THE ART OF BOOKBINDING. A PRACTICAL TREATISE.
BY JOSEPH W. ZAEHNSDORF.
TECHNOLOGICAL HANDBOOKS.
ART OF BOOKBINDING.
TECHNOLOGICAL HANDBOOKS.
1. DYEING AND TISSUE-PRINTING. By William Crookes, F.R.S., V.P.C.S.
_5s._
2. GLASS MANUFACTURE. INTRODUCTORY ESSAY, by H. J. Powell, B.A.
(Whitefriars Glass Works); CROWN AND SHEET GLASS, by Henry Chance, M.A.
(Chance Bros., Birmingham); PLATE GLASS, by H. G. Harris, Assoc. Memb.
Inst. C.E. 3_s._ 6_d._
3. COTTON SPINNING; Its Development, Principles, and Practice. By R.
Marsden, Editor of the “Textile Mercury.” With an Appendix on Steam
Engines and Boilers. 3rd edition, revised, 6_s._ 6_d._
4. COAL-TAR COLOURS, The Chemistry of. With special reference to their
application to Dyeing, &c. By Dr. R. Benedikt. Translated from the
German by E. Knecht, Ph.D. 2nd edition, enlarged, 6_s._ 6_d._
5. WOOLLEN AND WORSTED CLOTH MANUFACTURE. By Professor Roberts
Beaumont. 2nd edition, revised. 7_s._ 6_d._
6. PRINTING. By C. T. Jacobi, Manager of the Chiswick Press. _5s._
7. BOOKBINDING. By J. W. Zaehnsdorf.
9. COTTON WEAVING. By R. Marsden. _In preparation._
[Illustration: FLORENTINE.
Small folio.]
_TECHNOLOGICAL HANDBOOKS._
THE ART
OF
BOOKBINDING.
A PRACTICAL TREATISE.
BY
JOSEPH W. ZAEHNSDORF.
WITH PLATES AND DIAGRAMS.
_SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED._
LONDON: GEORGE BELL AND SONS,
YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1890.
CHISWICK PRESS:—C. WHITTINGHAM AND CO., TOOKS COURT,
CHANCERY LANE.
DEDICATED TO
HUGH OWEN, ESQ., F.S.A.,
AS A SLIGHT ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HIS COUNSEL AND
FRIENDSHIP, AND IN ADMIRATION OF HIS
KNOWLEDGE OF
BOOKBINDING.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
The first edition of this book was written for the use of amateurs, but
I found that amongst the members of the trade my little volume had a
large sale, and in a short time the edition became exhausted. Repeated
applications for the book have induced me to issue this second edition.
I have adhered to the arrangement of the first, but a great deal of
fresh matter has been added, which I trust will be found useful.
Should any of my fellow-workmen find anything new to them I shall be
satisfied, knowing that I have done my duty in spreading such knowledge
as may contribute towards the advancement of the beautiful art of
bookbinding.
I have to record my obligations to those gentlemen who have assisted me
by courteously describing the various machines of their invention with
which the book is illustrated. The object, however, of illustrating
this work with engravings of machines is simply to recognize the fact
that books are bound by machinery. To a mechanical worker must be left
the task of describing the processes used in this method.
LIST OF PLATES.
FLORENTINE … _Frontispiece_
GROLIER … xiv
GASCON … xvi
RENAISSANCE … 110
ANTIQUE WITH GOLD LINE … 112
DEROME … 114
GROLIER … 132
MAIOLI … 134
CONTENTS.
PART I.—FORWARDING.
CHAPTER I. Folding: Refolding — Machines — Gathering … 3–8
CHAPTER II. Beating and Rolling: Machines … 9–12
CHAPTER III. Collating: Interleaving … 13–19
CHAPTER IV. Marking up and Sawing in … 20–23
CHAPTER V. Sewing: Flexible — Ordinary … 23–32
CHAPTER VI. Forwarding: End Papers — Cobb Paper — Surface Paper —
Marbled Paper — Printed and other Fancy Paper — Coloured Paste Paper …
33–36
CHAPTER VII. Pasting up … 36–37
CHAPTER VIII. Putting on the End Papers … 38–41
CHAPTER IX. Trimming … 41–44
CHAPTER X. Gluing up … 45–46
CHAPTER XI. Rounding … 46–48
CHAPTER XII. Backing … 48–51
CHAPTER XIII. Mill-boards … 51–57
CHAPTER XIV. Drawing-in and Pressing … 57–59
CHAPTER XV. Cutting … 59–66
CHAPTER XVI. Colouring the Edges: Sprinkled Edges — Colours for
Sprinkling — Plain Colouring — Marbled Edges — Spot Marble — Comb or
Nonpareil Marble — Spanish Marble — Edges — Sizing … 67–77
CHAPTER XVII. Gilt Edges: The Gold Cushion — Gold Knife — Burnishers —
Glaire Water or Size — Scrapers — The Gold Leaf — Gilt on Red — Tooled
Edges — Painted Edges … 78–83
CHAPTER XVIII. Head-Banding … 83–86
CHAPTER XIX. Preparing for Covering: lining up … 87–90
CHAPTER XX. Covering: Russia — Calf — Vellum or Parchment — Roan —
Cloth — Velvet — Silk and Satin — Half-bound Work … 90–97
CHAPTER XXI. Pasting Down: Joints — Calf, Russia, etc. … 97–100
CHAPTER XXII. Calf Colouring: Black — Brown — Yellow — Sprinkles —
Marbles — Tree-marbles — Dabs … 100–108
PART II. — FINISHING.
