Showing the Advantage of a “French Joint” over an Ordinary Joint
No. 1. A section of an Ordinary Joint with the board open shows that the creasing of the leather is concentrated on one line.
No. 2. A section of a “French Joint” shows how this creasing is distributed over a great surface, and so enables sufficient flexibility to be obtained with much thicker leather than can be used with an ordinary joint.
From report of the Committee on Leather for Bookbinding. Edited for Society of Arts. London: Bell & Sons, 1905.
Some strengthen the top and bottom of the back, the head and tail, by a piece of cloth or tape passing over the back of the signatures and held to them by the sewing in a manner difficult to describe.
Anatomy of a Joint
A Board of cover.
B B Bleached muslin, pasted over back after rounding and backing.