The Pressbengel Project: Exploring German bookbinding traditions and more...

Ludwig Schaible's German Bookbinders' Federation Membership Book

2012-01-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

Several years ago I was able to acquire the German Bookbinders' Guild membership book of a certain Ludwig Schaible. Herr Schaible was born on the 7th of January 1867 in Dornstetten, Germany and joined the Federation on the 1st of April, 1897 at the age of 30 in Leipzig, Dornstetten is in the northern part of the Black Forest closer to the Rhein whereas Leipzig is in Saxony, a bit south of Berlin, quite a distance apart and an indication of mobility in the trades.In this his third membership book, he is shown to have worked in Hamburg Altona from 1913 - 1918 as the location where these dues were paid was also recorded.

Now known as the Bund Deutscher Buchbinder Innnungen (BDBI) or Federation of German Bookbinding Guilds it was formed in 1880 to support the trade and those practicing it. The membership books were used in all trades and used to record the contributions made for dues, insurance, and other expenses related to working with these recorded using stamps. Below are the cover and a selection of page spreads depicting these stamps.

The small notice below from the Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien, Vol 22, 1907 also gives an indication of how these stamps were collected and accounted for.

In this case for non-participation at the May Day celebration by those from shops that could not close for the day. Those earning 15 Marks/week were asked to pay 25 cents and for those earning over 24 Marks the fee was 75 cents. Stamps for the appropriate amount were then glued into the membership books. As an aside the notice also indicates that the Federation of German Hempspinners and Sewing Thread Manufacturers agreed to a general price increase of 4% for their products effective immediately.

German Bookbinder's Song of 1842.

2012-01-01T13:57:00.001-08:00

The Chorus by William Hogarth, ca.1850

German Bookbinder's Song of 1842.

Who can be more contented,
With life as ‘tis. presented.
    To us who bind the books?
Our work is full of pleasures,
We bind the richest treasures,
    And beautify their looks.

CHORUS: Hallo, halli. hallo, halli,
The Binder's life for me,

The plough we move so swiftly.
The hammer wield so deftly,
     Upon the beating stone.
In rounding or in backing,
We find no music lacking.
     Each has its merry tone.

We scrape and gild and burnish,
Till every edge we furnish
     With golden ray of light.
We work most charming headbands,
With blue and white and red strands,
     Like ladies’ dress bedight.

Thc backs we draw on lightly,
The corners turn in tightly,
     Well soaked with good stout paste.
The sides we neatly cover
With marbled paper over,
     To suit the owner’s taste.

Half French, half English binding,
In each a pleasure finding,
     We ready are to do.
The back we neatly fillet,
Or gild with tools to fill it,
     The title letter too.

In carven oak book cases,
And shelves in poorer places,
     Or ladies’ hands I ween:
Before the Sacred Presence,
At wedding feasts as presents,
     Our work is always seen.

The leaders of the nations,
With stars and decorations,
     With us their treasures trust.
Where would be all the sages?
The wisdom of the ages
     Eithout us would be dust.

If all our storied pages,
As in the by-gone ages,
     Were written down on rolls ;
The wear from oft unfolding,
And stains, from students' holding,
     Would oft blot out the scrolls.

But since the art of printing –
The world with glory tinting –
     Brought books within our reach:
In any form of binding,
How easy 'tis in finding,
      Whate’er the pages teach.

There could be no diffusion
Of knowledge, in confusion,
     Of papers loosely laid.
So, colleagues, lift your glasses,
To readers of all c1asses,
     And drink, “Long Live our Trade."

All hail the craftsman's hand, boys!
All through the Fatherland. boys!
     Men still will need our aid.
Long as the world goes round, boys!
Bookbinding can't go down, boys!
      All hail our worthy Trade!

From Journal fur Buchbinderei.

