Bibliopegia : or, The art of bookbinding in all its branches; illustrated with engravings

Front matter

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Preface

Another Edition of the “ Art of Bookbinding” having been called for, it is presented to the Trace and the Public, with such improvements and additions as the progress of the Art has brought into practice during the last few years, and is further illustrated with additional plates. A short Sketch of the rise and progress of the improvements in Modern Bookbinding has also been added, and it is believed that nothing has been omitted of real importance to the Work, or that may contribute to render it as complete as possible.

Preface To The First Edition

The following Treatise, in which will be found a variety of new, interesting, and valuable information, it is trusted, will supply u great desideratum ; no work relative to the Art of Bookbinding having been published in this country, that can be placed in the hands of the workman, calculated to assist him in the most important manipulations of his Art.

she utmost care has been taken to give the most clear und comprehensive gblions, in every department of the various processes required in binding a book, from the folding to the Final operation ; und though some slight imperfections may have crept in, from the difficulty attendant on the investigation of a subject, respecting which littie information could be derived from previous writers, it will be found that nothing has been omitted that could render the Work as complete us possible. To this end, in addivion to his own practical knowledge of the Art, the Author has availed himself of the communications of the best Workmen, and

also of such parts of the productions of M.Dudin, M. Lesne, M, Nurmand, M. Mairet, c., as experience has proved useful in practice.

A2 iv PREFACE.

Difference of opinion will doubtless arise as to the propriety of making known the more difficult operations of the Art ; but Science never lost by its general diffusion, and the clever workman will ever retain the elevated position which his taste, ingenuity, and attention entitle him to. With this view the work is submitted to the Trade, and public generally, as a miscellany of

_ real practical utility, and a record of the present state of the BIBLIOPE- “

GIstic ART.

A SHORT SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF

MODERN BOOKBINDING.

THE Art of Bookbinding has made such rapid advances in our day, particularly in the finishing department, which. has attained a remarkable degree of magnificence and beauty, that the best efforts of the Binders of any period have been fully equalled. To the superiority of the Machinery, Tools, &c., of which the workmen of the present times are enabled to avail themselves, and a careful study of the best speci-+ mens still left to us of early bindings, may be attributed, in a great measure, this result. The leading Bookbinders have now arrived at such excellence in the Art, that the most tasteful designs may frequently be seen executed on the bindings of a work on its first publication, and even on the cloth covers of many are now impressed designs of a character to illustrate the contents of the book, executed in a chaste and elaborate style, far different to the birds, ships, flowers, &c., often seen on bindings of the last, and beginning of the present century.

Having in another publication * fully entered into the History of Bookbinding from the earliest times, it will be unnecessary here to give a description of the Monastic Bindings or those that succeeded the invention of Printing,+ which were

* The Books of the Ancients, and History of the Art of Bookhinding, plates, 1Zmo, boards.—Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.

t¢ Since the above work was printed we have met with the following description of the Binding of an Ancient Book :—‘ The first Binders also of printed Books imitated the Bindings observed in ancient ¥rit-

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6 , PAE ART OF of a very substantial character, and often ornamented with expensive embellishments.

During the early part of the last century the general bindings were, with the exception of what was called Cambridge binding, from being executed at that place, of a depreciated character, many of them very clumsy, and devoid of taste in their ornament. ‘Towards the middle some degree of attention had begun to be paid to the improvement of bindings, the general kinds being, up to the end of the eighteenth century, nearly all executed to one pattern, viz. the sides marbled, the backs coloured brown, with morocco lettering pieces, and gilt.

