User talk:Lc-kidder

---

Book and Paper Group - Book Conservation Catalog

Section 4 - Book Materials - Paper as Binding Material


Compiler: Lynn Kidder - Draft June 2011
Contributors:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Purpose
Factors to Consider
Materials and Equipment
Special Considerations
Bibliography

200x

Purpose of Paper as Binding Material

Italian, German and French books bound in handmade paper are found dating from as early as the sixteenth century and range from simple folded wrappers to laced in cases. Although sometimes used by the printer as a protective wrapper for texts before purchase and later replaced, a wrapper of handmade paper can be sewn through the text, creating a small pamphlet or single section book.

Another style of paper cover resembles the limp vellum binding. The text is sewn onto supports which are laced through the paper cover so that adhesive is unnecessary.

Heavy handmade paper is sometimes layered with adhesive and made stiff like a thin board. The spine of paper is left thinner and is pasted and molded to make a tight back. The sewing supports are then laced through or between the layers and also stuck down with adhesive. Sometimes this style of binding has an outer wrapper made from decorated paper. Later paper is used to cover the sides of books and adhered to the boards.

Paper has many desirable qualities for use as a binding material. A paper binding is flexible, lightweight and strong. Paper is a relatively inexpensive covering material compared to leather. It is easier and quicker to work with than leather and paper is an archival material whereas leather is not. There is historic precedent for using paper as a binding material

Factors to Consider

Size and thickness of text block

Condition of text block paper

Style of binding

Handmade vs. Machine made paper

Dyes, Paints and Pigments

Materials and Equipment

Heavyweight handmade paper (case weight UICB neutral), airplane linen, wheat paste, PVA adhesive,linen sewing thread (thickness of choice; for thinner books 16/3 or 18/3) beeswax,blotters waste paper for pasting out

Ruler or straightedge, bonefolder, dividers, board shears or cutting mat, scalpel and blades, triangle, bookpress, pressing boards, weights, paste brushes

Treatment Variations

Non-adhesive: limp vellum style, long stitch paper case, single section or pamphlet

Adhesive: paper case

Bibliography

Cloonan, Michele Valerie, “Early Bindings in Paper, a brief history of European hand-made paper-covered books with a multilingual glossary”. G.K. Hall & Co. Boston, Mass, (1991).

Frost, Gary, “The Limp Paper Cased Binding for Small Printed Books”, Newberry Library Conservation Laboratory, Chicago, unpublished article, 1978. Or ANL Je79 5 http://futureofthebook.com

Garruba, N., Notes and Drawings for non-Adhesive Structures, date unknown.

Roberts, M. T. and Etherington, D., “Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology”, online version. Printed version Library of Congress; First edition (June 1981) http://cool.conservation-us.org/don/don.html

Smith, Keith A., “Non-Adhesive Binding: Books without Paste or Glue”, pp. 106-112. Sigma Foundation; 3 Rev Exp edition (January 1, 1999) http://www.keithsmithbooks.com/ Back to Book Conservation Catalog