[From the British bookmaker: a journal for the book printer, the book illustrator, the book cover designer, the book binder, librarians, and lovers of books generally, Volume 5, 1891-92, pg 70]

Reference Collection Work

2012-01-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Spent the equivalent of a few fruitful days weeding and shifting my bookbinding/book arts reference collection so that I have _some_ space to grow in all areas. The top 2~3 shelves on the far right are still in flux, but no more books stacked on top of books. All is reflective of refocused collection development policy. Almost like a "real" library. Was precipitated in part by bringing my artist's book collection (not in this picture but on a brand-spanking new Gaylord Bros book cart - the large 3-shelf version) back from work... Beneficiaries of the weeding were my faithful students/friends.

Still a bit to do, and perhaps more reference books to bring from work, but looking forward to being able to add to my database and use the collection...

Der Buchbinder a la Die Sendung mit der Maus

2011-09-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Great little German video by Marcel Ernst about bookbinding thematically based on Die Sendung mit Der Maus, a WDR show for kids that explained all sorts of things.Video is in German and starts out with a guy who has a falling apart book. Tries to fix it and finally ends up in a trade bindery that shows how a book is made - double fan adhesive cased binding... Then smiles all around.

Aufschabeblech - What would it be called in English?

2011-08-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

From Paul Kersten's Die Buchbinderei und das Zeichnen des Buchbinders ... (Halle a.d. Saale, 1909), plate 1.

An odd looking tool with an even odder name in German, aufschabeblech. It's also referred to as a aufschabebrett as it could be made of wood too. In Italian it's sfilacciatoio and in French effileur. Below is a description of how it would have been used. Apparently, there is no English term, or is there? Suggestions?

So, how was this tool used? After sewing on raised or recessed cords, and the spine pasted up, the cords were cut short and pulled through the holes in the blech (tin), untwisted and then frayed out until very fine using the back of a knife. This then allowed them to be pasted out and neatly fanned out on the wastesheet of the textblock or on the top of the board as in the diagram below from Wiese's Werkzeichnen für Buchbinder..., (Stuttgart, 1937).

About this method of board attachment, Ernst Collin wrote in his Pressbengel (translated as The Bone Folder):

BIBLIOPHILE: Master, your logic is impeccable and I will keep what you said in mind. Let me ask you another question. A librarian acquaintance of mine once said that the French do a much better job with their quarter-leather bindings than the Germans.

BOOKBINDER: That is absurd. What is most likely behind that statement is the difference between the French and German styles in how the boards are attached. Remember how I described pasting the frayed-out cords on the board to attach it? What the French do is lace the cords through the boards to secure them. Here, let’s see what Paul Kerstens wrote in his Exaktem Bucheinband: “It is commonly believed that a book in which the boards are attached in the French manner is more durable than one in which the German method is used. This is false. The boards are attached to the text block via the cords, and in all cases the failure was at the hinge and after many years of use, not because the boards were not laced on…” (Note: Kersten, Paul. Der Exakte Bucheinband. Halle (Saale): W. Knapp, 1923. Pages 22-23.)

BIBLIOPHILE: Again, I can’t argue with knowledge and experience of a true craftsman like you.

Vee alvays knew zis

2011-06-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Seen on the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) leaving Toronto, Canada on the way home this afternoon... One of the most hideous highways I have had the pleasure to drive on. At least something entertaining today...

Bradel General Contractors

A Binder's Training by J. Franklin Mowery

2011-06-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

This article first appeared in the Guild of Book Workers' Journal, Volume XX, 1981-82. It is reprinted here with the permission of the author.

Frank Mowery shortly after his arrival at the
Folger Shakespeare Library in the late 1970s.

My association with books began early. Growing up with both parents librarians, lived in a house full of splendid books and often browsed through the remarkable collection of Wittenberg University, in Springfield, Ohio, where my father was and still is Director of the Library As high school graduation approached, I knew that I wanted a career in books and that binding held a particular fascination for me.