ten Books—tho’ new methods came up in time. The occasion of the imitation was, that the Printed Books might look like MSS. and by that means bring in the greater gain. But ’tis not my business to enter into this curious subject.—All I have to do is to observe, that this book (which the more I have look’d upon the more I have always admired) hath two thick boards, each about an inch in thickness, for its covers, and that they were joined with the book by large leather thongs, which boards are now by length of time become very loose. Tho’ I have seen a vast number of old books and oftentimes examined their covers, yet I do not remember 1 ever saw boards upon any of them of so great thickness as these. This was the manner of Binding it seems of those times, especially if the books were books of extraordinary value as thisis. ’T'was usual to cut Letters in the Covers, and such letters were the better preserv’d by having them placed in some hollow part, which might easily be made if the boards were pretty thick. I suppose, therefore, that even the copies of Gregory’s Pastoral that were given to Cathedral Churches by King Alfred had such thick covers also, that these by the /Mstals might be fix’d the better. What makes me think so is, that the outside of one of the covers of this book is made hollow, and there is a rude sort of figure upon a brass plate that is fastened within the hollow part, which figure I take to have been designed for the Virgin Mary, to whom the Abbey was dedicated. Over it there was once fastened another much larger plate, as is plain from the Nails that fixed it and from some other small indications now extant,—and this ’tis likely was of silver, and perhaps there was an anathema against the Person that should presume to alienate it, engraved upon it—together with the Name of the Person (who it may be was Roger Poure) that was the Donor of the Book. This will make it to have been nothing else but an Astal, such a one (tho’ not so valuable) as was fastened upon Gregory’s Pastoral. But this I leave to every man’s judgment.’’—LELAND’s IT1n, Vol. 2. p. 86, Oxford, 1769.

BOOKBINDING. a

The artists of the earlier part of the period of which we have been treating must have been numerous, but few are known. Two German binders, of the name of Baumgarten and Benedict, were of considerable note, and in extensive employment in London during the early part of this century. The bindings of Oxford were also very good. at this period, Who the distinguished parties at Oxford were has not been recorded, but a person of the name of Dawson, then living at Cambridge, has the reputation of being a clever artist, and may be pronounced as the binder of many of the. substantial volumes still possessing the distinctive binding we have before referred to. Baumgarten and Benedict would, doubtless, be employed in every style of binding of their day, but the chief characteristics of their efforts, are good substantial volumes in russia, with marbled edges.

To these succeeded Mr. John Mackinlay and two other Binders, named Kalthceber and Staggemier, but to Mackinlay may, perhaps, be attributed the first impulse given to the improvements which have been introduced into bindings. He was one of the Jargest nnd most creditable binders in London of the period of which we are treating, Several specimens of his, in public and private libraries, remain to justify the character given of him; and of the numerous artists that his office produced, many have since given evidence, by their work, that the lessons they received were of a high character. The specimens alluded to exhibit a degree of care, ingenuity, and skill, highly creditable to them as binders. Though well executed they did not pay the time and attention devoted, in later times, to the finishing or gilding of their work, and it was not till Roger Payne, whose portrait is introduced in this edition, exhibited the handiwork of the craft, that any decided impulse was given to the progress of the Art which has gone on under able successors, from oneimprovement to another till there exists much doubt whether or no we have not now arrived at perfection.*

About the year 1770 came Roger Payne to London, and to his history, as including a record of the progress of the Art made in his time, we shall devote the remaining pages of this chapter.

The personal history of Roger Payne is one, among the many, of the ability of a man being rendered nearly useless by the dissoluteness of his habits. He stands an example to the young, of mere talent, unattended with perseverance and industry, never leading to distinction,—of great ability, clouded by intemperance and consequent indiscretion, causing the world only to regret how much may have been lost, that might

