- “Feldtbuch der Wundt Artzney” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “La Harangue fait au Consistoire a messeigneurs les Cardinaux” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “Holy Bible—Geneva” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “De Humani Corporis Epitome” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septum” Final Treatment Report
- “Isagogae breves” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “King James Bible” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “Paraphrase” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “The Workes of Benjamin Jonson” Final Treatment Report
- “Vitæ Patrum” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
- “Omnia haec uolumina quæ Virgilius Maro…” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
“Feldtbuch der Wundt Artzney” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1551
12¼”h x 7¾”w x 1 3/8″d
Property of Duke University Medical Center Library, Trent Collection, History of Medicine Collections, Durham, NC
Brief Condition Report
The textblock was bound in a stiff board vellum binding both inappropriate to the period and place of printing and harmful to the textblock as the folded over fore-edge had pulled back and was rubbing against paper. The single foldout had prior paper repairs and hide glue residue on the verso as well. The remainder of the textblock also showed a few instances of prior paper repairs as well as additional damage not yet addressed. All colored inks are original to printing date; the green utilized on the foldout proved to by sensitive to moisture although not fully hydrophobic. Linen hinges and modern endpapers were added in the late 1990s according to pencil notations on the back pastedown.
Final Treatment Report
The textblock was removed from the case and surface cleaned with a latex sponge. Linen hinges from the endpapers and prior repairs were removed using a rice starch paste poultice and limited application time, especially on the verso of the foldout. Due to the slightly hydrophobic nature of the green pigment on the foldout, the decision was made to leave the hide glue residue in place. Tears and areas of loss were repaired using Tengujo 5g and 13g, Mitsumata, and rice starch paste. A double layer of Lime kozo was hinged onto the textblock at the front and back to prevent the new Western handmade endpapers from rubbing against the colored illustrations on the title page and the verso of the last leaf. Western handmade papers of MacGregor “Tested Conservation Laid” were sewn onto the textblock using 30/3 linen thread with the sewing commencing two signatures into the textblock on each end for stability. A release layer of kozo T-5 was applied shoulder to shoulder with rice starch paste and an extended lining of Ulster Irish linen was adhered with a mixture of rice starch paste and poly vinyl acetate (PVA). New endbands of 20mm linen thread with an 8 cord core were sewn onto the textblock in the German primary style and then a hollow made from a light toned Moriki paper using PVA then adhered to the spine using the mixture.
A new binding of alum-tawed calf skin was constructed using .98 binders board, acid-free cardstock inserts, and rice starch paste. The alum-tawed calf was thinned significantly at the turn-ins, the endcaps, and the joints. The boards were chamfered to thin the profile at the edges. The textblock was cased in using PVA for the hollow and rice starch paste for the pastedowns. A period appropriate tooling pattern was researched, designed, and executed. Two bookplates from the original binding were lifted from the front pastedown and hinged onto the new pastedown with Manryo and rice starch paste.
A custom made clamshell was constructed from .110 binders’ board and PVA. The bottom tray was constructed to hold the original stiff board vellum binding in a drawer underneath the compartment where the new binding is stored; a ribbon pull facilitates movement of the drawer. The trays were covered in a cream colored Brillianta and the case was covered with a cream and dark blue toned conservation linen. A gold stamped black goatskin label was adhered to the spine edge with PVA.
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“La Harangue fait au Consistoire a messeigneurs les Cardinaux” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1589
Dimensions Unknown
Property of The Folger Shakespeare Library
Brief Condition Report
The pamphlet consists of four signatures, stab sewn together and housed in an acidic pamphlet binder. The hinging material holding the pamphlet into the binder is also acidic. The stab sewing is causing damage to the paper where the stitchs pull when the textblock is opened.
Final Treatment Report
The textblock was removed from its current binding. The stab sewing was removed. Adhesive remnants on the first and last pages were carefully removed using methylcellulose poultices and saliva enzymes. All external folios were guarded using Hanji 1104 tissue and starch paste. The signatures were then sewn into a heavyweight paper cover using 35/3 linen thread and a long stitch.
