An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
Part 7
that the thread makes a complete circle round one, instead of two, cords. In ordinary sewing, a
series of grooves is cut with a saw, across the back of the book, in which the cords are
embedded: so that the needle and thread, after being inserted at the kettle-hole stitch at the
head of the section, are passed in a direct line, within the fold of the sheet, and without the
back of the cords, to the kettle-stitch hole at the tail. In other particulars, this kind of sewing
does not differ from that of sewing round the cords: but neither fine, nor old, books should be
sewn in this manner j as the sections are always more or less damaged by the saw, in the
process. There are a number of variations upon these two methods of sewing: but none is of
importance, and most are inferior, being contrived to save either time, or trouble.
END-PAPERS - The choice of the end-papers is next to be considered. Colored end-papers
appear to have been first used towards the end of the sixteenth century; If before which time
they were commonly made of vellum, or white paper. If a book be printed on a fine hand-made
paper, the same paper may be used for its fly-leaves and end-papers: and, perhaps, there is no
more pleasing method to be found, especially if the binding be richly tooled. Some of the earliest
colored papers are in stamp, and bear small patterns, in repeat: one, two, and even three
wood-blocks being used in their production. Of these papers, the greater part are probably
Dutch, or German; although many are by English makers: but the Italian are the most beautiful,
often bearing little patterns of a geometrical nature, not unlike those which are still to be found
upon the printed cottons worn by the peasants of Pisa and Lucca. In preparing these Italian
papers, the colour was used in a very liquid state, producing a certain blotted effect, which is
remarkable, also, in the woodcuts of Ugo da Carpi, and the great masters of chiaroscuro
printing. Such papers as these were used for many other purposes, besides that of
end-papers; and were probably made throughout Europe. I have lately seen one in the
possession of Mr. Tregaskis, the bookseller, which was made during the last century, at
Orleans; but the name of the maker had been cut away. During the eighteenth century, and
perhaps earlier, certain gilt papers were printed in Germany; upon the margins of which, I have
noticed the names of' PAUL REIMUND IN NURNBERG' and of 'IOHANN WILHELM MEYER IN
AUGSPURG.' In their manufacture, the paper was, in some instances, first covered with a single
colour; while, in others, perhaps the earlier examples, a kind of mosaic of bright colors, of
yellow, vermillion, purple, blue, and green, was formed by a sponge over the whole surface of
the sheet; or a chequer of the same colors was formed by a series- of broad lines crossing one
another; a ground was then stamped in gold-leaf upon a sheet prepared in this way; and a
parti-colored pattern was left in relief.