CHAPTER XXIII. Finishing: Tools and Materials required for Finishing —
Polishing Irons — Gold-rag — India-rubber — Gold-cushion — Gold Leaf —
Sponges — Glaire — Cotton Wool — Varnish — Finishing — Morocco — Gold
Work — Inlaid Work — Porous — Full Gilt Back — Run-up — Mitred Back —
Pressing — Graining — Finishing with Dry Preparation — Velvet — Silk —
Vellum — Blocking … 111–153
GENERAL INFORMATION.
CHAPTER XXIV. Washing and Cleaning: Requisites — Manipulation —
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 Stains — Ink — Reviving
Old Writings — To Restore Writing effaced by Chlorine — To Restore
MSS. faded by time — To Preserve Drawings or Manuscripts — To fix
Drawings or Pencil Marks — To render Paper Waterproof — To render
Paper Incombustible — Deciphering Burnt Documents — Insects — Glue —
Rice Glue or Paste — Paste — Photographs — Albumen — To Prevent Tools,
Machines, etc., from Rusting — To Clean Silver Mountings — To Clean
Sponges … 157–172
GLOSSARY … 173
INDEX … 181
INTRODUCTION.
Bookbinding carries us back to the time when leaden tablets with
inscribed hieroglyphics were fastened together with rings, which formed
what to us would be the binding of the volumes. We might go even still
further back, when tiles of baked clay with cuneiform characters were
incased one within the other, so that if the cover of one were broken
or otherwise damaged there still remained another, and yet another
covering; by which care history has been handed down from generation
to generation. The binding in the former would consist of the rings
which bound the leaden tablets together, and in the latter, the simple
covering formed the binding which preserved the contents.
We must pass on from these, and make another pause, when vellum strips
were attached together in one continuous length with a roller at each
end. The reader unrolled the one, and rolled the other as he perused
the work. Books, prized either for their rarity, sacred character,
or costliness, would be kept in a round box or case, so that the
appearance of a library in Ancient Jerusalem would seem to us as if
it were a collection of canisters. The next step was the fastening of
separate leaves together, thus making a back, and covering the whole as
a protection in a most simple form; the only object being to keep the
several leaves in connected sequence. I believe the most ancient form
of books |xii| formed of separate leaves, will be found in the sacred
books of Ceylon which were formed of palm leaves, written on with a
metal style, and the binding was merely a silken string tied through
one end so loosely as to admit of each leaf being laid down flat when
turned over. When the mode of preserving MS. on animal membrane or
vellum in separate leaves came into use, the binding was at first only
a simple piece of leather wrapped round the book and tied with a thong.
These books were not kept on their edges, but were laid down flat on
the shelves, and had small cedar tablets hanging from them upon which
their titles were inscribed.
The ordinary books for general use were only fastened strongly at the
back, with wooden boards for the sides, and simply a piece of leather
up the back.
In the sixth century, bookbinding had already taken its place as an
“Art,” for we have the “Byzantine coatings,” as they are called. They
are of metal, gold, silver or copper gilt, and sometimes they are
enriched with precious stones. The monks, during this century, took
advantage of the immense thickness of the wooden boards and frequently
hollowed them out to secrete their relics in the cavities. Bookbinding
was then confined entirely to the monks who were the literati of the
period. Then the art was neglected for some centuries, owing to the
plunder and pillage that overran Europe, and books were destroyed to
get at the jewels that were supposed to be hidden in the different
parts of the covering, so that few now remain to show how bookbinding
was then accomplished and to what extent.
