Cook’s Last Voyage Presentation Copy from the Estate of Captain Cook The Restoration of Three Volumes Cook’s Last Voyage
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The Restoration of three vols. of Cook’s Last Voyage
As a third generation book restorer, I work primarily for the antique book trade. I restore books using exactly the same methods and materials that would have been originally used at the period that the book was first bound. The process requires ageing and toning new repairs to match the original book, and in some cases using antiquated materials that have been saved from previous bindings in order to create the most authentic restoration possible.
This particular set of Cook’s Last Voyage was quite dry, and had very little of the tight-back calf spines left. The corners of the boards were badly damaged and were missing leather. These conditions are commensurate of volumes of this age and period.
I was fortunate to have some of the original gilt spines to match up tooling for the new spines. This is an important set of volumes, so it was particularly necessary to restore them as accurately as possible. My intentions were to make them look and feel as if the books were in their original bindings.
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I took pictures for reference, as it was not possible to save the spine. I removed the labels that were still with the set, and then I gave the books a wheat paste wash to clean them. This process helps protect the leather on the boards from darkening too much whilst working on them.
The spines were scraped of loose, dry leather, and then coated with paste to soften the remaining leather. This allows moisture into the stitching and the spine of the book so that the text block can be manipulated back into shape if needed. After that, I check to make sure the sewing is still strong. If it is not, I will resew the book. Once the spines have had the paste removed and wiped clean with a natural sponge, the books are left to dry.
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The next step is sewing the headbands. All but one was missing. The original headbands were red and white, made up with dyed sewing thread as is period accurate (silk was commonly seen later in headbands). Once the headbands are finished, I fill in the missing leather with archival blotting paper, and line the spines as well. The reason for filling in missing leather is to create an even transition between old and new. In book restoration you will often see a distinct shoulder between old and new leather. This is caused by not replacing the missing leather with a filler, and not cutting into the old leather correctly. The added paper eliminates the distinction between the two, creating a smooth and even surface. My intentions are to make the repairs as invisible as possible.
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If the foundation of the restoration is not done correctly, the final product will not last. It is important for me to take every opportunity to create the best job possible. Once I am happy with the preparation, I lift the leather with a knife so that I can re-back the spines and repair the corners. When the old leather is lifted and I’m satisfied with how it will go back together, the calf skin is pasted and moulded to the spine and corners. At this point I am already thinking of the gold tooling, making sure that my work is correct and will be able to match the original gold-tooled spines.
The leather is now on, and the labels are in place. I am ready to start preliminary toning of the new leather prior to gold-tooling.
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Some light toning is done to match up the tree calf using ferrous sulphate as per original binding. A paste wash is used to create a surface for the glare. This where it all starts to come together quickly. I apply two coats of glare and wipe-down the book with a damp sponge to create moisture for the glare to work and the gold to stick. I often ask myself how the binders in the early 1900s create such amazing tooled bindings. Sangorski and Sutcliffe, Zaehnsdorf, Riviere, etc. all worked in old brick buildings with water running through the walls.
This type of environment offered ideal conditions for bright gold-tooling. Additionally, egg white glare was used as opposed to the synthetic glare most binders use today. There are a lot of variables to consider in this process. As a binder, I try to emulate the original approaches as best I can. Now that the boards have been glared with egg white, I can start filling in the missing gilt. Without having new tools made, I use what already I have to match up to the original gilt.
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It is important for me to match everything as best as possible as I am tooling, especially as the books have provenance as a presentation copy! With any job, I try to find my own reasons for doing the work. For me, working on this set was not about the subject of the text, but rather the story of what the books have been through. 7
The spines are marked out and covered in gold leaf for tooling. At this stage, you can begin to see the results from all of the preparation work.
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Once I finish tooling the books, I begin to tone down the new gilt to match the old so that it appears more authentic. At this point, Vol. I and Vol. II have had basic colouring to match the tree calf on the spine and boards. I tone the gilt to the right colour and appropriate ageing for the period.
At this stage it is down to me to be happy with the work, and to know that my customer will be happy as well. The book has retained as much originality as possible, and it has been repaired with exactly the same methods and materials as the original. At the point in history that these books were bound, there were certainly fashions, and ideal styles, however every job was independent and a reflection of the binder, as well as the personal taste of the owner-to-be.
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*Original labels from Vol. III against the new labels.
Here is the completed set after restoration with chemises and slipcases. 10
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