Ignatz Wiemeler with Kurt Londenberg (at right) in Leipzig, Germany, 1937.
From Leben und Werk des Buchkünstlers Kurt Londenberg (1914-1995), Helma Schaefer, ed., Verlag Ludwig, 2009.

What began then was a flurry of letter writing to search out good teachers and places to study, a process that yielded more frustration than results. Finally – a concrete lead that enticed me I Bernard Breslauer responded to a letter: “I recommend that you write to Professor Kurt Londenberg who is, in my opinion, the greatest living German bookbinder." After further correspondence and months of arrangements it was set.

And so, in February 1971, I found myself on a plane to Wiesbaden with one suitcase and a year of high school German. For six months, I worked for Otto Harrassowitz Book Publishing Company (and immersed myself in the German language and way of life At the end of September, I was again traveling to a new city – this time to Hamburg, the Art Academy, and my studies with Kurt Londenberg,

The Art Academy is an L-shaped six-story, red-brick building that borders a canal on one side and faces a lake and Renaissance cathedral on the other. With its magnificent mansard roof it is an imposing sight. At one time the basement housed a veritable zoo with stalls containing horses, cows, birds, and wild animals to provide the art students with live models. Today, fewer 1500 students are enrolled, studying a variety of art disciplines from the traditional studio fine arts to architecture and textile design.

My introduction to Hamburg, the Academy, and specifically the studio where 1 was to spend the next four years was through Frau Barbara Partikel, Professor Londenberg's assistant and the person who patiently took me through the rudiments of binding. On meeting me, she immediately took over with characteristic enthusiasm: helped me enroll, located a place for me to live, and sent me off to the other end of the city to buy bookbinding tools and supplies. As the only full-time student (others came only for brief periods of instruction), r was given the best and most inspirational working area. The studio was a large and spacious room on the third floor with a ceiling that soared twenty feet. My fifteen-foot bench area was situated in the corner with a western view of the cathedral and lake and an expansive northern view of the city and its activities. I had an entire bank of cabinets for my tools, supplies, and books.

On my first official day at the Academy, I met Professor Londenberg, a distinguished looking silver- and white-haired man with a radiating smile that at once revealed an underlying self-confidence and warm, welcoming nature. He was enthusiastic, but serious about his art. "If you work hard, you will get along," he said. I learned that he did not usually have special students and that it had been five years since he had taken a full-time student. Earlier in his career, he would accept students who had completed the three-year German apprenticeship and five-year journeyman studies to prepare them for the Masters-level examinations. Later, he told me that one of the most difficult things he had to do was break many of these students from long-established bad habits.

Raymond Escholier, Cantegril, illustrated by Carlegle. No.4 of a limited edition with a separate suite of engravings and three original drawings. Paris, Les Editions Pittoresques, 1931. Rust-colored goatskin with inlays of mustard and turquoise goatskin, blind-tooled. Bound 1974. The colors suggest the tiled roofs, the fields, and the waters of the Provence region of France where the story takes place. The blind-tooled design represents the beaded curtains often found in the doorways of cafes, where the story of Cantegril unfolds.

From the beginning, Professor Londenberg emphasized those elements that contribute to an artistically complete volume: a foundation of good quality paper with the grain running parallel to the spine; strong, but flexible sewing for a sound internal structure; a harmony between the typography and illustrations; and a binding that unified the artistic elements into a complementary whole, but did not overwhelm them. he felt strongly that only the finest editions merited the painstaking attention and artistic efforts of a fine binder. This point was concretely reinforced even early on, as I started my work with Insel Verlag publications: small straightforward volumes of 4 to 5 gatherings each but sensitively produced.

