An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
14
in the exact position, which they are to occupy, when they come to be fastened to it. A series of
parallel lines is then marked upon the boards, with a point, or pencil, at the various levels of the
slips: and, afterwards, another line is drawn upon the boards parallel to the back edge, and
distant from it nearly twice the projection of the squares. At each intersection of these lines, a
hole is pierced by a bodkin. The board is then reversed; and a second series of holes is pierced
in)t, equal in number to the first, and at a distance from them, which varies according to the size
of the book: in an octavo volume, this distance is about half an inch. The slips are now scraped,
pasted, and pointed. In this condition, they are passed, over the back edge of the board,
through the first hole and back again through the second hole; after which, they are drawn in
tightly, and cut close to the board with a knife. This done, each of the boards is, in turn, opened;
and the cords, or slips, well hammered on the knocking down iron, to make the holes close upon
them, and to prevent any appearance of them, when the book is covered. An interesting account
might be written, of the various methods employed by the early binders, in the attachment of
the boards to the book. When these were of wood, a series of slots was commonly cut from the
first to the second holes, sufficiently deep to prevent the slips from protruding above the surface
of the boards: the slips were then laced in the usual way, being secured in the second hole,
which did not pierce the board, by an oaken peg. An example of this method may be seen in the
copy of the MoraNa in Job of St. Gregory, already described. Some binders of the sixteenth
century laced their slips through single holes; and strengthened their joints by a vellum hinge,
made in the following manner. They cut, in a strip of vellum, equal to the height of the book, and
wider than the back by a couple of inches, a series of slots to receive the bands; the length of
the slots being equal to the breadth of the back. This strip of vellum was then pasted to the
back, between the bands; the slips, having been drawn through the slots, were laced to the
boards; and the surplus ...of the vellum, on either side of the back, was then pasted to the
under side of the boards; thereby forming a joint, or hinge. The French binders of the last
century used to lace each slip through three holes, and strengthen the back and joints of the
book with parchment; a process, which may be found described in the treatise of Dudin. But
neither method is as successful, as the device of a vellum end-paper, sewn with the rest of the
sections, and pasted down on the board, which I have already described, or a morocco joint,
treated in the same manner. But to return to our modern practice: after the slips have been
hammered, the back of the book is covered with paste to soften the superfluous glue, which is
removed by a piece of wood, called a cleaning-off stick. The back is then rubbed with a handful of
shavings; and after it is dry, a tin plate is placed between each of the boards and the book.
These plates are to be placed, so that they lie in the groove of the hinge: and pressing-boards,
of the size of the book, are next laid above and below the book, in the same position as regards
its groove, as were the tin plates. The book is now placed in a powerful press, where it may with
advantage remain, at least, for a couple of days.