Letter of
Thanks
Addressed to Conservation by Design Limited
With this year’s runner-up prize of the Nicholas Hadgraft Memorial Scholarship I, Lisa
Handke, was luckily permitted to join the course for making a replica of an Italian Stiff-Board
Vellum Binding with Slotted Spine at the Montefiascone Conservation Project 2015 from 3rd
to 7th August, given by Scott W. Devine. I want to thank Conservation by Design Ltd. by
providing a short report of my week in Montefiascone.
7.10.2015
My first thought when I arrived in Montefiascone was: “What a wonderful place!” The
medieval town on top of the hill and the view over the lake Bolsena were breathtaking! I was
even more impressed when I realized, that the seminary is located on a very special spot –
just next to the belvedere. Also the inside of the Seminario Barbarigo was very charming
with its wall- and ceiling paintings and the wooden ceiling of the room where our course was
taking place.
Day 1 – Monday, 3rd August
The first day started with an introduction of the course tutors Scott W. Devine and his wife
Stacey Devine as well as the 10 students from all over the world.
Before we started to work on our books, we
got some information about the
Northwestern Hesiod that we wanted to
recreate. Scott told us about the history of
the Northwestern University Library and
how the Hesiod came to the USA. We also
talked about the interpretation of Hesiod’s
“Works and Days” and the characteristics of
the binding style, which was necessary to
know before binding a replica on our own.
For a better understanding of the course
goals, we had a look on one of the models
Scott has made. Afterwards we received the
textblocks and were curious to start.
Model of the Northwestern Hesiod, made by Scott W.
Devine (pic: Lisa Handke)
The textblocks, wrapped and stabilized (pic: Lisa
Handke)
The title page of the unwrapped textblocks (pic: Scott
W. Devine)
After checking the chronological order of the
sections, the first step was to sew the
textblock. This was carried out on three
alum-tawed goatskin supports, slotted in the
middle to create more stability.
As a sewing frame Scott provided a
multifunctional construction made of clamps
with a metal rod also usable as a portable
press.
The sewn textblock (pic: Lisa Handke)
Day 2 – Tuesday, 4th August
After taking the sewn textblock out of the sewing frame, the alum-tawed supports were
trimmed and the endpaper was tipped on. Like for the original book, light blue paper was
used as endsheets.
The next step was very important because it was time to form the shape of the spine and
with it the shape of the whole book. This step decides how the shape of the book will remain
as the glue on the spine dries. Therefore wheat starch paste was put on the spine and the
spine was formed by hand. To consolidate the shape, it was necessary to put the textblock
into the press for the drying process. This is one of the most difficult things to do, because
the textblock is not stable yet and the sections are moving, but once the textblock is set into
the press and the shape is adequate, enough wheat starch paste can be put on the spine for
making everything stable. After a little while, with the paste still a bit humid, it was time for
the final shaping process. To create a smooth round of the spine, the folds of the sections
were slightly moved from the middle towards the edges. When the spine had dried the
edges of the spine were processed once more to create a sharp hinge. This was done by
hand or by using a bone folder.
With the following step we first came into
contact with the thin vellum that Pergamena
especially prepared for our project. Four
pieces of the beautiful calfskin were used for
the transverse spine linings. They were
applied without covering the sewing
supports, because those needed to be
flexible. The spine linings were adhered with
wheat starch paste just in between the
alum-tawed skin supports.
The adhered vellum spine linings (pic: Lisa Handke)
In the afternoon, a pasteboard exercise was performed to comprehend how the original
pasteboard was produced. The Northwestern Hesiod has pasteboards consisting of 17
sheets of paper sticked and pressed together. Because this process (especially the drying
process) is very time consuming, Scott had prepared all pasteboards for our models
beforehand in Chicago. By making a small piece of board by ourselves we could see how
difficult it is to create an even shape because the pasteboard tends to warp while the paste
between the 17 layers started drying. It was interesting to see how the boards for our
models were prepared.
During the drying process, Scott was giving a lecture on Greek Scholarship in Renaissance
Italy. It was very interesting and useful to understand why greek literature was taught and
printed in Italy at that time.
Day 3 – Wednesday, 5th August
On Wednesday the endbands were made. The endbands consist of a primary and a
secondary endband. The primary endband was a bead-on-the-back endband using a core
made of rolled alum-tawed skin and white linen thread. The secondary endband was a beadon-the-front endband, using green and white silk thread. Making the endbands required
quite some time because every mistake is easily visible and one has to work concentrated
and precise to receive two similar and even looking endbands.
Primary endband on alum-tawed core with linen
thread (pic: Lisa Handke)
Secondary endband with green and white silk thread
(pic: Lisa Handke)
The next step was to attach the boards to the textblock by lacing the alum-tawed sewing and
endband supports into the pasteboards. Therefore two holes for each alum-tawed had to be
punched with an awl to create channels where the sewing and endband supports could be
laced in. The difficulty was to pull the alum-tawed supports tight enough through the boards
without having the boards lift up at the fore edge. Once the boards sat perfectly the
transverse spine linings were attached to the inner side of the boards and the alum-tawed
supports could be trimmed to an arrow shape and sticked onto the outside of the boards.
The laced in alum-tawed supports (pic: Lisa Handke)
The supports after trimming and sticking them onto
the boards (pic: Lisa Handke)
In the afternoon we talked about the Venetian Book Trade in the Early 16th Century and
about Bartolomeo Zanetti, the printer of the Northwestern Hesiod. It was fascinating to
learn about the workings of the book trade back then as well as to receive some information
about the printer.