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“Holy Bible—Geneva” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1599
23.5cm h x 17.0cm w x 7.0cm d
Property of Kellenberger Library, Northwest Christian University
Brief Condition Report
The current sheepskin binding had been rebacked with new sheep and a title label was added. The new spine was beginning to tear along the joints and wear over the bands. Areas of loss had been repaired with Western paper with some obscuring of information and staining from adhesive.
Final Treatment Report
The textblock was removed from its case, the signatures were separated using a methylcellulose poultice, and the sewing was pulled. Each page was surface cleaned. The inks found throughout the book were tested for solubility in water. The textblock was immersed first in an ethanol bath to assist in removing staining and then in successive water baths. Folios without iron gall ink manuscript were aqueously deacidified using calcium hydroxide and folios with iron gall ink were non-aqueously deacidified using Bookkeeper once dried. Once dry, the leaves were resized using Methylcellulose and allowed to air dry prior to humidification and flattening under weight.
Tears and areas of loss were repaired using a Hanji tissue, Tengujo 13g, Kashiki, and wheat starch paste. Damaged folds were repaired or created using Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste. The textblock was then resewn on single cords with a two-on abbreviated sewing structure using lightly waxed 40/3 linen thread. New endpapers of TwinRocker Chapin were sewn on. The spine was lined with a release layer of kozo T-5 then a layer of RK-29, both running from shoulder to shoulder and applied with rice starch paste. New endbands in the German primary style were sewn on using 20mm linen thread in two colors. The spine was then lined with suede applied with a mixture of poly vinyl acetate (PVA) and rice starch paste and sanded smooth.
New boards were cut, lined with Mohawk 80lb weight machine made paper adhered with rice starch paste, and then shaped. The sewing supports and endbands were then used to lace on the boards with the terminus on the inside of the boards. The boards and spine were then covered in calf using rice starch paste and the binding was tied with smooth cord. A period appropriate tooling pattern was researched, designed, and executed. A new title label of burgundy goat was stamped in gold and adhered to the spine. The publication date was stamped directly onto the spine in gold. The leather was then treated with Snowproof and Renaissance Wax to consolidate the surface. Historical bookplates were removed from the old binding, lined with Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste, and then mounted onto the new front pastedown with rice starch paste.
Collation notes: Pagination stops at page 434 in the Old Testament and picks up again at page 441 in the New Testament; leaves 439 and 400 appear to have been skipped.
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“De Humani Corporis Epitome” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1543
Dimensions: 21″h x 15¼”w x 3/8″d
Property of Duke Medical Center Library, Trent Collection, History of Medicine Collections, Durham, NC
Brief Condition Report
The textblock had previously been rebound in a paste paper binding with a vellum spine and vellum toes. The endpapers were extremely acidic. Although the binding was intact, the materials it was constructed of were considered too acidic to be retained on the textblock. Also, the cockling of the textblock was interfering with usage and creating a greater risk of future damage. Prior paper repairs using questionable materials and staining from previous water damage were additional concerns.
Final Treatment Report
The textblock was surface cleaned with a latex sponge. Collation of the textblock was confirmed as was the structure of the folios; due to the size of the textblock, all folios were made folios, hinged together at the fold area rather than being a single piece of paper. The size of the textblock required the leaves to be printed cross-grained causing a significant amount of cockling and creasing through the center of the leaves; the degree of cockling was such that smooth function of the textblock was hindered. The textblock was removed from its binding, and the sewing was pulled. The spine was poulticed with rice starch paste to remove residual adhesives and the signatures were separated. All folios were treated with an ethanol and water based aqueous treatment; ethanol was used in the first bath to reduce the surface tension of the water and assist in even penetration then subsequent baths were water only. A majority of the made folios separated during this process and prior paper repairs were removed. All folios except the title folio were aqueously alkalized using Calcium Hydroxide; the title folio was non-aqueously alkalized using Bookkeeper due to the iron gall ink manuscript. All leaves/folios began the drying process on a suction table in an effort to decrease the cockling and creasing at the center of the leaves. Once the aqueous treatment was completed, but prior to the alkalization of the title folio, all folios were resized using methylcellulose.