* As an illustration we here quote the description of the binding of a book, in the library of J. W. King Eyton, Esq., of Leamington, executed by Hayday, one of the most talented artists of the present day.—‘‘ The work is a large paper copy of the late Mr. Blakeway’s ‘ Sheriffs of Shropshire,’ in imperial folio, with the armorial bearings beautifully coloured. The binding is of blood coloured morocco, extending an inch and a half all round the inside of the cover, on which is placed a bold but open border tooled in gold, forming a fine relief to the rest of the inside, which is in purple, elegantly worked all over in,

hexagons rnnning into each other in the Venetian style. In each compartment is placed the lion rampant and fleur-de-lis alternately. The fly-leaves are of vellum, ornamented with two narrow gold lines, and * the edges are tooled. The back consists of hexagons, inlaid with purple, containing the lion and fleur-de-lis aforesaid, but somewhat smaller than those in the interior. The design on the outside is a triumphal arch, occupying the entire side, highly enriched with its — eornices, mouldings, &c., executed in suitable small ornamental work’; from its columns (which are wreathed with laurel), and other parts of the structure, are suspended the shields of the Sheriffs, seventy in number, the quarterings of which, with their frets, bends, &c., are curiously inlaid in different colours of morocco, and, with the ornamental parts _ of the bearings, have been blazoned with heraldic accuracy on both sides of the volume. When we state that more than 57,000 impressions» of tools have been required to produce this wonderful exemplar of ingenuity and skill, some idea may be formed of the time and labour necessary for its execution. Of the cost we may not speak; but we may’ reasonably feel proud of the triumphs of taste and talent thus mani- _fested by our countrymen.”

have been developed, had the individual's course been different, and his excellences directed so as to have produced the best results.

Roger Payne was a native of Windsor Forest, and first became initiated in the rudiments of the art he afterwards became so distinguished a professor of, under the auspices of Mr. Pote, bookseller to Eton college. From this place he came to London, where he was first employed by Mr. .Thomas Osborne, the bookseller, of Holborn, London. Disagreeing on some matters, he subsequently obtained employment from Mr. Thomas Payne, of the King’s Mews, St. Martin’s, who ever after proved a friend to him. Mr. Payne established him in business near Leicester-square, about the year 1766- 1770, and the encouragement he received from his patron, and many wealthy possessors of libraries, was such that the happiest results, and a long career of prosperity, might have been anticipated. His talents as an artist, particularly in the finishing department, were of the first order, and such as, up to his time, had not been developed by any other of his countrymen. He adopted a style peculiarly his own, uniting a classical taste in the formation of his designs, and much judgment in the selection of such ornament as was applicable to the nature of the work it was to embellish. Many of these he made himself of iron, and some are yet preserved as curiosities, and specimens of the skill of the man. To this occupation he may have been at times driven, from lack of money to procure them from the tool-cutters ; but it cannot be set down as being generally so, for in the formation of the designs in which he so much excelled, it is but reasonable to suppose, arguing upon the practice of some others in later times, he found it readier and more expedient to manufacture certain lines, curves, &c. on the occasion. Be this as it may, he succeeded in executing binding in so superior a manner as to have no rival, and to ai?

command the admiration of the most fastidious book-lover of his time. He had full employment from the noble and wealthy, and the estimation his bindings are still held in, is a sufficient proof of the satisfaction he gave his employers. His best work is in earl Spencer's library.

His reputation as an artist of the greatest merit, was obscured, and eventually nearly lost, by his intemperate habits. He loved drink better than meat. Of this propensity an anecdote is related of a memorandum of money spent by, and kept by himself, which runs thus :—

No wonder then, with habits like these, that the efforts. of his patron, in fixing him, were rendered of no avail. Instead of rising to that station his great talent would have led to, he fell by his dissolute conduct to the lowest depths of misery and wretchedness. Of his squalid appearance, an idea may be formed by the engraving. It is taken from a print, which Mr. Payne caused to be executed after his death, at his own expense, and exhibits the man in his wretched working-room, as in life he daily appeared. Here, however, was executed the most splendid specimens of binding; and here on the same shelf were mixed together, old shoes and precious leaves—bread and cheese, with the most valuable and costly of MSS., or early printed books.

