~ Preparing text block for old spine lining removal Notice the unnatural sway or dip in the text block indicating that the old spine lining no longer supports the text block. Not to mention that the text block came right out of its cover.
~ After lining is cleaned off, notice the poor condition of the ribbon book mark.
~ The last signature stayed attached to the cover, even after the textblock separated from the cover. I gently removed it to make repairs to 6 or 8 pages that tore all along the gutter line. Perhaps you can just make out the repairs below. The tissue really is invisible.
~ After the repaired signature dried completely after tissue repairs, I pressed it flat and knocked out the "swell" from adding Japanese tissue. Then I was able to sew it back into place in the textblock. Look closely and you'll see bookbinder's glue and maybe some ribbon fibers on my hands/fingers. Maybe you'll also notice the Smythe sewn binding. It's done by machine these days, but most good Bibles are sewn this way. It helps the pages to open more fully and the Bible to lie more flat out when reading and studying.
~ Below, you can see the new ribbon marker that I've added.
~ The last step in today's restoration progress is that I got the new spine cloth glued on, which will attach the textblock back into its cover, and topped that off with a new spine lining. It is stiffer than the old black stuff originally place there. It needs to dry overnight before I begin the final three steps to completing this project. Notice it has a nice slightly rounded back now. Much better than its old swayback and tired appearance it had earlier today.
This is such a cool process. Especially for bibliophiles like me :-).
Javamom
1 comment:
I wish you lived closer. I'd send you my husband's Bible to restore. He's had the same Bible for almost 20 years and he won't part with it. It is literally falling apart. :(
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