The Autobiography and Correspondance of Sir Simon D'Ewes - Publisher's Binding

Before Treatment

During Treatment

After Treatment

Download Word Version of Treatment Report

TREATMENT REPORT

Condition and Description
The Autobiography and Correspondence of Sir Simon D’Ewes is a publisher’s binding bound in full brown embossed cloth over rigid boards.  The title and a decorative design have been stamped onto the spine and cover of the case. The stamped design on the spine and cover are blind. Gold foil was used to stamp the title on the spine.  The textblock was cased in with textile spine lining extending onto the boards and adhered under the pastedown.  The bookcloth is friable at the corners and joint areas and the caps have been completely worn away.  The cloth covering of the case is detached along the front joint revealing the spine.

The textblock is composed of a fairly hard, smooth, machine made, cream colored, text weight paper.  The paper has discolored to a beige color and exhibits “dog-ear” creases, minor cockling, foxing, and surface dirt.  The textblock was moderately rounded and backed.  A textile and then a paper lining are adhered to the spine with what is assumed to be protein glue.  The spine consolidation is intact and solid.  No endbands are present.  The edges of the textblock were trimmed and are currently very sooty. The original sewing is stable with two-on or more on what is assumed to be sawed in hemp cords.

The book’s endsheets are a medium weight, machine-made, Prussian blue color, coated paper.  The back endsheet is intact, but the front endsheet has partially split from the case leaving the front of the case partially detached from the textblock.

The textblock media includes a black printer’s ink, engraved plates, a manuscript ink and graphite.  The printing exhibits a negligible type impression.

Treatment Objective
The treatment goal was to stabilize the practice book for use and exhibition in a special collection context. 

Photo documentation
Digital photographs in ambient light were taken for the before, during and after treatment photographs.

Treatment Proposal

• Fill missing areas of covering material with a toned long fiber paper
• Reinforce case to text attachment
• Reattach the partially detached cloth spine piece

Treatment Performed

1. An acrylic toned medium weight machine made Kozo paper was used as a fill in areas of the case that were loose or missing.
2. Using a microspatula, lifted a 1 cm strip of the covering cloth along the spine edge of the front board of the case.
3. Using wheat starch paste, a 1.5 cm strip of toned Kozo was adhered under the lifted cloth of the front board and extended over the spine and then pasted down to create a hinge to reinforce the case to text attachment. 
4. A 1 cm wide “v-hinge” of the same toned Kozo paper was used to reattach the cloth spine piece to the book, which was separated at the top of the shoulder.
5. A strip of blue acrylic toned Kozo was used to reinforce the front endsheet that had partially spilt from the textblock.  The Kozo strip was later touched-up with colored pencils.