Derry Book 8

Grammatia, Hebraea Eliae Levitae, shelf mark HI a12 (1552) was in very poor condition on receipt. A large percentage of the leather was damaged or missing with the majority of the turn-in leather severely damaged. While the textblock was in fairly good condition the parchment guards, endpapers, title page and last few pages were worn and damaged. These pages were repaired and the parchment guards removed. They were then humidified, photographed, repaired and resewn into place with a new handmade endpaper attached. The existing endband was also tacked down using a back bead sewing.

Once the textblock was stable a new point of attachment from board to textblock was needed. To do this I used sewing thread sewn around the original cords and slowly built up enough thread to create a cord. These new cords were then laced through the original lacing holes. Next a Japanese paper lining was pasted in place with a flange extending onto the outside of the boards.

Finally a toned archival calf leather reback was applied using Canadian wheat starch paste. Repairs to the missing portions of the cover leather were made using the German style. This involved pasting the repair leather to the reverse of the original and paring it from the back until it was the same thickness as the original. This method helped to maintain a smooth transition from original to new leather. Once the repairs were to the correct thickness the original leather was pasted to the cover boards and spine.

Front cover before conservation

Front cover after conservation

Back cover before conservation

Back cover after conservation

Spine before conservation

Spine after conservation

Head before conservation

Head after conservation

Inside of front cover before conservation

Inside of front cover after conservation

Inside of back cover before conservation

Inside of back board after conservation

Derry Book 5

On receipt Homer's Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Shelf mark HI c23, 1717) was in poor condition with the textblock separated from the case. The most interesting thing about the book was that the original sewing supports were still intact. Prior to any structural repair the textblock was cleaned, creases flattened and several pages washed in-situ using a suction table.

In order to maintain the as much original structure as possible I kept the original lacings, however reinforced them by lacing in new linen braid behind the supports. I was then able to re-sew the textblock around the original supports using the original sewing pattern and holes. The original endbands were also tacked into place using a back bead stitch to hold secure.

Once the sewing was complete the sewn textblock received a new Japanese paper lining prior to recovering. Leather repairs were attached to the head and tailcaps where significant damage and loss had occurred as well as to the front tail end corner where a significant amount of leather was missing. These leather repairs were made using archival calf dyed with conservation leather dyes. After repairs were made the original leather was pasted to the book using Canadian wheat starch paste.

Front cover before conservation

Front cover after conservation with new leather corner covering

Back cover before conservation

Back cover after conservation

Inside front cover before conservation

Lacing in new linen tape under the original lacings for added support

Set-up used to re-sew the sections around the original lacings

Textblock re-sewn around original supports with Japanese paper lining

Front inside cover after conservation

Nearly detached endband before conservation

Close up view of original endband tacked down

View of spine after conservation

Amon Carter Work

The following book was repaired while I was volunteering at the Amon Carter Museum. The Carter both paper and photograph conservators in-house but no book conservator. I was asked to repair Paper and Paper-Making Ancient and Modern as it is used as a reference book in their conservation lab. On receipt the binding was broken at the joints leaving the spine vulnerable and exposed. New sewing supports were attached to the textblock and sewn around at the first, last and middle sections for added strength. The textblock then received a new linen lining to act as attachment to the case. Finally a new cloth reback was applied.

View of front cover before conservation

View of front cover after conservation

View of spine before conservation

View of spine after conservation with cloth reback

Derry Book 4

The following book (GII b9) received in-situ repair rather than full conservation treatment. The volume was made up of pamphlets of different dimensions sewn together in one volume. On receipt eight of the pamphlets were loose and in danger of being separated from the rest of the volume. First the loose sections were resewn in place around the original sewing supports. Next, to provide additional stability to the structure a new Japanese spine lining was pasted to the spine without removal of the cover leather.

The following images give further information as to how this repair was carried out. This method was developed by Alessandro Scola here at Derry & Raphoe, I found the method very innovative and effective.

View of loose pamphlets before conservation

Sliding reemay strips between cover leather and spine

First two strips of reemay were slipped between the leather and the spine. In the case of this book the leather came away from the spine creating a natural hollow, making this process relatively easy.

Book held tight with boards supported

Next the book was placed in a finishing press to compress the textblock in preparation for the lining. A camera stand was used to hold the boards and provide support to the joints during this process.