All tears and areas of loss were mended with Kozo T-5, Tengujo 13g, and rice starch paste. The third to last leaf had previously been badly torn through the middle of the page and repaired with a paper mend. Since the textblock had been printed cross-grained, the tensions of the paper shifted significantly during the drying making it impossible for the edges of the tear to meet. To mend this leaf, the leaf was placed on mylar, dampened, mended on the verso while damp using Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste, and then dried under moderate weight. Although the edges of the tear did shift apart a little while drying, the mending tissue was able to bridge the tensions in the paper successfully. The tear was also then mended with Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste from the recto of the leaf to ensure sufficient strength in the area of the tear. Once mended, the folios that had separated during the aqueous treatment were recreated using rice starch paste. The textblock was resewn on split alum-tawed cords using a lightly waxed 18/3 linen thread and a RK-29 concertina. New handsewn reverse bead endbands were sewn using linen thread on alum-tawed cores. New endpapers of Ruscombe Dark laid 90 gsm were sewn on during the resewing process; due to the size and structure of the textblock, these endpapers were also made folios.
Since all of the original paper was covered by the RK-29 concertina during the sewing process, no release layer was applied to the spine. Irish Linen panels and a full suede lining were adhered using a mixture of rice starch paste and polyvinyl acetate (PVA). Each layer was allowed to dry prior to the next layer being applied. Once both layers were dry, the suede was sanded to create smooth panels and reduce the ridges created by the endbands and sewing thread; the suede was then consolidated using rice starch paste.
Boards were made of .98 binder’s board lined with Mohawk 81 lb paper adhered with rice starch paste on the side adjacent to the textblock; the Mohawk is intended to help counteract the eventual pull of the leather covering. The boards were chamfered and the interior spine edge was sanded to replicate the angle of the textblock’s shoulder. The boards were then laced on using the alum-tawed thongs and endband cores. The exterior of the boards were then lined with 10 pt. acid-free cardstock and rice starch paste and sanded to reduce ridges from the alum-tawed thongs and endband cores.
Brown calf was pared at the spine, the turn-ins, and the endcaps and then adhered to the textblock and boards using rice starch paste. The endcaps were shaped to fit the period of the textblock and the spine was tied up to confirm the adhesion of the leather to the panels and edges of the thongs and left to dry. The pastedowns were adhered using rice starch paste with a little PVA at the hinges to ensure strength and a slightly more rapid drying time in that area.
A tooling pattern was researched and designed based upon bindings from the same time and place as the printing. The tooling pattern was sketched onto the binding and executed freehand. A burgundy calf label was stamped in gold and mount onto the spine at the title panel. The binding was waxed with Snowproof wax. A clamshell was custom made to the dimensions of the new binding using .110 binder’s board, Brillianta and Canapetta cloths, and PVA.
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“De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septum” Final Treatment Report
Details
De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septum—Andreas Vesalius
1543
17 3/8″h x 11 ½”w x 3 3/8″d
Property of Duke Medical Center Library. Trent Collection, History of Medicine Collections, Durham, NC
The object was comprised of its original wooden boards and intact sewing structure and board attachment. The spine had previously been rebacked twice. The first rebacking effort was a partial extending across two thirds of the spine and culminating underneath the leather of the front board but not incorporating the back joint or board. The second reback was a full reback in goat with an additional layer of leather at the endcaps to provide more thickness. The spine was minimally tooled with a single title label. The leather from these rebacks was removed early in the treatment process to facilitate access to the loosened front signature and the title label was lifted and retained. The original leather on the front and back boards was lifted from the spine edge outwards to facilitate removal of the rebacks. Once the leather was removed, the bands were consolidated with RK-29 and rice starch paste running from board to board and every effort was made to avoid opening the textblock past a 90° angle.
