Bookbinding and The Care of Books
Douglas Cockerell with Drawings by Noel Rooke and other
Illustrations New York 1902
Bookbinding Chapter 1 Part 3
library binding. It should allow the book to open flat, and if the materials are
well selected, be very durable, and specially strong in the joints, the weak
place in most bindings. The lettering on the back may be damaged in time if
the book is much used, but if so it can easily be renewed at a fraction of the
cost of rebinding, and without injury to the book.
The use of hollow backs was a very ingenious way out of the difficulty, as
with them the backs could be made to “throw up,” and at the same time the
leather was not disturbed (see fig. I, C). The method of “sawing in” bands
was known for a long time before the general use of hollow backs. It has
been used to avoid the raised bands on books covered with embroidered
material.
If a book is sewn on tapes, and the back lined with leather, there is no serious
objection to a carefully-made hollow back without bands. The vellum
binders use hollow backs made in this way for great account books that stand
an immense amount of wear. They make the “hollow” very stiff, so that it
acts as a spring to throw the back up.
But although, if carefully done, satisfactory bindings may be made with
hollow backs, their use has resulted in the production of worthless bindings
with little strength, and yet with the appearance of better work.
The public having been accustomed to raised bands on the backs of books,
and the real bands being sunk in the back, the binders put false ones over the
“hollow.” To save money or trouble, the bands being out of sight, the book
would be sewn on only three or sometimes only two cords, the usual five
false ones still showing at the back. Often only two out of the three bands
would be laced into the board, and sometimes the slips would not be laced in
at all. Again, false headbands worked by the yard by machinery would be
stuck on at the head and tail, and a “hollow” made with brown paper. The
leather so thin as to have but little strength, but used because it is easy to
work and needs no paring, would be stuck on. The back would often be full
of gilt and lettered, and the sides sprinkled or marbled, thus further
damaging the leather.
In every large library hundreds of books bound somewhat on these lines may
be seen. When they are received from the binder they have the appearance of
being, well bound, they look smart on the shelf, but in a few years, whether
they are used or not, the leather will have perished and the boards become
detached, and they will have to be rebounded.
As long as librarians expect the appearance of a guinea binding for two or
three shillings, such shams will be produced. The librarian generally gets his
money’s worth, for it would be impossible for the binder to do better work at
the price usually paid without materially altering the appearance of the
binding. The polished calf and imitation crushed morocco must go, and in its
place a rougher,
Thicker leather must be employed. The full-gilt backs must go, the coloured
lettering panel must go, the hollow backs must go, but in the place of these
we may have the books sewn on tapes with the ends securely fastened into
split boards, and the thick leather attached directly to the backs of the
sections. (See specification)
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