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Bookbinding For Amateurs

The Various Tools and Appliances Required and Instructions for Their Effective Use by W.J.E. Crane 1888

Bookbinding Materials Part 2

 

Bookbinder's Cloth.-This is a textile fabric of about 30in. width usually, and sold in pieces of about 36yds., or can be bought for about Is. per yard; certain special colors, such as vermilion, scarlet, magenta, and mauve being dearer, and some common colors, as purple, &c., cheaper. Cloth can be had in a large range of colors, and of "grain," which is a small surface pattern, produced by passing the fabric through engraved rollers. Some grains, such as morocco, are old; others, such as pin-head, new. Cloth is much used to cover the sides of half-bound books.

Marble Paper.-This is used for end-papers and book sides. In such cases the edges are marbled to match. Colored papers, of various tints, such as the brown Cobb-so called from a bookbinder of that name-are used for end-papers. Marbled paper, 2s. 6d. or 3s. per quire; Cobb and colored paper, 7d. and 9d. per quire.

Millboard is a hard board made from old rope. It is of different thicknesses, from "tip," which is not much thicker than brown paper, to boards 1/8 in. thick-more used by portmanteau makers. It costs about 44s. per cwt., good quality, but commoner kinds are cheaper.

Strawboard is a common imitation of, and substitute for, millboard. It is very brittle, and only suited for common work. About 20s. per cwt.

Headbands, ready-made, per yard, according to size and quality.

Stout Brown Paper for lining up the back of book.

Glue, of good quality, 9d. or 10d. per lb.; cheaper by the cwt. Paste, thick and thin.

Gold Leaf, in books of twenty-five leaves, about 5s. per 100 leaves. Gold leaf varies in color, some being "deep," or of a reddish hue, while "lemon" gold has a silvery luster. Deep gold is preferred by most binders.

Parchment Shavings or Chippings, for size, may be bought by the pound, of account-book makers, &c.

Glaire is the beaten-up whites of eggs.

Bole Armenian, for making sprinkle for edges.

Other materials for sprinkling and marbling colors are used, but if the binder intend to attempt the marbling of his edges himself, he will also require a marble slab and muller, a marbling trough, and sundry "combs;" also "flea-seed," or gum tragacanth, and colors, as lake, indigo, orange, yellow, white, Chinese blue, black, green, and vermilion. These he can buy dry of any colourman, but his best plan will be to procure them in small jars (pounds), ready ground and prepared, of Mr. Gorfield, dealer in bookbinders' materials, St. Bride's-street, London, E.G. .

Though we shall, in its proper place, give a detailed account of the operation of marbling, we would dissuade the small binder from attempting the process. It is both dirty and difficult, and a man needs to be in constant practice to insure success. If he cannot be satisfied with gilt edges for valuable books, and sprinkled edges for common ones, he had better keep the books by him until he can send them to one of the London marblers, who, for 1d. or 1 1/2d. per volume, will marble them as they should be, and return them promptly. Either the Mr. Gorfield just mentioned, or Messrs. Eadie, of Great Queen-street, Long Acre, can be depended upon for this purpose. Either of these two old established firms will also supply the binder with all or any of the materials which we have enumerated, with the exception that Mr. Corfield does not keep leathers. Messrs. Eadie do, and will even cut sufficient for a single volume (to match), either in morocco or calf. Most of the dealers in bookbinders' machines and tools also keep materials.

 

 
 
 

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