My lessons were geared to my rate of development. I moved from binding thin books with flat backs and simple linen or leather headbands that were cased in paper and untitled to binding thicker books that were rounded and backed and covered with quarter-linen and paper sides. Under the guidance of Professor Londenberg, I progressed methodically. Each day seemed to bring new experiences, but everything had to be just right before I moved on. I learned to sew on marvelous Heger Hanfbänder, tapes made of long flax fibers bonded together, that were incredibly strong but could be frayed out easily at the ends and adhered to the waste sheet. Regrettably, I have never seen these tapes in the United States. [note: these are now available as Ramie tapes] I began making decorated papers (marbled papers, paste papers, wax crayon and solvent papers) and experimenting with the methods available to achieve different images through various patterns and coloration.

Ovid's Les Metamorphoses, illustrated by Pablo Picasso.. No. 1005 of a facsimile edition with a separate suite suite of illustrations. Geneva: Production Edito-Service, S.A. Rust-colored niger goatskin with blind tooled lines and title. Bound in 1974. 11 x 8.5 inches. The classic simplicity of the cover design was chosen to complement, rather than compete with the text and illustrations. The color of the leather matches the second color used by the printer for the large initials beginning each chapter.

During semester break, Professor Londenberg arranged for me to work in the bookbinding firm of Willy Pingel in Heidelberg. There I had a chance to graphically compare my artistic world and instruction with the realities of a semi-commercial bindery. I met young Germans going through the official [guild]-prescribed apprenticeship program. For their three years of training, they worked hard and were paid little. I found that in my first semester I had learned more and worked on a greater variety of books than they had throughout their apprenticeship. The stifling atmosphere created by the apprenticeship system was reflected in the discouragement of one man who was seriously considering leaving binding and forfeiting his years of training. The system requires that a journeyman who wants to advance to the Masters level must leave his old shop and set up a new one after passing his examinations. Because of the resulting competition with older and more established firms, many new firms flounder, discouraging many journeymen from advancing to Master status.

During my second semester, I continued to bind small books in linen and designed paper and added work in quarter-leather and exercises in tooling. Every morning, I would practice tooling using as my tooling surface wooden blocks shaped like books and covered with scraps of leather, attempting to blind tool parallel lines and text of a similar tone. Twice a week, I studied typography as an art and craft with Richard von Sichowsky, a great German master.

Also at this time, I received my introduction to conservation with Frau Wildred Kolmorgen, Head Conservator at the State University Library in Hamburg, when she offered the Library's first conservation workshop. Although the workshop was open only to master binders who worked in German libraries (requirements which I obviously did not meet), I was permitted to attend due to the eloquent persuasiveness of Professor Londenberg. During that month, I learned a variety of techniques: to sew on raised cords, make brass clasps, wash, deacidify, and mend paper. Most exciting, especially for a beginner, was my discovery that the boards used for a particular 1509 Psalter were composed of cut manuscript pages that were eventually pieced back together. Toward the end of that summer, I had the honor of meeting Professor Otto Wächter, Head Conservator at the Austrian National Library in Vienna and instructor in paper restoration at the State Art Academy, who invited me to study with him as a special student on completion of my training in Hamburg.

My second year was more intensely concentrated on the design aspects of fine binding. For each book, I would work out ten to twenty-five designs, discuss them with Professor Landenberg, rework several, pick one, and make final modifications. Only then, and after selecting the appropriate internal structure, color, edge treatment, headbands, and covering material, would any work begin on the unbound book. A protective box lined in silk, felt, or velvet was made for each book.

Pierre Lecuire, Regnes embossed illustrations by Etienne Hajdu, published by the author, 1961. Bound 1987. 38 x 49.5 x 5.5 cm. Bound in white alum tawed goat. The design is based on one of the images in the volume. The binding consists of three layers built up to create the raised positive and negatives design n the boards. The design is reversed on the doublures. Negative spaces are inlaid with black calf. To support the weight of the boards, leather covered brass stilts were incorporated. The headbands are embroidered with plain linen thread. The covers are held closed with leather covered clasps.

The remaining time I had at the Art Academy was spent refining the design and technical skills I had learned. One technique particularly favored by Professor Londenberg, and one I still choose frequently, is the use of dies which opens a range of design possibilities. A photographic process can transfer any
black and white image onto zinc plates that are deeply etched and mounted onto type-high metal blocks for heated impressions or onto wood for cold embossing.