The outer margins of the pages were surface cleaned with a latex sponge. The first signature of the textblock was removed. The oil stains at the gutters of the folios were reduced via an acetone bath and then subsequently washed in water. The first signature was guarded as needed with Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste and then resewn into the textblock using lightly waxed 25/3 linen thread and the existing sewing supports. One signature in the center of the textblock had broken sewing and this was also caught up using lightly waxed 25/3 linen thread and the existing sewing supports. All new sewing was begun two signatures into stable areas of the textblock and ended either two signatures past the loosened signatures or at the end of the textblock. All tears and areas of loss were repaired with Tengujo 5g and 13g, Matsuo 16g, and Mitsumata using rice starch paste; various combinations of paper were used depending upon the color and weight of the original paper.
Once the first signature was reattached, a release layer of kozo T-5 was applied shoulder to shoulder with rice starch paste. A full lining of Ulster Irish linen was applied to the spine from shoulder to shoulder over the release layer with rice starch paste; a full lining was determined to be more supportive of the original bands. New handsewn endbands were created off the textblock to limit potential stress on original textblock sewing. The endbands were in the German primary style sewn with a neutral color 20mm linen thread over Clarkson cord wrapped in Ulster Irish linen. These were adhered to the head and tail of the spine with poly vinyl acetate (PVA) over the full extended lining and the ends of the cord frayed and adhered to the original wooden boards with a mixture of PVA and rice starch paste. The decision was made to utilize this mixture due to the more impenetrable nature of the wooden boards. The cords were placed to rest over the dowels remaining in the holes chiseled into the boards for the original endbands. The spine was then fully lined with two layers of suede adhered with rice starch paste, sanded smooth, and consolidated with rice starch paste.
Once the spine was consolidated, oil stains on the pastedowns were reduced in situ utilizing acetone held in a fuller’s earth poultice. Small attempts to lift the pastedowns were made to determine feasibility prior to oil reduction attempts. This tactic was deemed inappropriate after viewing the hesitancy of the pastedown to shift intact and after discovering the existence of waste parchment underneath the paper pastedowns.
The spine was rebacked using vegetable tanned calf skin and rice starch paste. The lifted leather was readhered with rice starch paste. The binding was then tied with a twined cord and left to dry overnight. No effort was made to build up the area of the board covered by the new leather to match the thickness of the original leather. This was in keeping with the previous rebacks and deemed appropriate as no other efforts were made to disguise the treatments performed. The interior hinges were repaired with Lime kozo and rice starch paste. The original title label was lined with Kashiki and remounted with rice starch paste. The new leather was then waxed with Snowproof and Renaissance Wax to seal the surface and provide a visually similar sheen to the original leather. Areas of loss in the original leather at the corners of the boards were determined to be stable and therefore left as is to provide visual affirmation of the wooden boards.
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“Isagogae breves” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
Isagogae breves
1523
Dimensions Unknown
Property of Duke University Medical Center Library, Trent Collection, History of Medicine Collections, Durham, NC
Brief Condition Report
Prior to start of treatment, there were small tears throughout the textblock and the limp board vellum cover had cockled in such a way as to no longer fit the textblock appropriately. The front fly leaf and first leaf were tipped together at the gutter and had separated from the remainder of the textblock although they were still attached to the front cover.
Final Treatment Report
Tears in the textblock were repaired with Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste. The Binding was removed from the textblock and the loose leaves were removed from the binding. The front fly leaf and first leaf were separated from each other by applying moisture via a q-tip directly to the adhered areas only. Once released, the loose leaves were guarded together and hinged back onto the textblock using Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste. The spine was then lined with a release layer of kozo T-5 and rice starch paste followed by an extended lining Lime kozo adhered with rice starch paste and a hollow made from RK-29 and adhered with a mix of rice starch paste and poly vinyl acetate (PVA) for flexibility.