That he was characteristic or eccentric may be judged by what has been related of him. He appears to have also been a poet on the subject of his unfortunate propensity, as the following extract from a copy of verses, sent with a bill to Mr. Kvans, for binding “ Barry on the Wines of the Ancients,’ proves. iets

BOOKBINDING. it

And Barley Wine my British Muse inspire. Barley Wine first from Egypt’s learned shore ; And this the gift to me of Calvert’s store.’’

He commenced business in partnership with his brother Thomas Payne, and subsequently was in like manner connected with one Richard Weir, but did not long agree with Be either, so that separation speedily took place. He afterwards worked under the roof of Mr. Mackinlay, but his later efforts showed that he had lost much of that ability he had been so largely endowed with. Pressed down with poverty and disease, he breathed his last in Duke’s Court, St. Martin’s Lane, on the 20th of November, 1797. His remains were interred in the burying-ground of St. Martin’s in the Fields, at the expense of Mr. Thomas Payne, who, as before stated, had been his early friend, and who, for the last eight years of his

_ life, had rendered him a regular pecuniary assistance both for the support of his body and the performance of his work. Of the excellencies and defects of his bindings, Dr. Dibdin, in his Bibliographer’s Decameron, has thus recorded his

| opinion :—

“The great merit of Roger Payne lay in his taste—in his choice of ornaments, and especially in the working of them. It is impossible to excel him in these two particulars. His favourite colour was that of olive, which he called Venetian.

In his lining, joints, and inside ornaments, our hero generally, and sometimes melancholily failed. He was fond of what he _ called purple paper, the colour of which was as violent as its _ texture was coarse. It was liable also to change and become _ spotty ; and as a harmonizing colour with olive, it was odiously _ discordant. The joints of his books were generally disjointed, | uneven, carelessly tooled, and having a very unfinished appearance. His backs are boasted of for their firmness. His work excellently forwarded—every sheet fairly and bona fide stitehed into the back, which was afterwards usually coated in russia; but his minor volumes did not open well in consequence. He was too fond of thin boards; which in folios produces an uncomfortable effect, from fear of their being inadequate to sustain the weight of the envelope.”

Though Roger Payne's career had not been successful, so far as he was personally concerned, it had the effect of benefitting the whole race of English bookbinders. A new stimulus had been given to the trade, and a new and chastened style introduced among the more talented artists of the metropolis. The unmeaning ornaments we have before alluded to were discarded, and a series of classical, geometrical, and highly-finished designs adopted. ‘The contemporaries of Roger, Kalthoeber, Staggemier, Walther, Hering, Falkner, &c. exerted themselves with a generous rivalry to execute the ~ most approved bindings, and the efforts of succeeding artists in the persons of Charles Lewis, Clarke, Fairbairn, Smith, &e. have brought the art to the degree of perfection we now — see exhibited upon almost every book having any pretension — to good binding. The nineteenth century thus witnessed the _ advance of the art in elegance and elasticity, which no other period previously had developed. Whatever was good in the workmanship of early times was now sought to be revived, and every thing that could be made available, both as re- — garded variety and superior execution, embraced. Solidity, so much estimated in old bindings, was combined with an — elasticity and freedom by means of the open back, which the works of the ancients do not possess. And when to this we — add the elegance which modern binding displays, without disparagement to their talent, the palm must be accorded to the 4 modern bookbinder.* a.

* The Books of the Ancients, pages 153 and 180. ae } ? | wPHE

ART OF BOOKBINDING.

Introduction

BINDING is the art of folding the sheets of a book. securing them together, affixing boards or sides thereto, and covering the whole with leather or other materials. There are various styles of binding, as haif-binding, where the backs and corners only are covered with leather, and the sides or boards with marbled or coloured paper. Law binding, which is generally confined to law books, the leather being left its natural colour, and the edges of the leaves plam. Dutch binding is where the backs are of vellum or parchment. In boards signifies that the book is slightly done up, and covered with paper or cloth. The styles of binding for the various classes of literature are denominated by the titles of /illetted, dettered, gilt, half-extra, extra, super extra, according to the quantity and style of work employed: thus we ay calf, morocco, or russia extra, &e.

