The Art of Bookbinding: A practical treatise, with plates and diagrams

Finishing is the art of embellishing the covers of books with different designs. Finishing comprises the embellishment of the covers either with blind work, gold, silver or plat...

The binder is often called upon to clean books; to many he is a sort of Aladdin, who makes old books into new; the consequence is that he often has placed in his hands a lot of...

The edges of every book must be in keeping with the binding. A half roan book should not have an expensive edge, neither a whole bound morocco book a sprinkled edge. Still, no r...

Although coloured calf-skins may be bought almost as cheaply as smooth calf (the term given to uncoloured ones), yet there are so many reasons why coloured calf should not be us...

_Flexible Work._—The “sewing press” consists of a _bed_, _two screws_, and a _beam_ or _cross bar_, round which are fastened five or more cords, called _lay cords_. Five pieces...

Books are covered according to the fancy of the binder or customer. The materials used at the present day, are—leather of all sorts, parchment or vellum, bookbinder’s cloth, vel...

To collate, is to ensure that each sheet or leaf is in its proper sequence. Putting the sheets together and placing plates or maps requires great attention. The sheets must run...

Dust — Water Stains — Damp Stains — Mud — Fox-marks — Finger-marks, commonly called “Thumb-marks” — Blood Stains — Ink Stains (writing) — Ink Stains (Marking Ink, Silver) — Fat...

There is no occasion to wait for the book to be advanced as far as the backing before the workman sees to his boards; but he should take advantage of the period of drying to pre...

In olden times, when our present work-tools did not exist and material aids were scarce, a sharp knife and straight edge formed the only implements used in cutting. Now we have...

A gilt edge is the most elegant of all modes of ornamenting edges, and this branch of bookbinding has from time to time been so greatly extended, that at the present day there a...

We commence with _folding_. It is generally the first thing the binder has to do with a book. The sheets are either supplied by the publisher or printer (mostly the printer); sh...

_End Papers._—The end papers should always be _made_, that is, the coloured paper pasted to a white one; the style of binding must decide what kind of ends are to be used. I giv...

Much of the paper used at the present day is so hard, that the binder is almost forced to make a hollow back, in order that the book may open.

Few binders work their own head-bands in these times of competition and strikes for higher wages. It takes some time and pains to teach a female hand the perfection of head-band...

The white or waste leaf, that has till this process protected the end papers, must now be taken away or torn out. The joint of the board must be cleaned of any paste or glue tha...

Is the book to have a gilt top? marbled or gilt edges? or is it to be left uncut? These questions must be settled before anything further is done. If the book is to be uncut or...

The object of beating or rolling is to make the book as solid as possible. For beating, a stone or iron slab, used as a bed, and a heavy hammer, are necessary. The stone or iron...

The books having been in the press a sufficient time, say for a night, they are taken out, and run through again (collated) to make sure that they are all correct. A book is the...

Two single leaves of white paper, somewhat thicker than the paper used for making the ends, are to be cut, one for each side of the book. The end papers are to be laid down on a...

The boards having been squared, they are to be attached to the book by lacing the ends of the cord through holes made in the board. The boards are to be laid on the book with th...

The boards required for backing, called backing boards, should always be the same length as the book. They are made somewhat thicker than cutting boards, and have their tops pla...

The book must now be glued up; that is, glue must be applied to the back to hold the sections together, and make the back firm during the rounding and backing. Knock the book pe...

The word “rounding” applies to the back of the book, and is preliminary to backing. In rounding the back, the book is to be laid on the press before the workman with the foredge...

The first and last sheet of every book must be pasted up or down,—it is called by both terms; and if the book has too much swelling, it must be tapped down gently with a hammer....

Polishing Irons — Gold-rag — India-rubber — Gold-cushion — Gold Leaf — Sponges — Glaire — Cotton Wool — Varnish — Finishing — Morocco — Gold Work — Inlaid Work — Porous — Full G...