Evening journal., 1900-02-22
HAND BOOK BINDING
WOMEN WHO MAKE a SUCCESS
OF 1T.
a School In New York Where 1t Is
Tausht--The Price Of Most Artistic
Work-The Princess Of Wales a
aookblnder.

Work-The Princess Of Wales a
eookblnder.
New York Letter.
Ever since the Middle Ages, when
patient monks toiled day after day
and year after year Illuminating with
loving art the sacred text, there have
been book lovers who valued a book !
not for its object matter, but for its
artistic binding. The majority of
Americans accustomed to poor type, !
poorer paper and poorest binding
would think it a great extravaganza
to pay 800 or more 60 have a favorite
yolume rebound in a fashion worthy
OF tho nobe thoughts expressed.
To the inexperienced eye the hand
made fooled" book covers do not look
very different from the cheap stamped
patterns of the bargain counters. But
the book lover cannot be deceived. He
holds the volume tenderly and looks
for the distinguished mark of this or
that master with eager, loving eyes.
The handsome book covers will never
become popular, because it is only the
wealthy man or Unsuitable book collec-
tor that would dream OF paying hun
I
money is no object to the wealthy
book lover so in many cases money
is no object to the men and women
who do the binding. They are gov
orned by the same impulse that rules
painter or sculptor the Ideal striy-
Ing to make itself palpable.
Book-blnding offers a congenial oc
cupation for women of original ideas
aud artistic tastes. II is not craze
suitable for woman dependent upon
her own resources. for the field is
necessarily limited and the returns
smaller, OF, to speak properly. slow.
( until recently IL was impossible for
a woman 10 master the art of book
binding in America. The greater num-
ber OF women whose work is in de.
mand received their instruction
abroad. principally at the famous
Dove bindery in London, founded by
| Cobden-Sandenson. In the ordinary
shops women are only allowed TO
stitch the leaves. But now the Nord-
hOff Bindery in New York gives a
young woman every oppo unity TO ac-
quire the secrets of the craft. This
school has been established by the
friends of the late Evelyn Hunter
Nordhon, pioneer among women in
the art. and whose untimely death
prevented her carrying out the plan
heraelf
Miss Nordhon was particularly
adapted for this line OF work. She
understood ornamental leather work.
she was a good etcher on copper and
was not only a clever designer, but a
cultured woman. with the breadth of
understanding that much travel and
diversified associations invariably
bring
Bookbinding necessitates close ap-
plication and considerable outlay. The
first cost of learning is great, and the
tools and materials employed are very
expensive The beautiful feathers are
eNtravagantly high, and many have to
. be especially imported for the pur-
$ pose.
= In binding a book by hand the frst
e step is to take the leaves in sections
v and sew them in the back. All are
4 sewn on common cord, which forms
g a hinge for the books to turn on. This
s Is called flexible sewing and Is used
n In other binderies, mostly for bgnles,
n law books, dictionaries end other
: heavy books that are to be frequently
2 used.
Then the back is glued. But in the
- Nordhon Bindcry very little glue is
used, the sewing being depended upon
! for strength in holding the leaves in
place.
The book Is now ready for the Gov
: ers, and the edges are made even and
J smooth by what are known as the
G pillow and press.
The head-bandings. the bits of
{ bright color at the top and bottom OF
r a volume. can be made by embroidery
! n strffh
n needles.
= The lettering is the finishing touch.
q The title may be put on in single-han.
y die letters, which in England is always
n done, or the type is set up all on one
d palette and the whole name is put
IS on at once.
o One woman, Mrs. Henry w. Grim.
4 wood being unable to obtain instruc-
tiOn in the ordinary binderies, studied
the whole subject out from j. w
Z Iachnsdorfs Treatise on Practical
l. Bookbinding." She declared this "a
{. be very comprehensive and cOmpre
Y hensive, as it ought to be. since he is
= one of the masters Of the handicraft.
& Many women in England have taken
= mp bookbinding. The Guild OF Woman
's Binders has sixty members, and in
cluded several women whose names
nave btNOut wei kuoWn as dfIlSLs
In the bookbinding. The Princess Vic
toria OF Wales is an enthusiastic
bookbnder and has done some very
creditable work, II Is said. She OBJ
y tanned several prizes in an exhibition
u some time ago. having entered hel
y work under the name of Miss Mat
l. thews, as she did not wish her ranl
III to influence the decision of the judg
e. es.
he But after the mechanical details ar,
te mastered, the real test remains thai
Is must determine whether woman
shall receive recognition in this Graf
or not. She must be original in hei
2 designs and must have the discrimin
& ating taste which determines which
r. material, color or establishment IL
le best suited to the subject treated o
Il in the book.
A French novel or a volume OF mod
- ern verse requires a very differen
p treatment and material than a volum,
OF Shakespeare or a copy of the Bible
81 | The craft demands nof only clrfIIo,