An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
Part 9
number: and a collection of .marbled and colored papers, formed by John Bagford, exists, also,
among the Harleian Manuscripts [No. 5940.]. The marbled papers manufactured at the present
day, for commercial purposes, are not comparable to these early examples; being made without
taste, according to the perfunctory receipts of the trade. The art, however, has lately been
revived in a very beautiful, and original, manner by Mr. E. W. Morris, a printer of Oxford: but his
work is produced in small quantities, and is not generally known, or used. His papers exhibit
rather a pleasing choice and arrangement of blotted colors, than anyone of the accepted
patterns of the commercial marbler: indeed, some of his more delicate papers might have been
suggested by certain effects of sky or sunset. In my opinion, they often exceed the old papers in
beauty: certainly, Mr. Morris has turned an old art to new uses.
Another kind of paper, called colored paste-paper, is more easily prepared, than marbled paper,
and has a very tolerable effect. Some colour is mixed with paste and a little soap; and then
spread with a brush over two sheets of paper. These, while still wet, are brought face to face,
and, when separated, present a mottled appearance. The use of silk, in covering the fly-leaves
is, I think, to be deprecated; as the substance of a leaf thus formed, to say nothing of its cut or
folded edge, does not agree with that of the other leaves of the book: but there is not the same
objection to the use of this material in covering the panel, on the inside of the boards. The only
rule, which can certainly be laid down with regard to end-papers is, that they should err rather
in being too many, than in being too few. There should always be at least two fly-leaves, at
either end of a book, in addition to the paper which covers the board: for no volume has a
meaner appearance, than that which opens immediately upon the title.
BACKING -The book is now placed in the lying press that it may be glued up: and the binder
must decide upon the nature of its back, which maybe either rigid, or flexible; or which may vary,
as do thlgretjer number of old backs, in some degree or other, between the two. But it will be
well, first, to describe in this place, the tub, the lying-press, and the plough. The tub is an open
box, or receptacle for the waste, the ends of which are raised to a convenient height in order to
receive the lying-press, which rests upon them. This press consists of two heavy, oblong, blocks
of wood, which are regulated by two wooden screws.