Facsimile title page. Replace marbled endpaper
This attractively-bound children’s novel from the early 19th century had like many old children’s books, seen better days after years of ‘enthusiastic’ use by previous young owners.
Leather repairs – spine re-used
Morocco binding reback and refurbishment
This article is about a Morocco binding reback and refurbishment. This handsomely bound volume on Maori art would have looked splendid when new at the turn of the 20th century. It was almost certainly bound as a special ‘presentation’ copy of this work. However, many years of exposure to sunlight and central heating had dried […]
Spine, corner and Bible repair
This article is about Bible repair, leather spine restoration and corner repair and restoration. It’s over a year since I last added anything to this work diary and 2016 was a very busy year. A wide selection of books both antiquarian and modern passed through the bindery for restoration or repair. These ranged from treasured […]
Leather book repair on a treasured music score
This article is about a leather book repair on a small music score. Not all of the books that I work on are rare or of high monetary value. Many of the books I restore are relatively common volumes that have a sentimental connection for their owners. This is often enough reason to make them […]
Morocco binding repair. Spine re-used
This article is about a Morocco binding repair. I’ve just completed this restoration of an illustrated book on natural history bound in half Morocco. This attractively bound volume arrived with the back cover detached. The spine was very rubbed and the binding was held together by old sellotape. This useful reference book had definitely seen […]
Morocco binding restoration
This article is about a Morocco binding restoration. This volume bound in full Morocco came in earlier this year. What had been a richly-bound volume in the 1870’s had become dried out and damaged. The hinges had split and the top and bottom of the spine had been rubbed away. The leather, once a deep […]