We must now pass on to the middle ages, when samples of binding were
brought from the East by the crusaders, and these may well be prized by
their owners for their delicacy of finish. The monks, who still held
the Art of Bookbinding in their hands, improved upon these Eastern
|xiii| specimens. Each one devoted himself to a different branch:
one planed the oaken boards to a proper size, another stretched and
coloured the leather; and the work was thus divided into branches, as
it is now. The task was one of great difficulty, seeing how rude were
the implements then in use.
[Illustration: Monastic.]
[Illustration: Venetian.]
The art of printing gave new life to our trade, and, during the
fifteenth century bookbinding made great progress on account of the
greater facility and cheapness with which books were produced. The
printer was then his own binder; but as books increased in number,
bookbinding became a separate art-trade of itself. This was a step
decidedly in the right direction. The art improved so much, that
in the sixteenth century some of the finest samples of bookbinding
were executed. Morocco having been introduced, and fine delicate
tools cut, the art was encouraged by great families, who, liking the
Venetian patterns, had their books bound in that style. The annexed
|xiv| woodcut will give a fair idea of a Venetian tool. During this
period the French had bookbinding almost entirely in their hands, and
Mons. Grolier, who loved the art, had his books bound under his own
supervision in the most costly manner. His designs consisted of bold
gold lines arranged geometrically with great accuracy, crossing one
another and intermixed with small leaves or sprays. These were in
outlines shaded or filled up with closely worked cross lines. Not,
however, satisfied with these simple traceries, he embellished them
still more by staining or painting them black, green, red, and even
with silver, so that they formed bands interlacing each other in a most
graceful manner. Opposite is a centre block of Grolier. It will be seen
how these lines entwine, and how the small tools are shaded with lines.
If the reader has had the good fortune to see one of these specimens,
has he not wondered at the taste displayed? To the French must
certainly be given the honour of bringing the art to such a perfection.
Francis I. and the succeeding monarchs, with the French nobility,
|xv| placed the art on such a high eminence, that even now we are
compelled to look to these great masterpieces as models of style. Not
only was the exterior elaborate in ornament, but the edges were gilded
and tooled; and even painted. We must wonder at the excellence of the
materials and the careful workmanship which has preserved the bindings,
even to the colour of the leather, in perfect condition to the present
day.
[Illustration: GROLIER.
Royal folio]
[Illustration: Grolier.]
There is little doubt that the first examples of the style now known as
“_Grolier_” were produced in Venice, under the eye of Grolier himself,
and according to his own designs; and that workmen in France, soon
rivalled and excelled the early attempts. The work of Maioli may be
distinctly traced by the bold simplicity and purity of his designs; and
more especially by the broader gold lines which margin the coloured
bands of geometric and arabesque ornamentation.
All books, it must be understood, were not bound in so costly a manner,
for we find pigskin, vellum and calf in |xvi| use. The latter was
especially preferred on account of its peculiar softness, smooth
surface, and great aptitude for receiving impressions of dumb or blind
tooling. It was only towards the latter part of the sixteenth century
that the English binders began to employ delicate or fine tooling.
During the seventeenth century the names of Du Sueil and Le Gascon
were known for the delicacy and extreme minuteness of their finishing.
Not disdaining the bindings of the Italian school, they took from them
new ideas; for whilst the Grolier bindings were bold, the Du Sueil
and Le Gascon more resembled fine lace work of intricate design, with
harmonizing flowers and other objects, from which we may obtain a great
variety of artistic character. During this period embroidered velvet
was much in use. Then a change took place and a style was adopted which
by some people would be preferred to the gorgeous bindings of the
sixteenth century. The sides were finished quite plainly with only a
line round the edge of the boards (and in some instances not even that)
with a coat of arms or some badge in the centre.
Towards the end of the seventeenth century bookbinding began to
improve, particularly with regard to forwarding. The joints were
true and square, and the back was made to open more freely. In the
eighteenth century the names of Derome, Roger Payne, and others
are prominent as masters of the craft, and the Harleian style was
introduced.
The plate facing may be fairly estimated as a good specimen of Derome.
Notice the extreme simplicity and yet the symmetry of the design;
its characteristic feature being the boldness of the corners and the
gradual diminishing of the scroll work as it nears the centre of the
panel. Morocco and calf were the leathers used for this binding.
[Illustration: GASCON.
8^{vo}
T. Way, Photo-lith.]
Hand coloured calf was at this period at its height, and |xvii| the
Cambridge calf may be named as a pattern of one of the various styles,
and one that is approved of by many at the present day—the calf was
sprinkled all over, save a square panel left uncoloured in the centre
of the boards.
[Illustration: Harleian.]
[Illustration: Roger Payne.]