The trade of a Bookbinder has been ranked among the most difficult of the arts. It is incontestibly one requiring much care, great neatness, correct taste, and attentive practice, _ to form a skilful workman, and without these requisites no one _ will ever attain the three great characteristics of good bind- - ing,—-solidity, elasticity, and elegance. This will more particularly be felt by the binder in small towns, who, from his

B i4 INTRODUCTION.

situation, cannot possess the advantages which those of L: don, and other large cities, obtain. The country binder }. generally to exercise the whole art, from the folding to final operation required in binding a book; whilst his m fortunate brother of the capital, from his business being + tensive enotgh to constantly employ folders, sewers,marbk > gilders, &c. has himself to execute what may be strictly cal) the binding only; viz. the FORWARDING and FINISH) © and even these are usually distinct branches. The appe»:- ance of the binding of a book, to a casual observer, seems require little talent, but if the various subdivisions of the wi. _ which form not less than sixty, are considered, and in the} - per execution of which consists the Art of Binding, it will be surprising to find how few men have arrived at emine 0: in it, arising from the obstacles presented in the acquisi ©. of excellence in every department. Difficult, however, as |. whole routine may be to attain, and numerous as will be discouragements on first trial of critical parts, yet with ev~ stant application and rigorous observations with regard to ° various minor manipulations required, as well as the more i» portant details, the attentive workman, whatever his situati need not despair to reach perfection. To this end a clear ¢: minute description of the various processes, in the order t' they are employed in binding, will be given in the pages this manual, uniting all that may be useful, not only to your and rising workmen, but to those considerably versed in |\) art. In the department of colouring leather, attention will paid to present the best receipts, for though, according to *)« prevailing taste of the day, many of them are seldom us still it is requisite that they should be known, as the fash of another period may reintroduce the whole series of marl and fancy colours; and even now many periodical »publica tions are required to be bound io patterns executed ten

INTRODUCTION. 15 twenty years ago. Some of the directions may, to the expe-— rienced, appear trivial or of no importance, but when it is considered that, by inattention to some part of the earlier stages of binding (such as being badly sewed, glued up, &c.) the — beauty of all subsequent operations is frequently destroyed, they must be pronounced all-important to the character of any one zealous of the reputation of a good binder.

The various errors and defects in the many important operations required in binding, will be pointed out under their respective heads; and.a careful attention to the rules laid down will soon.enable any individual, moderately expert, to execute binding worthy of a place in any library. Let it never ‘be lost sight of that the proper forwarding a book is the great desideratum of all good bindings; the general appearance of the gilding and other ornamental operations being merely subservient to it The early binders were rigid on this point, as is seen by their statutes and rules, edition 1750 ; and so particular were they that their books should be well forwarded, that the thirtieth article enacts,—“ Be it held that the master-binders do sew all their books with thread and real bands, do back them with parchment and not paper, and in ease of infringement the said books shall be done again at the expense of the infringer, who shall besides be condemned to a fine of thirty pounds for each volume.” Solidity and elasticity are always found in the workmanship of the early binders, which has not been sufficiently observed by those of later times. Attention to these particulars has, however, of late been paid; and aided by superiority in material, and the machinery now employed, a degree of solidity and elasticity, combined with a lightness and elegance of appearance, has been attained, which the most approved bindings of the fifteenth century do not possess.

