Wash the vellum over three times with the red, and while wet colour with strong marbling-ink.
Marbles and other designs may be formed on white vellum; but, as the proceedings have been so fully entered into before, it will not be necessary here to repeat them. Where russia bands are not added, the end-papers must now be pasted down, and the lettering, &c. proceeded with. If bands are attached, the pasting down of the end-papers and joints must be deferred till they are executed.
RUSSIA BANDS.
To give to large books the greatest possible degree of strength, it is usual to affix Russia bands to them. They are called single when they extend about half-way down the sides, and double when those at the head and tail reach to the corners of the boards, and are turned over the edges in the same manner as the cover. For single;—having ascertained the breadth by dividing the back with the compasses into seven spaces, cut three pieces of russia perfectly square and the exact size of the spaces they are to occupy, and paste them on the second, fourth, and sixth divisions of the back, thereby leaving in sight the first, third, fifth, and seventh spaces with the cover only; draw them squarely on the sides, and place the volume in the press, with the rods fixed to force the russia into the joints, as before directed, and then leave to dry. When double bands are to be placed on a book, divide the back into five spaces, or seven if four bands. The middle band or bands will be short, like those above, and placed on in the same manner; but those at the head and tail, which extend their whole length, to the fore-edge of the boards, will require paring on the edge intended to be turned in at the headbands and over the boards of the book, cutting the corners and squaring the edges as in covering. When done, press the whole with rods as before, to cause the russia to adhere well and evenly to the vellum or calf, and leave it to dry.
CLASPS, CORNERS, AND BRASS BANDS.
Clasps are sometimes affixed to the better kind of stationery books, as keeping them closed when not in use tends much towards their preservation. And for still greater security, they are often further protected with brass corners or bands. To hide the projection the clasps would make on the fore-edge, that part of the board must be cut away to admit the clasp, so that when fixed it will be even with the edge of the board. For the corners and bands this is not done; but, to insure a finished appearance in the whole, the workman's attention must be directed to their fitting exactly in every particular of length, breadth, and thickness. The clasps may be purchased of the makers, but it may be found necessary to place the making of the bands and corners in the hands of the brass-worker, to whom particular directions and sizes must be given. They must fit tightly to the boards, run exactly parallel with the edges, and have the holes for the rivets drilled through previous to placing on. Where corners are put on, no bands will be required. Bands which extend from the back to the fore-edge and form a corner equal to the breadth of the band, being squarely soldered in front, are placed at the head and tail of the book, and fastened with rivets in the following manner, as are also the clasps and corners:—Pierce the boards with a fine bodkin in such places as are previously drilled in the brass, and force through brass rivets of a length sufficient to project about the eighth of an inch, and with heads made to fit exactly to the cavities formed in the bands; then fasten them firmly, by placing the heads of each on an iron and beating down with a hammer the part projecting inside, till it is smooth and even with the surface. Bosses, which are seen fixed on the middle of the boards of old books, particularly of early-bound Bibles, &c., in churches, are fastened in the same manner.
FINISHING.
The placing of lettering-pieces, gilding, and blind-tooling, is exactly the same as for printed books. Rough calf must be dressed with pumice-stone, cleaned with a brush, and ornamented blind, with the tools very hot, to form a dark impression. Vellum will require the tools cooler than calf. The book now being ready for the use of the accountant necessarily closes the details of this description of binding.