Douglas Cockerell provides a definitive manual on the art of hand bookbinding and the preservation of library collections. The work begins with a foundational introduction to the structural purposes of binding, contrasting durable historical practices of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries with modern methods prone to premature decay. The author details the complete manual process of forwarding and finishing, addressing every technical stage from collating, folding, and mending damaged sheets to sizing, washing, and guarding single leaves or plates. Subsequent sections cover edge gilding, headbanding, paring leather, and covering books, emphasizing the importance of selecting robust materials such as unbleached sewing threads, proper cord, and sound vegetable-tanned leathers rather than chemically compromised modern substitutes.
Cockerell addresses the structural mechanics of rounding, backing, and lacing boards to ensure that books open flat without undue strain on the joints. Additional chapters offer practical guidance on library binding specifications, handling vellum, creating clasps, repairing broken bindings, and designing gold-tooled decorations with traditional finishing tools. Throughout the text, the author stresses the necessity of structural integrity over superficial appearance, offering solutions to combat environmental hazards such as dampness, gas fumes, and excessive heat that threaten the longevity of library volumes.