Japanese spine lining between reemay, being pulled onto spine

Next I pasted strips of spine lining paper and put them between the reemay strips (reemay, pasted paper, reemay). The strips should be longer on the side with the paper, but enough reemay needs to be on the other side to pull them through. Once in place I pulled the reemay, paper and reemay sandwich from one side to the other leaving a little extra Japanese paper on either side of the textblock. The piece of reemay closest to the textblock was then pulled out and the second piece left in place. After all the panels were lined, leaving the reemay in place I wrapped the book with a bandage to give some pressure on the new spine lining.

Removal of reemay after lining has dried under pressure from a bandage

Finally, after enough drying time I removed the bandage and reemay. In the case of my book I cut the excess paper flush with the textblock, however if you needed more support for the joint you could use the paper as a flange for added joint support.

Book completed with new lining

Derry Book 3

Attorney General (For Ireland) V Irish Society & Others is a compilation of court documents dating from 1891. On receipt it was discovered that the book was made up of several pamphlets sewn together at some point into one volume. Prior to conservation the volume was in poor condition with the sewing failing, leather covering broken down as well as poor attachment of textblock to case.

Conservation began with the textblock. The old adhesive was removed from the spine to make way for sewing repairs. The first three, last three and three sections in the center of the textblock were re-sewn around three new linen tapes to stabilize the sewing and provide a new attachment point to the case. Once sewing repair was complete a new Japanese paper spine lining was pasted on the spine along with a handmade paper lining for added support.

To repair the case I decided to give the binding a new cloth reback. Cloth was chosen over leather as the original leather was of poor quality, making a cloth reback more economical and sympathetic to the binding. The original spine was removed and a couple millimeters of the cover leather was removed to make way for the cloth reback. Next the boards were reattached by pasting the new linen tapes and Japanese paper flange into a slot in the cover boards. Finally the new cloth spine was attached under the lifted leather on the cover boards and turned in. The original spine was placed in an envelope for safe keeping and a box was made for the book.

It should be noted that the original binding had a leather yap around the three edges of each board. The majority of this overhanging leather was missing, leaving several areas of ragged leather. It was decided to turn-in this leather and adhere it to the inside of the boards using paste. The change in the binding was noted in the conservation report.

Front cover before conservation

Front cover after conservation View of back cover before conservation View of back cover after conservation

View of spine before conservation

View of spine after conservation with new toned cloth reback

Inside front cover before conservation

View of inside cover after conservation with Japanese hinge

Yap edges after conservation, glued down to prevent further damage

Private Work: TR004

Of the airline posters I received this one was in the worst condition. The thin paper it was printed on combined with poor storage caused a great deal of damage along the edges of the poster. Like the others this poster was dry cleaned and tape was removed prior to humidification. Temporary repairs were applied to areas of great weakness along the edges for added support during humidification and lining. Once the preparation work was completed the poster was lined with Japanese paper and paste. Areas of loss were then filled with repair paper. On completion the poster was more stable and able to lay flat.

Poster before conservation

Close up of bottom left hand corner before conservation

Close up of bottom left hand corner after conservation

Close up of top right hand corner before conservation

Close up of top right hand corner after conservation

Poster after conservation

Private Work: TR003

I received this poster along with several others that had been stored in rolls. The client was keen to frame several of his collection, however they needed relaxing, repair and lining before framing. Prior to any wet repair the poster was dry cleaned and several pieces of tape were removed from the front and back of the poster. Additionally, several temporary repairs were applied to the poster before relaxing and lining, this gave stability to the weakened areas before the lining was applied. Once relaxed the lining was applied with wheat starch paste and the areas of loss were filled with repair paper. On completion the poster was stronger and able to lay flat.

Poster before conservation

Close up example of damage before conservation

Close up of paper repair to bottom right corner

Poster after lining and repair

Private Work: TR002

I received this poster as part of a private collection of airline posters. On receipt they were tightly rolled and unable to lay flat. In addition there were a number of tears around the edges from poor storage. In order to strengthen them I decided to line the back with a thin Japanese tissue using wheat starch paste. Additional cosmetic repairs were required on the front of the posters where tears and losses had occurred. On completion the poster was relaxed and able to lay flat in preparation for display.

Poster before conservation

Close up of damage before conservation

Close up view of toned paper repair

Poster after treatment with new lining and paper repairs