Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-03-01
HOW BOOKS ARE BOUND.
A Sim pie Description Of This Usefr
and InterestiaG Process.

A Sim pie Description Of This Useful
and InterestiaE Process.
ookbinding has been practiced for
centuries. Many years previous to the
Invention of printing the leaves Of mis-
served by being fastened together and
inclosed in covers of wood, sheepskin.
etc. Often the covers were richly orna-
mented with gold, silver and jewels.
Some Of these volumes are still to be
seen In the museums and monasteries
Of the old world.
There are two main divisions in mod
ern bookbinding forwarding" and
"finishing'-and in each of these de-
partments there are various sub-divf
sions. Forwarding comprises what Is
really necessary for the preservation
Of books; finishing is simply embellish-
ing them.
The first operation in bOokbinding is
to fold the sheets by means Of thin
piece Of ivory called a folder; machin-
cry has been used with much success
in folding. The object is to bring the
pages together in regular order.
After being folded, the sheets are
gathered and collated to the numbers.
1, 2, 3, etc, that are placed at the foot
Of the outside page of the folded sec
tions These numbers are called sig
natures. The book is then made solid
by being placed in hydraulic press, or
under some other pressure, such as the
nature and the size Of the book may re-
quire.
The next process is to saw indenta-
tions in the back of the book, prepara-
tory to sewing. This is accomplished
by passing the back Of the book or
sheets over rapidly revolving circular
saws. The book is then sewed on a
frame called a sewing bench, each
sheet being attached by a thread to
cords across the back.
/ When removed from the sewing bench
+ the book receives it's waste papers,
by being cut on the edges with knife
apparatus. The edges are either left
white or are cOlOred by being sprlnkled
with color thrown on with a brush.
! "Marbled' edges are made by dipping
! the edges Of the leaves in cOlOrs that
/ float ON the surface Of gum water.
The comb edge" is made by draw
ing a comb through the colors on the
surface of the gum water before the
/ book is dipped. If the book is to have
gilt edge 1t is placed in q press and
a coating of red color applied; the
| edges are then sized with white Of egg.
/ gold leaf is laid over the sizing. and
after 1t has dried thoroughly the gold
! leaf is FURNISHED with agate or blood
stone.
| A coating Of glue is then applied t.
| the back Of the book. after which 1t Is
backed by means Of a machine that
gives roundness to the back and pre-
pares 1t for the cover. The cover is
made by boards, cut larger than the
leaves Of the book, over which the out
/ side material, such as cloth, leather,
ETC.. IL fastened with glue. space
enough being left between the two
boards to fit the back Of the book.
After the cover is dried, the embel-
Iishment is done by stamping the desir-
| ed letters or design in gold, black or
colors. The cover being thus finished,
the back of the book Is fitted into 1t
and glued. the blank pages are pasted
l to the inside of the cover and the book
l is placed in a press to remain until dry,
from which it comes ready for the pub
;ic.-Phiadelphia Times.