Book binding and Restoration

Timothy · Post by **Timothy** » Sun May 02, 2004 8:23 pm

Does anybody have experience with restoring a book?

I just got a copy of Greenough's "Second Year Latin" from Alibris and the binding/cover is in sad condition. If I am to use the book it will need restoration. If the cost isn't prohibitive, then I would consider it. A sad but interesting defacement is the dictionary pages have been "indexed" by cutting out a strip on the page edge and each "tab" marked with a letter. Don't think that can be fixed. But the binding should be possible so that the spine and the cover don't fail.

I have a lead on the local binder for the library here in town, but I wondered if other prople had gone this route and what they felt about the results vs. cost.

- Tim

Thucydides · Post by **Thucydides** » Mon May 03, 2004 11:06 am

Hmm I've often wondered whether it's worth buying smashed up books and fixing them or just going for new ones.

(saw the big Lewis and Short Latin dictionary for £12 the other day but very smashed up)

Timothy · Post by **Timothy** » Mon May 03, 2004 5:05 pm

Thucydides wrote:Hmm I've often wondered whether it's worth buying smashed up books and fixing them or just going for new ones.

(saw the big Lewis and Short Latin dictionary for £12 the other day but very smashed up)

That seems to be the reaction I'm getting from friends who have tried. The cost seems to be excessive. It's a pity to let these books just disintegrate.

- Tim

ingrid70 · Post by **ingrid70** » Mon May 03, 2004 7:02 pm

I've got an old schoolbook that's been saved from disintegration by its former owner: he used it as a project for his book-binding course. Probably one of his first projects, there are some pages missing and it's not very neatly done, but it does still exist.

Maybe I should do such a course myself, I've got another old book that's ready for scanning: no binding left

. Unfortunately for the textkit audience, it's in Dutch.

Ingrid.

Timothy · Post by **Timothy** » Tue May 04, 2004 3:32 am

I'm going to be checking out a local store that does this type of work for $40 - $100 US. This is binding only plus lettering and materials. I'm gonna what and see what they say.

- Tim

Timothy · Post by **Timothy** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:51 pm

Quick follow-up:

I just got the quote for rebinding a copy of "Second Year Latin" for $60 US. They did a search for a replacement for less than $40 but came up empty. All the copies they found were in similar or worse shape. It appears the cost is also related to the market price of the book. The rebinding will do the cover boards and simple gilt lettering of the front and spine. However, they will do it (about 30 days) and I have seen a sample of they work, which is pretty good IMO. The company is Kelscott's here in Baltimore.

- tim