Day 4 – Thursday, 6th August
The fourth day was the most intense day of
the week considering how many steps had
to be carried out. At first the trimmed and
attached alum-tawed sewing supports and
endband supports were pared to smooth
them before they were covered. Then, to
cover the sewing bands, three alum-tawed
skin patches were cut and pared on the
edges. After applying the patches with paste
they were tied to sit perfectly around the
sewing supports.
The adhered and tied alum-tawed band covers (pic:
Lisa Handke)
After the drying process the boards were trimmed at head, tail and fore edge and up next
was the most challenging step of the whole week – the covering. Therefore a cover template
of 10 pt. board was used. All book measurements like the board size, width of the turn-ins,
the spine width and the position of the band covers were transferred to the template. Then
the template was cut along the measured lines and the slots for the band covers were cut.
The next step was to transfer the template shape to the Pergamena vellum. Since the
Northwestern Hesiod is covered with the flesh side up, the replica should also be covered
that way. That is why the shape of template was transferred to the hair side of the vellum.
Then the covering process started. At first the piece of vellum had to be damped by putting
it in between wet blotter so that the vellum could absorb the moisture. After giving the
vellum enough time to expand, the spine of the book (except for the band covers) and the
spine part of the vellum were brushed with wheat starch paste twice. Then the vellum was
attached onto the spine and with a Teflon folder the soft vellum had to be smoothed
continuously to prevent creases. When the vellum was attached to the spine the boards
were covered one after another. Again the vellum had to be damped and the covering of the
boards was carried out on damp blotter as well, because the big piece of vellum started to
dry quite quickly in the hot Italian climate. The covering was not only time consuming but
most of all difficult since the thin pasted vellum was tricky to handle - it started warping
immediately. Thus, a permanent smoothing by hand and with a Teflon folder was necessary.
After the vellum on the spine and on the boards had dried a bit, the turn-ins were cut into
the correct shape where the endbands are located and then pasted and adhered as well. To
let the book dry overnight, pieces of blotter, polyester fleece and polyester film were put
between the textblock, the boards and around the book itself and the book was set in the
press.
The spine part of the vellum was attached to the
spine of the book, with the slots sitting above the
band covers (pic: Stacey Devine)
Working on a damp blotter, the vellum was adhered
to the boards smoothing it continuously (pic: Stacey
Devine)
Day 5 – Friday, 7th August
On the last day of the course the final steps were to be carried out to finish the models
successfully. First the corners were attached. The Northwestern Hesiod has subsequent
corners made of vellum, probably as a repair. Next up was the attachment of alum-tawed
ties at head, tail and fore edge. Therefore holes had to be punched into the boards to pull
the ties through. On the inside of the boards the ties were trimmed and adhered with wheat
starch paste. As the last step the blue pastedowns were attached.
During the drying process Scott told us about the updates on the research of the
Northwestern Hesiod. For example: There are some writings on the original vellum cover but
since the ink has faded or has been removed before using it as a covering material, it is now
unreadable to the point where even analyses using LED-light, UV- and IR-light as well as XRF
did not bring significant results. Nevertheless the research project is still going on.
Another part of the research is to have a look at other similar bindings to find out how many
books with this typical style and these characteristics from the same time or the same origin
as the Northwestern Hesiod actually exist. On these grounds we were also looking for
Slotted Parchment Bindings at the Seminario Barbarigo Library where we found a couple of
bindings. Furthermore we were allowed to have a look through the library and the archive
and Cheryl showed us some really special and impressive objects such as a book from the
Napoleonic times featuring bullet holes.
The last day of the week ended up with a debriefing session where we talked about the
course, received our certificates and took some pictures.
Certificate presentation with Nicolas Barker and
Cheryl Porter (pic: Stacey Devine)
Course participants and tutors Scott W. and Stacey
Devine (pic: Cheryl Porter)
Conservation by Design Ltd. Scholarship recipients
Xiaoping Cai and Lisa Handke (pic: Felix Esquivel)
The certificate and the finished replica of the
Northwestern Hesiod, an Italian Stiff-Board Vellum
Binding with Slotted Spine (pic: Lisa Handke)
Conclusion
The purpose of the course was to make a model of the Northwestern Hesiod, an Italian StiffBoard vellum Binding with Slotted Spine originally printed and bound 1537 in Venice. Special
characteristics of the binding such as the thin vellum with the flesh side up used for covering,
the alum-tawed band covers and the slotted spine were replicated. This binding style was
new to me and I was curious to learn how to cover a book just with one large piece of
vellum. It was a challenging course but it provided so much knowledge and left no question
unanswered. Scott W. and Stacey Devine were the best tutors I could imagine because they
put all their time and passion in it just to make the week perfect for us.
Besides binding techniques Scott also imparted background information about the
emergence of the original and the special binding style. In spite of 35 °C room temperature
all participants remained highly motivated during the sweat-inducing precision-work to be
able to hold a finished book as well as the certificate in their hands at the end of the week.
Apart from the practical work the Montefiascone Conservation Project is great for personal
subject-specific exchange on an international level. The 10 course participants – students,
conservators in leading positions and retired lovers of bookbinding – came from 8 different
countries and shared the same passion. It was a great feeling for a young student like me to
be part of a group where everyone was keen on learning something new. It also was
interesting to see that everybody could learn something from other course members. Some
of the course participants are returning to Montefiascone every year due to the passion for
conservation and the special atmosphere of the town is captivating everybody who has ever
been joining this Summer School.
I am so delighted and grateful for this wonderful experience and it has been one of the best
courses I have ever attended. I am sure that it has not been the last time and that I will go
back to the Montefiascone Conservation Project once more in a couple of years. I definitely
invite everyone to attend the Montefiascone Summer School and I can wholeheartedly say
that the Nicholas Hadgraft Scholarship offered by Conservation by Design Limited is an
outstanding possibility to join it for making a remarkable experience.
Thank you very much!
Lisa Handke