An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
13
binder will find time to look to the boards. The use of pasteboards was not introduced into
bookbinding until the end of the fifteenth century; and was at first only employed upon books of
small size. In the term, boards, for the covers of a book, we have a relic of the wooden boards,
which continued to be used on large volumes, during the first half of the succeeding century. The
millboards now in use are manufactured in such various qualities, sizes, and thicknesses, that it
is both impossible, and unnecessary, here to describe them: it is sufficient to say, that the best
sort is made of old rope. A board having been chosen, and marked up in sizes rather larger than
will finally be required, is next cut with millboard shears, a certain large kind of shears, made
especially for this purpose. In choosing millboard, its thickness is to be determined by the size of
the book, for which it is intended to be used; a particular, which, in no small degree, goes to
form the character of a binding. The boards are first lined with a thin white paper, once upon the
outside surface, and twice upon the inside, to the intent that they may curve inward, towards
the book. After they have been pressed and are dry, their exact height and width is to be
marked upon them by means of a point and a set-square. This height and width is to be
determined, by exactly calculating what the size of the book will be, when it is cut; and by
adding a certain amount to the head, fore, and tail edges, for the squares. The squares are
those portions of the boards, which project beyond the edges of a finished book: and the
amount of their projection is to be regulated, according to the size and thickness ~f the book.
They are intended to protect the edges, the least projection, that will effect this, should be given
to them. The excessive projection of the squares, in some modern books, is a result of the same
reprehensible taste, which indulges in coarsely rounded backs, and coarsely grained leathers, of
which I have already had occasion to speak. The boards, having been marked up, according to
the required dimensions, are now placed in the lying-press; are cut by the plough with great
exactitude. A simple method of discovering if the boards are in truth, that is, if they have been
correctly cut, consists in placing them, reversed, one upon another; when the least inaccuracy
will become apparent. If the boards are required to be very thick, they are 'made,' by pasting
together two millboards of unequal thickness, the thinner one being placed upon the inside.