The cover was humidified by suspending it on a screen placed above warm water in a sealed chamber. Once the vellum became sufficiently flexible, it was reshaped around the textblock with mylar barriers between the textblock and the cover and then allowed to adjust to ambient humidity levels between blotter and under weight. Once the vellum had equalized, the textblock was cased back in place with the extended Lime kozo layer and rice starch paste. An additional hinge of Lime kozo was adhered running from the gutter edge of the fly leaves up onto the gutter edge of the pastedowns utilizing rice starch paste.
A custom made clamshell box was made from .110 binders board and PVA. The trays were covered in a cream Brillianta with PVA and the case was covered in a cream and brown toned conservation linen using PVA. A gold stamped brown goatskin label was applied to the spine using PVA.
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“King James Bible” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1611
Dimensions: 29.2cm h x 43.2cm w
Property of The National Cathedral, on loan to The Folger Shakespeare Library
Brief Condition Report
The binding is dark red goatskin over pulp or pasteboards. There are silk ties on the front and back boards; the color has faded but they could have been red or dark orange originally. There is elaborate gold tooling on the front and back boards as well as the spine. The textblock is comprised of a handmade laid paper with a grain direction going parallel to the spine; the paper has been trimmed. The endpapers are also a handmade laid paper but have a grain direction perpendicular to the spine. The spine of the binding has been rebacked and the board corners have been repaired with red calfskin. The original spine piece was adhered over the calf reback. Both boards are detached and the board corners and edges are soft and frayed. The leather is lifting from the boards in various areas. The edges of the spine are fragile/brittle and small pieces are missing. The headcaps are extremely brittle and fragile. The cord inserted into the turn-ins are showing and are coming loose. There are minor abrasions , scratches, and cracks on the front and back boards. The silk ties are wrinkled and frayed.
The textblock has overall fine dust and dirt in the gutters. Overall discoloration and slight staining (more pronounced though at the edges) throughout the textblock. The flyleaves are somewhat creased, wrinkled, tattered and show small losses. Overall minor discoloration, more pronounced discoloration around the edges. The upper right corner shows some larger and more pronounced area of discoloration, which was caused by the red leather ex libris on the paste down opposite from it. The title page is tattered and shows small losses and fine creases (probably caused during the printing process). Minor overall discoloration. The first section, including the fly leaf, is beginning to come loose.
Final Treatment Report
Due to its loosened state, the first signature was removed fully from the textblock. Tears and areas of loss at the front and back of the textblock were mended in order to improve the paper’s ability to survive future handling. The structural stability of the separated signature was increased by repairing the folds as needed. In preparation for reattaching the loose signature, extensions of the sewing supports were made and adhered using. The separated signature was then resewn into place for maximum functionality.
To increase the long-term durability of the board reattachment repairs, the original leather at the spine edges of both boards as well and the board edges of the spine was manually lifted. The front board was primarily reattached via adhesion of the sewing supports to the board. Both joints were then repaired using a laminate structure of thin calf toned with acrylics and airplane cotton. The laminate of thin calf and airplane cotton was chosen for its extreme strength and durability as well as its ability to blend in with the original leather surface. The leather was toned with acrylics in anticipation of its need to blend in with the color tones of both the original binding and the previous calf reback. The edges of the lifted leather were sanded to a beveled edge attempting to remove as much of the excess leather as possible in order to facilitate a smooth transition from the repair to the original leather. As the grain layer of the original leather is very friable and access to the underside was somewhat limited due to the previous reback, efforts to sand the leather were halted prior to a smooth transition being obtained. Small portions of the calf used in the reback were removed on a bevel from the joint area of the front board using a scalpel blade to further assist in creation of a smooth transition; this was only partially successful as well.
The leather/airplane cotton laminate was adhered to the spine edge of the textblock using polyvinyl acetate (PVA) for its flexibility and strength. The original leather of the binding’s spine was then readhered using Lascaux 498 for its reversibility, flexibility, and rapid drying characteristics. Once the repairs were in place on the spine, they were adhered to the boards using wheat starch paste for its reversibility and extended working time. The original leather on the boards was then readhered using Lascaux 498, for the reasons stated above. Once the repairs and the original leather were in place, a medium weight Korean tissue was shaped to cover the repair uniformly and overlap just the slightest onto the original leather. This was done intending to prevent wear and potential damage to the edges of the original leather as the manual creation of a smooth transition was not feasible without significant loss of original leather and tooling.
