Conservation of reused bindings (part one)
Channel: Rita Udina · Paper & Book Conservation
Date: 2021-03-28

Lecture held within the conference "Solidarity in culture: Heritage protection under conditions of crisis", organized by the National and University Library (Zagreb, Croatia).
First part of two lectures, both with same theoritcal background, but diverse conservation examples. 

💬 [Subtitles in ENGLISH, SPANISH & CATALAN]

👉 More information: https://ritaudina.com/en/portfolio/conservation-of-re-used-bindings/
👉 Second part: https://youtu.be/sMS2x0AuZos . 
👉 Both 1st and 2nd, gathered in one session (in Spanish): https://youtu.be/sYzKsqAVG50

🔸  More about example 2️⃣ : https://ritaudina.com/en/portfolio/conservation-of-medieval-manuscripts-on-rag-paper-with-vellum-bindings/
      (manuscript with rolled sewing on parchment)
🔸  More about example 4️⃣ : https://ritaudina.com/en/portfolio/conservation-of-a-membra-disjecta-manuscript-used-as-limp-vellum-binding-covers/
      (manuscript with laced-cased binding)

⌛ Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction
                00:40 - A) What is re-use with diverse purpose (disjecta membra)
                01:39 - B) What is re-use with diverse purpose
01:55 - A) Recycling with diverse purpose (disjecta membra)
                02:13 - A.1) 1️⃣ Parchment manuscript used as a binding (Incunabula from Girona).
                05:20 - A.2) 2️⃣ Parchment manuscript used as a binding (manuscript from Tortosa).
                08:16 - 1 vs 2. Are old repairs and re-used materials compatible with conservation requirements and to what extent their removal involves loss of readability?
                09:25 Decision making for disjecta membra materials (A).
10:03 - B) re-use with same puprpose (=binding)
                10:31 - B.1) 3️⃣ Incunabula from Girona with proficient rebinding.
                16:26 - B.2) 4️⃣ Manuscript from Terrassa with clumsy rebinding.
                21:18 - Decision making for recycled bindings (B).
23:32 - Conclusion

Abstract:
Book #conservation involves a tough decision making regarding usability and long term #preservation. We must not forget that a book is meant to be handled in order to read it.
These ethical considerations become even more complex when re-used materials are part of the #binding, either because the covers are a document theirselves (for instance, a #manuscript, common case of "disjecta membra" or #fragmentology) or also when the binding is a recycled one, a re-used binding. The adjustments made by the craftsmen in the rebinding process should be kept as an evidence of this historical fact, and yet we might be interested in keeping other data from the firstly used materials. At the same time, preservation commands to take decisions in order to stabilize the object.
The lecture focuses on several case studies (#incunabula and manuscripts with #LimpVellum bindings and lace-cased vellum bindings) showing that decision making can only be a custom-made for each particular #book.
#DisjectaMembra #BookBinding

Acknowledgement:
For their permission to share the images of their books to the Public Library of Girona Carles Rahola, Regional Archive of Urgell (Tàrrega), Reginal Archive of Baix Ebre (Tortosa), Regional Archive of Vallès Occidental (Terrassa), National Archive of Catalonia (Government of Catalonia).

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