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Subject: Identification and dating of 19th century publishers' bindings
American Library Association Association for College & Research Libraries Rare Books & Manuscripts Section Curator-Conservator Discussion Group Draft Guidelines: The Identification and Dating of 19th Century Publishers' Bindings The draft guidelines are based upon the 26 June 1994 presentation by Randy Silverman, Preservation Librarian/University of Utah, to the the Curator-Conservator Discussion Group of the ALA/Rare Books and Manuscripts Section. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist librarians and curators in the identification of original 19th century publisher's bindings which might be located in the general stack collections of their libraries or repositories. In many instances, such titles might have value based solely upon the characteristics and condition of their 19th c. bindings. Furthermore, the discussion group suggests that the retention and/or restoration of such bindings should become a consideration in the overall preservation decision-making process, as implemented and systematized by the library or repository. Though it has not been finalized, there is also the possibility that the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) will formulate guidelines on the recommended conservation treatments for 19th c. publishers' bindings. ** It is important to note that the guidelines are based solely upon the Silverman presentation. The published work of others relating to the identification and dating of 19th c. publishers' bindings is not yet reflected in this listing. * * The guidelines will be discussed at the upcoming ALA midwinter Philadelphia meeting of the Curator-Conservator Discussion Group, Sunday/February 5th, 8:30 am to 11 am. Subsequent revisions of the guidelines will be posted on the EXLIBRIS, ARCHIVES, and Cons DistList electronic bulletin boards. Comments, corrections, and citations to publications are welcomed. Please contact (Note: new zip code): Charlotte B. Brown, Discussion Group Chair Dept. of Special Collections-URL 405 Hilgard Ave. University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90095 ecz5cbb [at] mvs__oac__ucla__edu (please put "RBMS guidelines" in subject line) The draft guidelines are being posted on the EXLIBRIS, ARCHIVES, and Cons Distlist electronic bulletin boards. * * * * Date Name/Description of Binding ---- --------------------------- ca. 1826-28 Pickering is first publisher to use cloth covers 1830 paper wrappers fist appear; used to protect text block ca. 1830 first appearance of gilding (gold stamping) of cloth by a blocking press or engraving press. (Note: many examples of gilding are "off center" and/or incomplete due to the uneven heat of the stamp.) early 1830's first appearance of case bindings (vs. in board); case binding quickly becomes standard; allows mechanized stamping on spine and covers. 1833 first instance of "decorated" cloth: simulated moire silk using a water pattern. (Note: in general, U.S. publishers used cloths manufactured in England until ca. 1870 when several U.S. manufacturers began making cloths for publishing. Exceptions: Harpers manufactured own cloth ca. 1840's; Lea & Blanchard/Philadelphia, T. B. Peterson/Philadelphia, and Ticknor/Boston were early users of cloth.) 1833 embossed cloth first appears: simulated leather (morocco grain), diaper grain, checkerboard pattern, simulated ribbons, grape cluster, scallop & tile (very rare) ca. 1834 stamping images become consistent. ca. 1834 first appearance of publisher stamping spine with name. ca. 1835 first appearance of highly decorated gift books. ca. 1835 first appearance of blind embossing. ca. 1835 first appearance of binder stamping name in book. ca. 1835 first appearance of "caoutchouc" binding (an adhesive binding using vulcanized rubber--very rare.) 1844 (?) first appearance of onlays using paper or chromolithograph. 1844 first appearance of mosaic bindings employing multiple paper dye cuts with gold. (Note: primarily used by French binders; mosaic bindings lose popularity by 1858.) ca. 1845 paper text block trimmer invented. (Note: mechanically trimmed books printed prior to ca. 1865 were rare since it usually takes twenty years for new machinery to be acquired by a majority of publishers/binders. 1847 first appearance of U. S. onlay employing colored dyes applied to leather. 1847 first appearance of colored ink on cloth (England). ca. 1848 first appearance of calico cloth (Note: very common at the time, but few examples are extant today.) 1850's first appearance of silver embossing (very rare--silver tarnishes). 1850's - 1860's covers designed by John Leighton. (Note: Leighton made ca. 1,000 designs of which ca. 500 have been described.) 185__ first appearance of papier-mache bindings (employ metal wire supports; rare.) 1853 first appearance of "yellow back" covers by Edmund Evans, Publisher/England. (Note: yellow back covers were cheaper to manufacture: the paper was made of wood pulp and usually colored yellow; often the boards were made of straw; color woodblocks were used on the covers.) 1856 introduction of coal tar ink dyes (more durable). ca. 1859 black ink on cloth becomes prevalent. (Note: prior uses of black ink resulted in smearing) ca. 1860 first appearance of beveled corners 1880 Sarah Wyman Whitman/Boston, MA begins to design books. ca. 1880's first appearance of "split fountain;" use of colored inks blending from one color to another in the same design. *** Conservation DistList Instance 8:51 Distributed: Thursday, January 5, 1995 Message Id: cdl-8-51-008 ***Received on Thursday, 5 January, 1995