Gold Marbles, Landscapes, etc.
These designs, if properly executed, are the most beautiful that can be imagined. The labour and care, however, requisite, must ever confine them to superior bindings, for which a high price is given, to indemnify the workman for the time required to produce the proper effect. The imitation of the gold marbles is not an easy task; but a knowledge of the art of painting, and a clever management of the brush, will enable the workman to imitate the figure of the marble so true to nature as to be scarcely distinguishable.
GOLD MARBLE.
This marble, which will not require the ability to execute as those following it, is the invention of M. Berthé, senior, bookbinder of Paris, and may be executed on any kind of uniform substance. Take a piece of cloth, exceeding the size of the volume, and fold it equally; lay it, thus folded, evenly upon a board, and then open the other half, and cover the board; spread, upon the half towards the left, gold leaf to the size of the cover, allowing such portion as the roll intended to be worked on it may take, which will be a saving of gold; then refold the cloth on the gold, and press the hand above, without moving the cloth, so as to divide the gold into a number of small pieces. The gold being thus prepared, moisten the side of the volume with glaire mixed with water in equal proportion, and place it on the cloth, pressing above firmly with the hand. Care being taken not to disarrange it, turn over the volume, cloth, and board, and take the latter off, replacing it with a sheet of paper, and rubbing smartly above, so as to attach the whole of the gold to the cover. After this the cloth must be removed, and the gold will be found equally fixed; to further insure which lay on a sheet of paper, and rub well with the palm of the hand.
To remove any gold that may appear on the part intended for the roll in gilding, wet the end of the thumb, form a sort of square with the fore-finger on the edge of the board to the size of the roll, and rub the surface of the cover, which will clear it with facility before the glaire is dry.
LAPIS-LAZULI.
This marble is of clear blue, veined with gold, presenting an appearance of the utmost splendour. It is executed as follows:—
Place the volume between rods as for marbling, and with a sponge full of large holes, dipped in chemical blue mixed in six times its volume of water, make light spots, similar to clouds, at irregular distances; then put in a quarter part more blue, and make new clouds or spots a little darker. Repeat this operation six or seven times, each time adding more blue. All these coats will form stains in proper gradation, as in the natural marble; and to operate more properly, it would be better to have a model, either of the marble itself, or skilfully painted.
The veins of gold, which must not be laid on till the book is gilt, and just previous to polishing, are formed with gold in shell. The substance used to make it take and hold firmly on the cover of the book is prepared with white of egg and spirits of wine in equal proportion, and two parts of water, beating all well and leaving it to clear; then wet a small portion of gold-powder with the liquid, mixing it with the finger, and use it with a small camel’s-hair pencil. Pass it on in different places, so as to imitate the model, according to the taste of the workman; when done, let it perfectly dry, and polish with the polisher scarcely warm.
It will be perceived that by the use of other colours, or two or three together, many beautiful designs may be in like manner executed.
LANDSCAPES.
Many beautiful subjects may be formed on the sides of books by the workman skilled in painting; and, although coming more properly under the art of painting, and being objectionable on account of producing a mingling of the arts, so frequently exhibited upon volumes where the art of the bookbinder is superseded by that of the painter and jeweller, the young workman should understand at least the process by which they are produced. The volume is prepared by being pastewashed, so as to present a uniform fawn colour, the designs slightly traced, and afterwards coloured according to the pattern, the colours being mixed to the proper shade with water. The shades must be tried on pieces of refuse leather, as, being spirit-colours, when once laid on, no art can soften them down if too strong; and a peculiar lightness of touch will be necessary to produce effect. Portraits, &c. may also be executed in this manner, and many superb designs have at times been executed by the best binders of England and France. M. Didot, bookseller of Paris, presented a copy of the “Henriade,” published by himself, to Louis XVIII., most elegantly ornamented in this style. It was executed by M. Lunier Bellier, bookbinder of Tours, and exhibited on one side a miniature portrait of Henry IV., and on the other a similar one of Louis XVIII., both perfect likenesses. The greatest difficulty consisted in the portraits, which were first imprinted on paper, very moist, and immediately applied to the cover, on which they were impressed with a flat roller. When perfectly dry, they were coloured with all the art of which the binder was capable, and the other ornamental paintings executed by hand. This proceeding requires great care in the execution, and will be applicable to any design where the binding will justify the expense.
TRANSFERRED LANDSCAPES.
The art of transferring, long practised in the ornamenting of fancy articles, was judged equally practicable for forming a superior embellishment for the sides of books. But the varnish necessary to be employed in the operation rendered the invention of no utility, from the action of the heated polisher turning it white or causing it to shell off. After several trials, this difficulty is believed to be overcome, by the employment of a very simple and common article in the office of the bookbinder,—viz.: new glaire, well beaten up. The proceeding is as follows:—Cut the print, intended to be transferred, close to the design on all sides. Let it steep in the glaire till it is well saturated with it. During this time glaire the book twice, letting it dry on each application. Take out the print, place it exactly in the centre of the side-cover, and, laying a piece of paper above, rub it sharply on the book, so that it may adhere very closely. Remove the upper paper, and with the finger rub off the paper gently until the printed design begins to appear, wetting the finger in glaire should the paper get too dry. The utmost attention will now be necessary, for the least carelessness in removing the paper that still remains may entirely destroy the design, and the whole of the previous labour be lost. The paper must be gently removed, piece by piece, till the design only appears on the leather while damp. When dry, a white appearance will be presented, arising from the small particles of paper adhering to the ink; but these will be sufficiently hid on glairing the side previous to finishing. The extent and variety to which, at a small expense, these designs may be carried, with the finish and beauty given to the sides of books, renders the subject worthy of the attention of the ornamental workman particularly; but he must possess perseverance and carefulness in an eminent degree, to carry it to perfection. After the gilding or other ornament is executed, the side must be finished off in the usual manner. A slight coat of the varnish described in a subsequent part of the work will, in this case, give a superior finish.
