New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-29
BOOK BINDINGS.
THE BEST LEATHER OF WHICH TO MAKE THEM.

THE BEST LEATHER OF WHICH TO MAKE THEM.
From The Pail Mall Gazette
The news that Mr.. Carnegie IS enriching his
library at Skibo Castle with costly bindings
moved US TO remark on Tuesday that the best
leather for decorative purposes was morocco.
and the French tanners bring this particular
material up TO a superb degree OF finish. But
when it comes to dressing and tontng fine
leather with delicate colors acids have to be
employed which weaken its dura bility. and the
desire TO be smart well as economical has
helped to spoil many fine library before now
OF late years the government officials have
been exercised In their minds concerning the
threatened dissolution of many valuable rec
ords. Calf bound volumes. however we'll housed,
cannot endure a London atmosphere lndeh-
nitely. and the estimates and contracts for
some OF these have been cut down in some de-
partmentS with more thrift than prudence. The
Stationery Office lately sought advice on the
matter, and the expert called in could only point
out that the rate Of deterioration in the book
bindings supplied has kept pretty level pace
with the reduction in prices paid. And this
point IS brought out in the recent report OF a
royal commission the subject.
Mr.. Gladstone once In one OF those casual
essays of his. dwelt with some humor on the
possibility OF our being crowded into the sea at
no distant date simply by the rapid accumula-
ton OF printed matter He also, IN the same
es ay. remarked that. although printing was
cheaper and publishers were fiercer in competi-
ton, leather book binding Is as dear as ever.
We have not taken sufficient trouble to increase
supplies, and every famine in India, by
forcing the slaughter of cattle interferes with
yet arisen with ingenuity enough to make a
workable material out OF the prolific and de-
spised Austrian rabbit.
We have consulted one OF the oldest firms OF
leather factors in the kingdom-Messrs. F. &
j. Richardson of Elswick. who supplied bind
ing materials to the monastery of St. Hilda, at
Whitby, before the Reforma ton. representa-
tive of the firm assures us that Of the finest
binding materials as yet discovered Is the skin or
the Cape goat tanned with sumach. Sumach is
a Sicilian plant largely exported from Palermo.
and rich in tannin: but its costliness adds
largely 10 the expense of preparation. and much
of the leather which results is exported 10 the
chief binders across the Atlantic.
This excellence of the Cape goats cuticle has
been remarked in the royal commissions re-
into highly aesthetic coors takes the quality out
OF IL. MeSsrs. Richardson have improved a
process for eliminating the fatty nature of the
skin without the OF bsulphides acids Of
the kind. but they all clients that the safer
hues. SO far as is concerned, are dark blue.
their own in well appointed library. Another.
and an even more perfect material. is SealSkin
stripped of the fur, and shaved down by ma
chinery. 1t has excellent and handsome
grain. and contains fatty essence which keeps
II fresh when most other feathers have per
ished. And sealskin is usually free from one
defect of the Cape goatskin. that IL has not been
hacked by the unSkilful knives Of the killers,
for in Barotzeland and in BarOngoland they
have not yet reached any high proficiency i'll
carving and flaying. They are still given to
hack work. evil which seems insepaTable
from the book world in way another.
Finally, MeSSrS. Richardson stand up for Brit
ish tanneries, and state that the quality Of
French dressed leather varies to an inConvenient
degree. This. perhaps. is why there is still such
feathers among the great Continental and Amer
lean binders.