On receipt of a book I write a “report” on its condition and required treatment, which is discussed with the customer together with the likely cost of the work.
“Rebacking” is a common procedure carried out where the spine or “boards” (the hard covers) are detached or very weak. New material, closely matched to the original, is used to make a new spine & to re-attach the boards (I can often match typefaces etc). This is generally a straight forward, though time-consuming, process, which can be more complicated if e.g. pages are loose or sewing is damaged.
Books can also be rebound in different materials from the original, if you wish. For example, the original white cloth covers of this cookery book were replaced with a gold bookcloth & Italian paper – very distinctive.
‘Family Bibles’ are send to me in often very poor condition, having been passed around the family or stored in damp cellars. They often contain important information about a family’s history and are worth saving – I have rescued many. Extra pages for family information can be added if required. However, largely due to their weight and “well used” condition, they can need quite a lot of work to make them useable and displayable again.
PS. A plea on behalf of all bookbinders in this world: Please do not attempt to “repair” a book with sellotape or similar, not even as a temporary measure. The sticky substance of sellotape causes damage to paper, cloth and leather and is particularly difficult to remove. Store the book in a dry place until such a time as it can be looked at by a professional.