The following directions, and that of Mr. Buchanan’s, are taken from the circulars of the Finishers’ Friendly Association of London:—
“Pictures on Calf.—We have heard of a process for transferring prints from the paper on which they had been printed to the sides of books bound in calf; and in these days, when novelty is so much sought after, it might be worth some Friendly’s while to test its efficacy. The side must be washed clean, and, while damp, the print is laid thereon, when, after remaining some time in the arming-press, it is said that a copy of the engraving will be found on the calf.
“In sending one of these executed in colours by him twenty years ago, a Friendly corrects an error we committed, by terming prints pictures, and writes, ‘In preparing the calf, it is simply washed with thin paste-water; when dry, a coat or two of weak salts of tartar. When perfectly dry, you may proceed with any subject; a very weak brown being generally used for its outline. For all colours, I use two cups of different strengths, with quill-pens and brushes to each. The green is composed of Scott’s liquid blue and French berries. These are bruised and simmered from half a pint to a quartern, then caused to boil, and, while in that state, a pinch of burnt alum should be added to set the colour. The slate is weak copperas; red is obtained from Brazil dust and vinegar, or Brazil chips boiled, and solution of tin added. The books had generally double bands—the lettering-pieces stained chocolate, and the spaces between bands blacked, or the colours “moused,” morocco being too bright for the stained calf. An octagon or square was coloured brown, slate, or sprinkled, and in the centre a light ground. Was the subject to my fancy, botanical works with a group of plants on the sides, when polished and pressed in japanned tins, had the neatest appearance. Landscapes, animals, insects, shells, &c. are all permanently fixed on the calf by the above-named colours.’ He concludes by hoping ‘the instructions are sufficiently plain to induce some aspiring F. F.’s to practise this almost forgotten branch of the art of finishing.’
“W. Buchanan.”
ORNAMENTAL BLACK LINES.
Black lines in rays, or intersecting each other in the form of diamonds or other devices, on the sides of books, which present a good appearance if well executed, are ruled with steel or swan pens, the nibs being formed to the size required by the boldness of the lines. The vinegar-black mixed with a portion of gum-arabic, to neutralize a part of the action of the acid and make it of a stronger consistency, will be found to answer best. Whatever the pattern, it should be slightly traced with the folder, and the design be afterwards marked with the pen, kept steady by the aid of a ruler.
BLACKING THE SQUARES.
Unless coloured uniformly, the whole of the designs before described will not produce the best effect if the squares remain plain or variously tinted; it is, therefore, necessary to black the edges and squares of the board, and the cap over the head-band. This is done with a piece of any firm soft substance on the edges, and with a sponge within the volume, sufficiently below the part where the end-papers will cover. Finally, the covers should be well pastewashed and left to dry.
BANDS AND TITLE-PIECES.
Where the backs are flat it will be necessary to mark the place intended for the bands in gilding. For this purpose the binder should have patterns of the various forms and sizes cut out of thin board, a little longer and double the breadth of the volumes, so that they may be held firmly on the sides, while the bands are marked across the back through the apertures cut in the pattern. It is usual to give a double band at the bottom of the back, and therefore this must be allowed for in the pattern, which lengthened portion must be placed even with the edge of the boards at the tail of the volume, and the bands marked with the folder. By this plan the whole of the bands in sets of books will present a parallel line, and the bad effect produced by the inequalities arising from compassing the distances and trusting to the sight will be avoided. A great saving of time is also effected, as the patterns once made will serve for a very considerable period.
On the fancy colours and sprinkles it is usual to attach lettering-pieces of morocco. For this purpose the morocco, or roan if common work, is cut lengthways of the grain, according to the space between the bands, and the slip placed across the back to measure the breadth, and then cut off. Then, slightly damping on the flesh-side, it must be pared as thin and equal as possible, and the edges sloped evenly down, so as to bring it to the exact size of the square it is to occupy. Should the back require two pieces,—viz.: another for the volume or contents,—it may be proper to vary the colour. These title-pieces are pasted evenly on, a portion of paste rubbed over them with the finger, and then attached firmly and equally by rubbing down the edges with the folder, when the paste must be well washed off with a clean sponge. Where economy is an object, the squares intended for the title may be darkened with brown or black, which will show the lettering very well.
INLAID ORNAMENTS.
To give some bindings in vellum, calf, or morocco an additional degree of splendour, it is sometimes required to execute ornaments on the covers of a different colour; and, as this is an important manipulation, it will be necessary for the young workman to understand it. Let the pattern be worked in blind upon the volume, taking care to have it well impressed. Pare morocco of the colour desired evenly and thin. While damp, place it upon that portion of the pattern to be inlaid, and press upon it with the fingers. The outline of the figure will appear through the morocco. Then lay it upon the paring-stone; and, with the same gouges with which the pattern has been executed, proceed to cut out the morocco. The gouges used for this kind of work should be made of steel.
The same directions will apply to fancy titles for flat backs.
After the pieces have been properly cut out, the workman will proceed to paste them evenly and adjust them in their place upon the volume.
When dry and prepared, the book will then be ready for gilding, and when covered with the gold ornament the joints of the leather will not be perceptible, if well executed. The gouges must be worked upon the edge of the morocco.
This kind of ornament is more frequently executed on calf than any other substance.