Care is of the utmost importance when the book is pvaleobles

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16 INTRODUCTION.

either from its rarity, or the splendour of its embellishments, such works daily augmenting in price; for if carelessly or badly bound, the rebinding, and consequent cropping the book down by recutting the edges,tends considerably to deteriorate it in value, a good margin being a primary object to the genuine book collector. Many have contended that there is no occasion for this extra care in forwarding, since for a moderate sum other copies might be obtained, and thus the solidity and elasticity of the binding have been sacrificed to the general coup-d' ceil of the finishing. Let not the binder, however, hazard his reputation on the effect thus produced, which will not be lasting, but rather let it be his ambition to produce such work as will bear the test of examination in every part, opening with freeness, and presenting an appear-— ance at once firm, square, and compact. Should the possessor of a library limit his binder to price, he will do well also to sacrifice a portion of ornament (which adds nothing to the durability), to the charge necessary to be made for extra care in the earlier stages. Let him not be tempted by an elegant marble upon the cover and upon the edges, by a border full . of delicacy and taste, by a gilding that pleases the eye, or by the gold spread with profusion upon the edges, the back, and the sides, to the neglect of the more important details of folding, sewing, cutting, &c. Rather let him not limit the binder too closely, and then, if he employs an experienced workman, he will be certain of receiving the satisfaction he desires, when presented with a volume possessing every characteristic of good binding. The knowledge communicated in this treatise, it is believed, will enable any one fully to appreciate superior workmanship, and once properly understood, none but the best will ever be satisfactory to the lover of his library. In the directions given, the amateur, who may take pleasure in devoting part of his leisure to an art interesting and amu-

INTRODUCTION. 17 sing, will meet with all the information he may desire relative to the proceedings in use by the best binders.

The premises, presses, tools, and materials required by the bookbinder, are of much greater importance than, on first consideration, would he imagined. The great object in the former should be to procure as much light as possible, and with regard to presses, &c. unless they are of a superior kind, it will be impossible to execute binding in the first style of the art. ‘These should be arranged with the greatest attention to convenience of situation, as much time will be saved from the facility with which the work will be executed, and from the additional neatness and beauty it will also acquire.

For the greater convenience of reference, and for properly distinguishing each branch of the art, a division into parts or sections has been deemed advisable. ‘The technical terms will be found to have been adopted throughout; and though one volume only is generally spoken of, it must be observed that it is usual to proceed with parcels of ten, twenty, or more volumes at a time.

1% PART I. : OF FORWARDING.

As the gathering of the sheets of a book, after they have been printed and dried off, is nearly always. performed. at the printer's, it will not be necessary to enter into any details on that subject, but to consider as the commencement of binding, the operation of

FOLDING, which is of great importance, the beauty of a book depending on its being properly and correctly folded, so that, when it is B3 cut, the margin of the different pages may be uniform throughout, and present no transpositions, to the inconvenience of the reader and deterioration of the work.

The various sizes of books are denominated according to the number of leaves in which the sheet is folded ; as folio, quarto, octavo, 12mo, 16mo, 18mo, 24mo, 32mo, &e. Each form presents a certain number of pages, so disposed that, when the sheet is properly folded, they will follow the numeric order. In commencing the folding of any work, particular attention should be paid, in opening out the quires or sets, to observe that the signatures follow each other alphabetically, and, if consisting of two or more volumes, that the whole of the sheets belong to the right one.

Although each form is folded in a different manner, it will not be requisite to detail the whole, as a description of the octavo and twelvemo will amply furnish an idea of the proper way of folding the larger and smaller sizes.

_Octavo.—The sheets being placed on the table with the signature, which will be seen at the bottom of the first page, turned towards the table at the corner nearest to the left hand of the workman, will present pages 2. 15. 14. 3. below, and above, with their heads reversed, pages 7. 10. 11. 6. (reading from left to right). The sheet is then taken with the left hand, by the angle to the right, and creased with the folder in the right hand, in the direction of the points made in the printing, taking care, by shading to the light, that the figures of the pages fall exactly one on the other, which will be 3 upon 2, and 6 upon 7, and thereby presenting uppermost pages 4: and 13, and above 5 and 12. The top part of the sheet is then brought down, with the left hand, upon the lower, pages 5 and £2 falling upon 4:and 13, directed properly, and again — folded. The sheet then presents pages 8 and 9, which are then folded evenly, 9 upon 8, forming the third fold and finishing the sheet. |