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.
These specifications will require modification in special cases, and are only intended to be a general guide.
------------+---------+-------------+----------+--------+----------+------- | SHEETS. | END PAPERS. | PRESSING.| EDGES. | SEWING. | BACK. ------------+---------+-------------+----------+--------+----------+------- |To be |To be sewn |Books on |To be |To be with|To be I. |carefully|on. To be of |handmade |trimmed |ligature |kept For Extra |folded, |good paper |paper not |and gilt|silk, |as Binding |or, if |made with |to be |before |flexible, |flat suitable |an old |zigzag, with |pressed |sewing. |round five|as it for Valuable|book, all|board papers |unduly. |To be |bands of |can be Books. Whole|damaged |of self- | |uncut. |best |without Leather. |leaves to|coloured | | |sewing |forcing |be |paper of good| | |cord. |it and |carefully|quality, or | | | |without |mended, |vellum. Or to| | | |danger |the backs|be made with | | | |of its |where |leather | | | |becom- |damaged |joint. | | | |ing |to be | | | | |concave |made | | | | |in use. |sound. | | | | | |Single | | | | | |leaves | | | | | |to be | | | | | |guarded | | | | | |round | | | | | |the | | | | | |sections | | | | | |next | | | | | |them. All| | | | | |plates to| | | | | |be | | | | | |guarded. | | | | | |Guards to| | | | | |be sewn | | | | | |through. | | | | | |No past- | | | | | |ing on | | | | | |or over- | | | | | |casting | | | | | |to be | | | | | |allowed. | | | | | ------------+---------+-------------+----------+--------+----------+------- |As No. |To be of good|Same as |To be |To be with|Same as II. |I., |paper made |No. I. |cut and |unbleached|for No. For Good |excepting|with zigzag, | |gilt in |thread, |I. Binding for |that any |with board | |boards |flexible, | Books of |mending |papers of | |or |round five| Reference, |may be |self-coloured| |coloured|bands of | Catalogues, |done |paper of good| |or to be|best | &c., and |rather |quality. | |uncut. |sewing | other heavy |with a |Large or | | |cord. | Books that |view to |heavy books | | | | may have a |strength |to have a | | | | great deal |than |cloth joint. | | | | of use. |extreme |To be sewn | | | | Whole or |neatness.|on. | | | | Half | | | | | | Leather. | | | | | | ------------+---------+-------------+----------+--------+----------+------- |Same as |To be of good|Same as |To be |To be with|Same as III. |No. II. |paper, sewn |No. I. |uncut, |unbleached|for For Binding | |on, made with| |or to be|thread |Nos. I. for | |zigzag. | |cut in |across not|and II. Libraries, | | | |guillo- |less than | IV. for | | | |tine and|four | Books in | | | |gilt or |unbleached| current | | | |coloured|linen | use. Half | | | |or to |tapes. | Leather. | | | |have top| | | | | |edge | | | | | |only | | | | | |gilt. | | ------------+---------+-------------+----------+--------+----------+------- |Any |Same as No. | |May be |With |Back to IV. |leaves |III. | |cut |unbleached|be left For Library |damaged | | |smooth |thread |square Bindings of |at the | | |in |over three|after Books of |back or | | |guillo- |unbleached|glueing little |plates | | |tine. |linen |up. Interest or |to be | | | |tapes. | Value, |overcast | | | | | Cloth or |into | | | | | Half Linen. |sections.| | | | | ------------+---------+-------------+----------+--------+----------+-------