During my rare book conservation training block, I stabilized various bindings from the Fales Librar
During my rare book conservation training block, I stabilized various bindings from the Fales Library & Special Collections under the supervision of the Special Collections Conservator, Lou Di Gennaro. The books that I treated included The Illustrated London News, a newspaper and The Observator in Dialogue, a unique coffee house publication printed by a woman. Each presented its own challenges. I evaluated the treatments with Lou Di Gennaro, focusing on how to regain the integrity of the binding while retaining as much of its original material as possible.The treatment of The Illustrated London News was challenging due to its size, measuring 415 x 292 x 40 mm. First, I removed the distorted and deteriorated spine lining. Then, I re-sewed the loose gatherings onto the original linen cords in-situ using the original sewing stations. To reinforce the board-to-textblock attachment, I applied a laminate of cross-grained Japanese paper (Sekishu) to the spine with extending hinges onto the boards. Next, I toned airplane linen with acrylics to match the original covering material. Finally, I repaired the original spine piece using Japanese paper and adhered it back on. In the case of The Observator in dialogue, the textblock consisted of independent single folios that later were over-sewn and bound. In conversation with the Librarian for Printed Books at Fales Library, Charlotte Priddle, we discussed whether to retain the failed library binding or discard it. We decided to remove the binding and return it to its original format of loose sheets. I removed the spine lining, adhesive, and over-sewing. Then, I constructed a four-flap enclosure to hold the loose sheets and created a corrugated blue box to house the original boards and the individual sheets together.Mission completed!Post by Mellon Fellow Lyudmyla Buapermalink -- source link
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