The delaminating boards exposed at the corners were consolidated using wheat starch paste to prevent them from further damage. The exposed board was then covered using a heavy weight Korean tissue adhered with wheat starch paste. Areas at the head and tail of the board next to the spine edges where the leather was cut to facilitate lifting the leather were then repaired using heavy weight Korean tissue and wheat starch paste. The paper repairs were consolidated using Klucel G to prevent fraying of the fibers when handled. Once consolidated, acrylics were used to build up multiple layers of color to exactly replicate the shifting color tones and discolorations of the original leather.
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“Paraphrase” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1551
Dimensions: 31.3 cm h x 21.5 cm w x 10.3 cm d
Property of Kellenberger Library, Northwest Christian University
Condition Report
The rebinding is in fair condition although the front board is detached. Corners have been previously restored with leather. There is wear to the edges and faces of boards. The endbands are damaged; the tailband is missing. The textblock is foliated. The book has sustained water damage including stains, mud deposits, and inactive mold. This has weakened the paper along the tail margins, focusing on the beginning and end of the book. There is surface grime throughout, especially bad in the first ten and last eight leaves. The textblock edges are grimy as well. There are minor wax and oil stains. Signatures are loose from the beginning of the book up to signature “E.” There are pages missing, both at the beginning and end of the book. Folio liiii is very grimy with a large loss. It is not as wide as the rest of the textblock and appears to have been loose before the book was rebound. There are several instances of manuscript: at the end of “Unto the Kings Majesty,” “Unto the Reader,” folio iii, folio cxcii, and folio cccccviii. There are tears, losses, and loose leaves. The paper is acidic and there is minor insect damage.
Final Treatment Report
The textblock was surface cleaned with a latex sponge. The spine of the binding was manually lifted from the textblock and retained. The textblock was disbound at the front through to signature D/xxx and the last two signatures at the back. Washed leaves were aqueously deacidified with calcium hydroxide and resized with methyl cellulose. Tears and losses in the textblock were mended with Tengujo 13g, a Hanji tissue, and Kashiki using rice starch paste. Damaged folds were guarded with Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste. The removed signatures were reattached using 40/3 linen thread and new endpapers of Ruscombe Dark laid 90g were incorporated at this time.
The missing portion of the sewing cords between the spine and the front board were recreated using Clarkson linen cord and rice starch paste. The spine was then lined with a release layer of Kozo T-5 adhered with rice starch paste, panels of RK 27 adhered over the raised bands and onto the boards with rice starch paste, and Irish linen panels between the cords with a mixture of rice starch paste and polyvinyl acetate (PVA). New endbands of linen thread were sewn off the book using the English primary style and then adhered to the spine with a mixture of rice starch paste and PVA.
The boards were consolidated with Klucel G. The leather on the spine edges of the boards was manually lifted in preparation for a reback. The reback was performed using calf adhered with rice starch paste and PVA and toned with acrylics. The lifted leather on the front and back boards was readhered with rice starch paste. The boards were restored with moriki adhered with rice starch paste, consolidated with a mixture of Klucel G and SC6000, toned with watercolors, and then consolidated again with a mixture of Klucel G and SC6000. The original spine was remounted using rice starch paste and the exposed leather of the reback was consolidated with Snowproof.
