The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-22
The Making of n Book.

An illustrated pamphlet giving a descrip-
ton or the Riverside Press in Cambridge,
Mass, has just been issued. An idea of
the capacity of the establishment may be
derived from the fact that the buildings
occupy a tract of land of about four acres
on the banks of the Charles river. The
buildings are set OFF by spacious lawns,
which also separate them from the public
highways. A glimpse into the art of book
making as practiced at the Riverside Is
afforded by the following lines from the
pamphlet:
When a book is to be made the first step
after the manuscript comes from the au-
thor is to select a suitable style and size
OF type and page. This accomplished, the
skillful compositors arrange the type IN
oroer' ana proofs are taken and sent 10 tne
author so that he can incorporate Such
atterthoughts as may be desirable.
Then the pages of type go to the foundry
and are nodded in wax. this mold is COW
cred with a thin coating of copper, depos-
tied by a chemical process, and the shells
so produced are removed from the mold
and backed up with metal, thus making Il
solid fac-simile of the type in permanent
page form. These plates, as they are
called. are shaved smooth on the back,
the edges trimmed and the faces of the let
tiers for possible imperfect1ons,
after which they are transferred TO the
f -
pages or multiples, and placed on the bed
of a suitable press. The ink is carried
over the face of the plates by rollers. Inc
paper is supplied by a feeder, and after
going through the press and receiving the
impression Ii energies at the opposite enc,
printed on one side. The same routine APP
plies to the other side of the sheet. After
sufficient time for the ink TO dry the sheets
are put under heavy hydraulic pressure TO
remove the ~indentation. Then the folders
rapidly change the form to sections OF the
external size of the book. technically called
signatures. These signatures are piled IN
their proper sequence and a set OF sigma
lures collected in order, one from each pile,
completes a volume, or, in the case OF a
very large book, a part of 1t. To secure
to a quick. sharp pressure and are ready
for sewing. This is done quickly ana
chiefly by machinery. Once sewed, the
edges are trimmed and gilded, or marbled
as circumstances require, after which each
book must be rounded TO conform 10 the
general custom for shape. and backed.
Backing makes a little ridge on each side
of the back to hold the covers more Sc
curely in place. Meantime the covers
nave been made, cloth and board having
are glued to the cloth and the cloth deftly
folded over the edges, much as from time
immemorable book covers have been pro-
tected by homemade temporary wrappers.
The lettering and decoration are applied,
the covers fastened securely TO the sheets,
the book left under moderate pressure Tor
several hours until everything is set, and
when taken out it is ready for the GUS
toner. Special bindings in leather or other
materials are carried forward by hand and
in somewhat similar order. At every stage
of manufacture careful inspection is neces-
sary to avoid errors in work or judgment,
as in bookmaking to a peculiar degree IL
is difficult to correct mistakes.