The Harleian style took its name from Harley, Earl of Oxford. It was
red morocco with a broad tooled border and centre panels. We have the
names of various masters who pushed the art forward to very great
excellence during this century. Baumgarten and Benedict, two Germans of
considerable note in London; Mackinly, from whose house also fine work
was sent out, and by whom good workmen were educated whose specimens
almost equal the work of their master. There were two other Germans,
Kalthoeber and Staggemeier, each having his own peculiar style.
Kalthoeber is credited with having first introduced painting on the
edges. This I must dispute, as it was done in the sixteenth century. To
him, however, must certainly be given the credit of having discovered
the secret, if ever lost, and renewing it on his best work. We must
now |xviii| pass on to Roger Payne, that unfortunate and erring man
but clever workman, who lived during the latter part of the eighteenth
century. His taste may be seen from the woodcut. He generally used
small tools, and by combining them formed a variety of beautiful
designs. He cut most of these tools himself, either because he could
not find a tool cutter of sufficient skill, or that he found it
difficult to pay the cost. We are told by anecdote, that he drank much
and lived recklessly; but notwithstanding all his irregular habits,
his name ought to be respected for the work he executed. His backs
were firm, and his forwarding excellent; and he introduced a class of
finishing that was always in accordance with the character or subject
of the book. His only fault was the peculiar coloured paper with which
he made his end papers. |xix|
Coloured or fancy calf has now taken the place of the hand-coloured.
Coloured cloth has come so much into use, that this branch of the trade
alone monopolizes nearly three-fourths of the workmen and females
employed in bookbinding. Many other substitutes for leather have been
introduced, and a number of imitations of morocco and calf are in the
market; this, with the use of machinery, has made so great a revolution
in the trade, that it is now divided into two distinct branches—cloth
work and extra work.
I have endeavoured in the foregoing remarks to raise the emulation of
my fellow craftsmen by naming the most famous artists of past days; men
whose works are most worthy of study and imitation. I have refrained
from any notice or criticism of the work of my contemporaries; but I
may venture to assure the lover of good bookbinding that as good and
sound work, and as careful finish, may be obtained in a first-rate
house in London as in any city in the world.
In the succeeding chapters, I will endeavour in as plain and simple a
way as I can to give instructions to the unskilled workman _how to bind
a book_.
PART I.
FORWARDING.
|3|
THE ART OF BOOKBINDING.
CHAPTER I.
FOLDING.
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); should the amateur wish to have his
books in sheets, he may generally get them by asking his bookseller for
them. It is necessary that they be carefully folded, for unless they
are perfectly even, it is impossible that the margins (the blank space
round the print) can be uniform when the book is cut. Where the margin
is small, as in very small prayer books, a very great risk of cutting
into the print is incurred; besides, it is rather annoying to see a
book which has the folio or paging on one leaf nearly at the top, and
on the next, the print touching the bottom; to remedy such an evil,
the printer having done his duty by placing his margins quite true,
it remains with the binder to perfect and bring the sheet into proper
form by folding. The best bound book may be spoilt by having the sheets
badly folded, and the binder is perfectly justified in rejecting any
sheets that may be badly printed, that is, not in register. |4|
The sheets are laid upon a table with the signatures (the letters or
numbers that are at the foot of the first page of each sheet when
folded) facing downwards on the left hand side. A folding-stick is held
in the right hand, and the sheet is brought over from right to left,
the folios being carefully placed together; if the paper is held up to
the light, and is not too thick, it can be easily seen through. Holding
the two together and laying them on the table the folder is drawn
across the sheet, creasing the centre; then, holding the sheet down
with the folder on the line to be creased, the top part is brought over
and downwards till the folios or the bottom of the letterpress or print
is again even. The folder is then drawn across, and so by bringing each
folio together the sheet is completed. The process is extremely simple.
The octavo sheet is _generally_ folded into 4 folds, thus giving 8
leaves or 16 pages; a quarto, into 2, giving 4 leaves or 8 pages, and
the sheets properly folded, will have _their signatures outside_ at the
foot of the first page. If the signature is not on the outside, one may
be certain that the sheet has been wrongly folded.
I say _generally_; at one time the water or wire mark on the paper and
the number of folds gave the size of the book.
There are numerous other sizes, but it is not necessary to give them
all; the process of folding is in nearly all cases the same; here are
however, a few of the sizes given in inches.