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“The Workes of Benjamin Jonson” Final Treatment Report
Details
1616
Dimensions: 11 1/8″h x 7½”w x 3″d
Property of Anonymous
Final Treatment Report
The textblock was surface cleaned with latex sponges and Magic Rub eraser crumbles. Collation of the textblock was confirmed, the textblock was removed from its binding, and the sewing was pulled. The spine of the textblock was poulticed with rice starch paste to remove residual adhesive and the signatures were separated into folios. The inks used to hand color the illustrated title pages, the decorated initials, and the hand-drawn images were tested to determine solubility in water and ethanol. As the inks all tested reactive to one degree or another, all were fixed using a thick hot-melt cyclododecane applied with a brush. Excess cyclododecane was removed from areas surrounding the inks with a heat spatula. Once all inks were fixed, the folios were treated with an ethanol/water treatment; the use of ethanol was heavy and consistent throughout the bath process due to its ability to cause an increased shifting of the discoloration in the paper. After testing several of the more heavily stained folios, it was determined that although the water showed clear movement of the degradants from the paper to the water, the staining was actually a little brighter in some areas with an increased copper coloration. The client was contacted to determine if additional aqueous treatment was desired despite this shift and the client agreed based upon the amount of material that was shifting out of the paper through the aqueous treatment process. During the aqueous treatment, the last leaf of the textblock was separated from the endpaper it had been mounted onto. Once the aqueous treatment was complete, the folios were sized with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose; hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was chosen due to its very low water content and the potential reactivity of the colored inks as the cyclododecane layer began to thin. Once resized, the folios were non-aqueously deacidified using Bookkeeper since a majority of the folios had some iron gall ink manuscript. Any remaining cyclododecane was forcefully sublimated using a hair drier.
Tears in the folios were mended using Tengujo 13g, Kashiki, and rice starch paste. The area of loss in the last leaf of the textblock was left unfilled due to the evidence on the verso of the previous leaf that the loss had been in existence from before even the staining and its inherent stability. Damaged folds were guarded with Tengujo 13g and rice starch paste. As the original title page was missing, a copy was made of an image of the original title page and was printed on TwinRocker Rotunda laid. This title page was hinged onto the first signature. The textblock was resewn on double linen cords using 35/3 linen thread, lightly waxed. New endpapers of TwinRocker Rotunda wove were sewn onto the textblock as part of the resewing process. New reverse bead endbands were hand sewn using an olive green colored linen thread. The spine was lined with a piece of Kozo T-5 adhered with rice starch paste as a release layer, Irish linen adhered to the panels using a mixture of rice starch paste and polyvinyl acetate (PVA), and suede adhered with the same mixture. Each layer was allowed to dry prior to the next layer being adhered. Once all layers were dry, the suede was sanded to create smooth panels between the cords and then the suede was consolidated with rice starch paste.
New boards were made from .110 binder’s board lined with two layers of Mohawk 81 lb acid-free paper on the side of the board adjacent to the textblock. The boards were chamfered and back cornered to replicate a binding period to the textblock and then laced onto the textblock using the sewing cords and the endband cores. Once these were laced on and the boards were in place, the cords and endband cores were hammered as flat as possible and then the exterior of the boards were lined with three layers of 10 pt. acid free cardstock; the cardstock was then sanded over the cords and endband cores to create a smooth exterior surface to the boards.
Brown calf was pared in the spine, turn-ins, and endcap areas and the adhered to the textblock and boards using rice starch paste. The endcaps were shaped in a fashion typical of the period and the spine was tied up to ensure adherence of the leather to the panels and the edges of the cords. The hinges were adhered onto the boards using a mixture of rice starch paste and PVA for strength and a more rapid drying time. The pastedowns were adhered separately using rice starch paste due to the extreme expansion characteristics the handmade Western paper displayed when dampened out with paste.
A period tooling pattern was designed based upon patterns exhibited by other bindings from the time and place of printing. The boards and spine were blackened and tooled and a new label of burgundy calf was stamped in gold and adhered to the title panel of the spine. The binding was then waxed using Snowproof and Renaissance Wax. A clamshell was custom-made for the new binding using .110 binder’s board, Brillianta and Canapetta cloths, and PVA.
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“Vitæ Patrum” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1495
Dimensions Unknown
Property of The Folger Shakespeare Library
Brief Condition Report
The book is in good condition except that the back board is detached and that both endpapers in the back are torn and the middle piece is loose.
