[Enter your text here]
CLIENT INFORMATION
Name: Client Information removed for privacy
Date Recieved: 4/27/09
Date Recieved: 4/27/09Address: Deadline:5/29/09
Deadline:5/29/09Telephone: Email:
Email: ITEM INFORMATION
Title: The Plays of William Shakspeare, Vol. 7: Love’s Labour’s Lost; Merchant of Venice.
Author: William Shakspeare (yes, spelled without the e)
Place of Publication: London
Date of Publication: 1803
Type of Binding: Sawn in cords with full leather binding in blue with gilding. False bands.
Other:
CONDITION UPON RECEIPT
The front board and fly leaf have become detached at the joint. (Figs. 1a, 2a, 3a)
There is considerable abrasion to the spine and corners of the book. (Figs. 8a, 9a)
The headcaps have all but worn away at both the head and tail, and the endbands at both head and tail have abraded as a result. The endband at the head is very badly damaged, with the top core of the double core endband exposed, and broken. (Figs. 5a, 6a)
Although the boards are laced on, the cords are either hanging on “by a thread”, or have broken entirely. (Fig. 4)
The textblock is in overall good condition and opens nicely, although some pages are overly stiff due to the printing of their illustrations (Fig. 7)
TREATMENT OBJECTIVE
To make the book into a useable copy that closely resembles the original.
TREATMENT PROPOSAL
1)Stabilize existing spine leather with Klucel-G
Stabilize existing spine leather with Klucel-G2)Re-sew or stabilize the existing endbands.
Re-sew or stabilize the existing endbands.3)Re-back the book with leather of a matching color, ensuring that the boards are firmly attached.
Re-back the book with leather of a matching color, ensuring that the boards are firmly attached.4)Repair the corners.
Repair the corners.TREATMENT PREFORMED
1)The spine was consolidated with a 2% solution of Klucel-G before it was removed.
The spine was consolidated with a 2% solution of Klucel-G before it was removed. 2)Removed the boards, and lifted the leather on the covers to the tooled line.
Removed the boards, and lifted the leather on the covers to the tooled line.3)Added 20 pt. cardstock to the boards so that the new leather will be flush with the original after the re-back is complete.
Added 20 pt. cardstock to the boards so that the new leather will be flush with the original after the re-back is complete. 4)Added a cloth hinge to the boards, which will be the means of attachment for the boards, and serve as a spine lining.
Added a cloth hinge to the boards, which will be the means of attachment for the boards, and serve as a spine lining.5)Cleaned the spine of the textblock with methylcellulose to remove old linings and adhesives.
Cleaned the spine of the textblock with methylcellulose to remove old linings and adhesives.6)The spine was lined with kizukishi, applied with paste.
The spine was lined with kizukishi, applied with paste. 7)Sewed on new double core endbands in green, red, and white silk thread, with cores made of #6 cord. These endbands approximate the appearance of the originals.
Sewed on new double core endbands in green, red, and white silk thread, with cores made of #6 cord. These endbands approximate the appearance of the originals.8)Re-attached the boards, using the cloth hinge as a spine lining.
Re-attached the boards, using the cloth hinge as a spine lining.9)Added a one on, two off hollow tube lining. This was allowed to dry overnight, under Velcro.
Added a one on, two off hollow tube lining. This was allowed to dry overnight, under Velcro.10)Re-backed the book with navy blue goatskin from Harmatan.
Re-backed the book with navy blue goatskin from Harmatan. 11)Re-adhered the lifted leather on the outer covers.
Re-adhered the lifted leather on the outer covers.12)Up until this point, every effort had been made to save the original endpapers and flyleaves, but they proved to be too brittle. During the re-backing process, the pastedowns cracked and flaked away at the turn-ins. The flyleaves cracked severely when attempting to add a paper joint. The decision was made to remove the flyleaf and pastedown, and as they would likely continue to suffer damage over time. New single folio endpapers constructed from red Fabriano Ingres were tipped on. Paper matching the original endpapers could not be found, however it was decided that red was a suitable color, as it matched the endbands. Tipping the endpapers on proved to be the best solution to ensure that the pastedown would be properly adhered in the joint.
Up until this point, every effort had been made to save the original endpapers and flyleaves, but they proved to be too brittle. During the re-backing process, the pastedowns cracked and flaked away at the turn-ins. The flyleaves cracked severely when attempting to add a paper joint. The decision was made to remove the flyleaf and pastedown, and as they would likely continue to suffer damage over time. New single folio endpapers constructed from red Fabriano Ingres were tipped on. Paper matching the original endpapers could not be found, however it was decided that red was a suitable color, as it matched the endbands. Tipping the endpapers on proved to be the best solution to ensure that the pastedown would be properly adhered in the joint. 13)Scuff marks and losses in the original leather were re-dyed with a mixture of Sellaset Blue H and Selladern Brown H leather dye, diluted with distilled water. This greatly improved the finished appearance of the binding, while allowing some signs of age to remain.
Scuff marks and losses in the original leather were re-dyed with a mixture of Sellaset Blue H and Selladern Brown H leather dye, diluted with distilled water. This greatly improved the finished appearance of the binding, while allowing some signs of age to remain.14)The exposed corners of the boards were consolidated with PVA, and the dyed to match with the aforementioned mixture of leather dye.
The exposed corners of the boards were consolidated with PVA, and the dyed to match with the aforementioned mixture of leather dye.15)A 2% solution of Klucel-G was applied to the leather in any areas were additional cracking or flaking could prove problematic, i.e., the spine, board edges, and in proximity to the where the leather was lifted.
A 2% solution of Klucel-G was applied to the leather in any areas were additional cracking or flaking could prove problematic, i.e., the spine, board edges, and in proximity to the where the leather was lifted. PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
North Bennet Street School
39 North Bennet Street
Boston MA 02113
Bookbinding Department
Rebecca (Bexx) Caswell, student
bexx@centerfuse.net
Bexx CaswellBookbinding and Conservation PortfolioCONSERVATION TREATMENTS
