New-York tribune., 1902-04-16
ON LEATHER BINDINGS.
AND ON SUBSTITUTES FOR LEATHER

AND ON SUBSTITUTES FOR LEATHER.
From Notes and Queries.
Having perused with much pleasure the re-
port Of the committee on this subject 1ee @ lndt
the moral TO be drawn therefrom Is sun an @ open
one as il was in 1899. when / read paper upon
the subject of the Library: Books ano BIND
fngs' with regard TO their preservation ana res
toration in our great room at the Adelphl- the
discussion on which was ADJOURNED ana gave
rise 10 much correspondence
Things have not greatly changed since that
ueriod for the adage that there is nothing IKE
leather" still exists and for highly ornate bind
tnas decorated by the use OF hot metal Tools
no other material is so beautiful, though lts
endurance can be measured by time
All feathers seem TO be equally good II used
in their primitive state and not tampered with
by the dyer or by the bookbinoer; but then we
should lose the glorious hues Of the dyes and the
beautiful forms Of the marbles. and TINS par.
tdcularly applies to calf. which is the most used
and the most tampered with. though II taxes
tine TO develop the cause Of this Calf ts often
washed with oXal;c acid or polished by hot irons
When sheliac varnish might have been used; hut
even then the joints al the back Of the books
nav become brittle and they alone rely upon the
he1npen cords on which the book is sewn. and
which are drawn into the boards
With regard TO hosskln, that is material
which is TO be commended in its undyed state,
and though II cannot be worked upon in gold,
II seems to be less affected by worms and, II
undyed- 10 continue TO be fairly sound at the
Joints.
To illustrate this. 1 would note that have two
saddles that have been most enduring. one or
which is at least fifty years old. Noting its
great dura bility, and hearing that it took dye
we'll / ordered set of dining-room chairs TO pe
covered Herewith. with, alas! the result that
in five years these covers perished, and became
tinder. I send you sample OF this materlal
that has been kept free from light, air and gas
fumes. If you viii put this in an ordinary room,
and under the same conditions, doubtless Ii will
become the same
AS a further evidence Of the effect of time
upon russia ] send you a writing case that is
seventy years old, from which may be seen how
light, air and heat have affected the same ex-
ternally while internally 1t is perfect forward
also a thin green russia pocketbook that has
been in use since 1861. and is still serviceable
This brings to the subject OF a subst-
tute for leather: and that is not difficult TO find
in the very great Improvement in bookbinders'
cloth. much OF which has endured since its in
PRODUCTION in 1886. and has outlived the library
bindings affected since then. ] have now before
me copy Of Sketches by Boz which is as per-
feet as regards dura bility, If done yesterday,
though the back is faded. the decoration on the
sides. marking the transition period. being en-
bossed in imitation OF a blind" pattern sug-
gested by single line gOuges.
send you also a specimen of durable binding
in buckram. a binding that is devoid Of animal
or mineral aid, being vegetable product, save
and except the size that may have been used in
binding
AS a test OF durability the great thing is the
hinge. and test materials stuffs should be
subject TO perpetual hinge motion to see which
endures the test for the longer period.
OF course If a high class Of decoration with
exquisite finish be desired, leather must be used:
and If the tooling is 10 be very fine, then the
leather must be thin paper. that the
heated metal may reveal the sharpest form.
AS destroyer the bookbinder is quite as great
culprit as the currier, his beautiful tree mar
bles and fnlays being greatly oetrimental-in-
deed, many Of the books bound within the last
thirty years are only held together by their
vegetable sewing and the bands that are drawn
in" at the hinge.
This brings US TO the lasting quality of fax.
and the Importance OF binding in buckram,
found in the Egyptian tombs. where all leather
has perished.