De Angelis Angelioque Honimvm Praesidio Atqve Cvstodia, Tigvri (1595) is a limp vellum binding sewn on alum tawed thongs laced through the cover. On receipt the tawed supports were broken at the point of lacing-in, leaving the textblock loose from the cover. In addition the upper endpaper was missing, leaving the parchment guard loosely attached to the textblock.
Repairs to the textblock included paper repairs to the title page, back endpaper and guarding the first three sections. A new endpaper was also toned and cut to fit the textblock and reattached with the original parchment guard. Prior to reattaching the parchment guard was humidified, flattened and photographed.
Once the paper repair was completed thin braid was attached on top of the original tawed cords by sewing through the original sewing holes and around the old cord and new braid. Braid was chosen rather than new tawed thongs to allow the repaired textblock to fit back into the original case. Once the braid was attached the textblock was given a Japanese patch paper lining adhered with wheat starch paste.
The parchment case was dry cleaned using a smoke sponge and wet cleaned with 50:50 IMS and water. The case was humidified and left to dry around the repaired textblock to maintain its original shape. A toned parchment patch was applied to the spine where a hole left the textblock exposed. Finally the new braid was laced through the original lacing holes and the book was given a custom box.
View of parchment cover before conservation
View of parchment cover after conservation with new braid lacing
Inside cover and title page before conservation
Parchment guard before conservation
Parchment guard after conservation
View of inside cover and new endpaper after conservation
Title page and new endpaper after conservation
View of spine after cleaning and with parchment patch at tail end near the S