Final Treatment Report
The endpapers were repaired using Zin Shofu paste. The boards were reattached using German airplane cotton bridges at the head and tail and Hanji paper on the hinge and joint. The paper was toned with colored pencils on the hinge and acrylics on the joint. Exterior repairs were waxed lightly with Renaissance Wax to consolidate.
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“Omnia haec uolumina quæ Virgilius Maro…” Brief Condition and Final Treatment Reports
Details
1475
Dimensions Unknown
Property of The Folger Shakespare Library
Condition Report
Binding not contemporary or original to textblock. Both boards are detached with the sewing supports broken at the joints. The front fly leaf and endpapers are detached from the textblock and the binding; the front fly leaf is a made endpaper. The front fly leaf and the first endpaper have manuscript and the first endpaper has a manuscript notation attached to it on three corners at the head. Both of the endpapers are creased approximately a third of the width away from the spine creating a weak spot. The sewing thread at the first signatures is exposed due to the detached leaves. There is surface grime throughout. The first leaf of the text has minor damage and loss at the tail, a larger area of loss at the head gutter edge, and minor loss and damage to the head edge overall. The textblock shows staining at the head for most of it’s depth with some movement/fading of the hand applied colored inks. There are instances of insect damage at the spine in several places throughout the textblock; the damage is significant enough and intrudes far enough into the folio folds to be a structural concern in between part IX “G?itor bellis affuetus: ipfe puer…” and part X “quæ contxa uetitum difcordio: prohibitionem…”. Seven leaves have been razored out of the textblock at the back in between “Taurus: item gemini: fequit’quos…” and “Quid iuuat æstiuo defeffum puluere…” There are tears on the tail and towards the tail of the fore-edge in various places throughout. The back fly leaf and second endpaper are detached; the first endpaper is still attached to the textblock. The leather is worn and scuffed on the board edges and is lifting away from the board on the inside edge. The bulk of the board along the edge is exposed. The spine of the binding is intact and well adhered to the spine of the textblock. The tail headband and both headcaps were removed as part of a preventative preservation exercise previously practiced at the Folger. There is some loss of leather at the head panel towards the back board. The spine shows several worn areas over the raised bands. The joints and the board have been repaired previously using new leather and tooling over it to replicate original.
Final Treatment Report
Tears and areas of loss were mended/infilled using Japanese and Korean papers and starch paste. Areas of insect damage noted in the condition report above were determined to be of insufficient concern to warrant mending and infilling. The detached endpapers were tipped together with strips of Korean paper incorporated in between each endpaper and the fly leaf at the spine edge. The consolidated endpapers were then tipped back onto the textblock. Abraded areas of the spine and boards were consolidated using 2% Klucel G. The boards were reattached in two manners. The first involved piercing through the fold at the center of the first and last signatures on either side of the second and the fifth sewing support. Thread was then run through these holes with the loose ends positioned on the exterior of the spine so that the thread looped around the sewing support inside the signature. The loose ends were then tucked underneath the leather of the spine and adhered onto the surface of the boards underneath the original leather using starch paste. The second manner of board attachment involved pieces of German airplane cotton placed at the head and tail of the spine and both boards underneath the original leather; these pieces were adhered using polyvinyl acetate. Once the threads and cotton were in place, the lifted leather on the boards and spine were reattached using starch paste. The Korean paper strips incorporated into the endpapers were adhered to the spine edge of the boards using starch paste, allowed to dry, and the excess was removed. The exterior repairs were covered with Korean paper applied using polyvinyl acetate and Klucel G. Areas of loss in the spine at the head and tail were infilled using Korean paper, PVA, and Klucel G. Interior hinge repairs were toned prior to being incorporated into the endpapers using acrylics and were then toned again once in place using colored pencils to replicate the patterning in the marbled paper. The exterior repairs were toned using acrylics and consolidated lightly with Renaissance Wax to mimic the sheen of the leather.