be made together for large books, and all five bands laced in through two holes.Same as No. I., or may be of good grey board.To be split grey boards, or straw-board with black board liner, with ends of tapes attached to portion of waste sheet, inserted between them. Boards to be left a short distance from the joint to form a French joint.To be split boards, two straw-boards made together and ends of slips inserted. French joint to be left.
HEADBANDS.To be worked with silk on strips of vellum or catgut or cord, with frequent tie-downs. The headbands to be “set” by pieces of good paper or leather glued at head and tail. The back to be lined up with leather all over if the book is large. Same as No. I.To be worked with thread or vellum or cord, or to be omitted and a piece of cord inserted into the turn in of the leather at head and tail in their place.No headbands.
COVERS.Goatskin (morocco), pigskin or seal-skin manufactured according to the recommendations of the Society of Arts’ Committee on Leather for Bookbinding. Whole binding; leather to be attached directly to the back.Same as No. I., excepting that properly prepared sheepskin may be added. Half-binding, leather only at back. Corners to be strengthened with tips of vellum. Sides covered with good paper or linen.Same as Nos. I. and II., but skins may be used where there are surface flaws that do not affect the strength. Leather to be used thicker than is usual, there being French joints. Leather at back only; paper sides; vellum tips.Whole buckram or half linen and paper sides.
LETTERING.To be legible and to identify the volume.Same as No. I.Same as Nos. I. and II.Same as Nos. I. II. and III.
DECORATION.To be as much or as little as the nature of the book warrants.To be omitted, or only to consist of a few lines or dots or other quite simple ornament.To be omitted.To be omitted.
All work to be done in the best manner.Work may be a little rougher, but not careless or dirty.Same as No. II.Same as No. II.

GLOSSARY