Persian morocco. A kind of morocco leather much used in bookbinding. It may be finished by graining in several styles. It is mostly made in Germany, from the skins of hairy sheep called Persian goats, whence its name is derived.
“East Indian or ‘Persian’ tanned sheep and goatskins, called ‘Persian morocco’ or ‘Persian sheep,’ now used largely for cheap bookbinding purposes, are extremely bad. Books bound in these materials have been found to show decay in less than 12 months and probably no book bound in these leathers, exposed on a shelf to sunlight or gas fumes, can be expected to last more than five or six years.”—Report ’01.
Petits Fers. Small hand tools used in finishing, as distinguished from the stamps or blocks worked in a press.
Pieced. When the space between bands, where lettering or title is placed, has fastened to it a piece of leather different from the back, it is said to be pieced or titled.
Pigskin. Leather made of pigskin. It is very tough and if constantly handled wears well.
“Modern pigskin, if genuine, seems to last very well in some colors and in an undyed condition; but some colored pigskin bindings have utterly perished. Pigskin is naturally hard and rather stiff leather and is suitable for large books rather than small, and for books which are much handled.” “If submitted to severe softening processes in manufacture its durability is very small.”—Report ’01.
Chivers has used a soft, thin pigskin with great success, here and in England.
Plate. An illustration printed from a plate. Term often incorrectly applied to illustrations printed from wood-cuts. Also, any full page illustration printed on paper different from that of the rest of the book is usually called a “plate.”
Plough. An instrument used in cutting the edges of books and boards.