Foolscap 8vo. 6-5/8 ×4-1/8
Demy 12mo. 7-3/8 ×4-3/8
Crown 8vo. 7-1/2 ×5
Post 8vo. 8 ×5
Demy 8vo. 9 ×5-1/2
Medium 8vo. 9-5/8 ×5-3/4
Small Royal 8vo. 10 ×6-1/4
Large Royal 8vo. 10-1/2 ×6-3/4 |5|
Imperial 8vo. 11 ×7-1/2
Demy 4to. 11 ×9
Medium 4to. 11-3/4 ×9-5/8
Royal 4to. 12-1/2 ×10
Imperial 4to. 15 ×11
Crown Folio. 15 ×10
Demy Folio 18 ×11
As a final caution, the first and last sheets must be carefully
examined; very often the sheet has to be cut up or divided, and the
leaf or leaves placed in various positions in the book.
It is also advisable to cut the head of the sheets, using the
folding-stick, cutting just beyond the back or middle fold; this
prevents the sheet running into a side crease when pressing or rolling.
Should such a crease occur the leaf or sheet must be damped by placing
it between wet paper and subjecting it to pressure; no other method is
likely to erase the break.
_Refolding._—With regard to books that have been issued in numbers,
they must be _pulled to pieces_ or divided. The parts being arranged
in consecutive order, so that not so much difficulty will be felt in
collating the sheets, the outside wrapper is torn away, and each sheet
pulled singly from its neighbour, care being taken to see if any thread
used in sewing is in the centre of the sheet at the back; if so, it
must be cut with a knife or it will tear the paper. As the sheets are
pulled they must be laid on the left hand side, each sheet being placed
face downwards; should they be placed face upwards the first sheet will
be the last and the whole will require rearranging. All advertisements
may be placed away from the sheets into a pile; these will be found
very handy for lining boards, pasting on, or as waste. The title and
contents will generally be found in the last part; place them in their
proper places. The sheets must now be refolded, if improperly folded
in the first instance. |6| Turn the whole pile (or book now) over,
and again go through each sheet; alter by refolding any sheet that may
require it. Very often the sheets are already cut, and in this case
the section must be dissected and each leaf refolded and reinserted in
proper sequence, and placed carefully head-line to head-line. Great
care must be exercised, as the previous creasings render the paper
liable to be torn in the process.
[Illustration: Knocking-down Iron screwed into Press.]
Books that have been bound and cut would be rendered often worse by
refolding, and as a general rule they are left alone. Bound books are
pulled to pieces in the same manner, always taking care that the thread
is cut or loose before tearing the sheet away; should trouble arise
through the glue, etc., not coming away easily, the back may be damped
with a sponge lightly charged with water, or perhaps a better method is
to place the book or books in a press, screw up tightly, and soak the
backs with thin paste, leaving them soaking for an hour or two; they
will want repasting two or three times during the period; the whole of
the paper, glue, and leather can then be easily scraped away with a
blunt knife; a handful of shavings rubbed over the back will make it
quite clean, and no difficulty will be met with if the sections are
taken apart while damp. The sections must, as pulled, be placed evenly
one on |7| the other, as the paper at back retains sufficient glue
to cause them to stick together if laid across one another; the whole
must then be left to dry. When dry the groove should be knocked down
on a flat surface, and for this the knocking-down iron screwed up in
the lying press is perhaps the best thing to use. The groove is the
projecting part of the book close to the back, caused by the backing,
and is the groove for the back edge of the mill-board to work in by a
hinge; this hinge is technically called the “joint.”
[Illustration: Martini’s Folding Machine.]
_Machines._—There are many folding machines made by the various
machinists; the working of them, however, is in nearly all cases
identical. The machine is generally |8| fed by a girl, who places the
sheet to points, the arm lifting up at given periods to allow placing
the sheet. Another arm carrying a long thin blade descends, taking the
sheet through a slot in the table, where it is passed between rollers;
another set of rollers at right angles creases it again. The rollers
are arranged for two, three, or more creasings or folds. The sheets are
delivered at the side into a box, from which they are taken from time
to time. The cut is one of Martini’s, and is probably the most advanced.
_Gathering._—A _gathering machine_ has been patented which is of a
simple but ingenious contrivance for the quick gathering of sheets. The
usual way to gather, is by laying piles of sheets upon a long table,
and for the gatherer to take from each pile a sheet in succession.
By the new method a round table is made to revolve by machinery, and
upon it are placed the piles of sheets. As the table revolves the
gatherer takes a sheet from each pile as it passes him. It will at once
be seen that not only is space saved, but that a number of gatherers
may be placed at the table; and that there is no possibility of the
gatherers shirking their work, as the machine is made to register the
revolutions. By comparing the number of sheets with the revolutions of
the table, the amount of work done can be checked.
[Illustration]
|9|