The Restoration of Leather Bindings

American Library Association, Chicago, revised edition, 1984. Illustrated wrappers, large 8vo, 28 cm,. xv, 266 pp. From the author's introductory note : "Much has changed in the field of binding restoration since this book first appeared in 1972. Substances have been introduced which aid the lifting of deteriorated leather from tight backs, changes in the tanning and treatment of leather are proposed, new suppliers of materials have emerged and others have changed address, and new books and periodicals have appeared, so the text has been brought up to date to the best of the author's ability. Many restoration techniques are now dealt with in greater detail and a new chapter on the rebinding of antiquarian books, with information on the fitting of clasps, has been added, together with a section on the treatment of vellum bindings, in the hope of increasing the usefulness of the book. Details of very recent advances in the manufacture of longer-lasting leather and in the treatment of deteriorating leather have also been summarized." Contents include:; Introduction; Definition of Terms; Workshop Tools, Equipment, and Materials; Cleaning the Bindings; Removing the Original Spine; Alternatives to Resewing; Resewing; Gluing Up, Rounding, and Backing; Headbanding; Back Lining; Preparation of Boards for Rebacking; Rebacking; Repairing Inner Joints; Replacing the Original Spine; Repairing Caps and Outer Joints without Rebacking; Repairing Caoutchouc Bindings; Repairing Corners; Blending In New Endpapers; Straightening Warped Boards; Rebonding Old Pasteboards; Salvaging Old Sides; Staining, Aging, Tooling, and Furbishing; Record of Repairs; The Rebinding of Antiquarian Books; Selected Reading; Index. A presentation copy, inscribed and signed by the author ('Bernard') for 'Mel' [Kavin ] on the half-title. Wrappers a little fingersoiled, otherwise Very Good.