Throughout my years of instruction, the functional integrity of the book was always stressed. The outward design of the covering was never permitted to usurp the inherent utilitarian nature of the book. Flexibility and ease of use were insured by a hollow back (even over raised cords) so that no leather was ever directly adhered to the spine, thus eliminating any possibility or restriction in opening.

There are many particulars of my years spent in Hamburg at the Art Academy that I have not touched upon. But it was not my intention to write a complete, or even comprehensive, essay on my training there. Rather, through this personal account I have tried to highlight some of the aspects that made my training a unique and exciting experience.

Excerpts from the Humorous Writings of Leonardo Da Vinci. Compiled and edited from the original manuscripts by Jean Paul Richter. Printed for the Guild of Book Workers' Potomac Chapter by the Snails Pace Press, 1996. Bound 1997. 18.5 x 27 x 3 cm. Bound in golden brown covered goatskin, Playing upon Leonardo's "mirror writing," the blind tooled designs reverses and flips repetitions of his name. The top edge is decorated with graphite and the headbands are embroidered in gold and brown silk thread.

Some other examples of his work can be seen on his website at Restore Paper.

On a personal note, I want to thank Frank for encouraging me to study bookbinding in Germany following college. It was not until after I returned for the Christmas holidays that I learned that the apprenticeship experience I was having was not in the least like his more academic training, an experience that I thought I would also have. Despite that, and in spite of the challenges I faced, some of which mirror what he observed during his stay in Heidelberg, I feel that my formal "guild prescribed" apprenticeship provided me with a very solid background and prepared me well for working as a binder and conservator. More on that in a later post. Peter D. Verheyen.

Wire "Stapled" Bindings (Drahtheftung)

2011-05-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago there was some discussion on Book_Arts-L about this peculiar style of binding that seems to have been mostly applied in German binders beginning in the 3rd quarter of the 19th century. Hugo Brehmer (1844–1891) who emigrated to the US from Lübeck, Germany is said to have developed the first machine in the US in 1875 that his brother August (1846–1904) is believed to have "perfected." A patent was supposedly issued in 1872, but I have not been able to locate that in the US Patent Office database. The first book produced this way is said to be the official program for the 1876 World's Fair in Philadelphia, PA. In 1879 he returned to Germany, this time Leipzig where he continued with the development and commercialization of his wire binding machine. Brehmer is also credited with developing the first mechanical thread-based sewing machine in 1884.

George Stephen's Commercial Bookbinding (London, 1910) available from the Internet Archive has good English language descriptions of the various kinds of wire binding machines that were in use at the time. Sections describing the wire binding begin on pages 5 and 19. Thank you to Jeff Peachey for pointing me to this text [Added, 5/16/2011].

Beginning on page 19:

Wire Sewing.
In this country wire is not used to any appreciable extent for the sewing of letterpress books, but in Germany books are commonly sewn with wire. Machines for doing this work are necessarily more complex in construction than wire-stitching machines. A typical wire book-sewing machine (Fig. 18) is that made by Mr. Aug. Brehmer, which is used for the sewing of many important publications, including Baedeker's Guides and Brockhaus's Konversations Lexikon. This machine is equally suitable for letterpress work, guard hooks, pattern books, post card albums, and similar work. The machine is fed automatically from spools by small steel rollers and at each revolution as many U-shaped staples are produced as are requisite for each section. A section, having been placed on an oscillating table, is brought into position for being sewn. The staples are driven from the inside of the section through the fold and through the tapes or open fabric which is stretched and firmly held by clasps directly opposite to each staple binder and inserter. The projecting legs of the staples are clinched over, thus producing a firm connection between the section and the tapes or fabric, whichever is used. In order to reduce the swell in the back of the book which would be caused if the staples in the various sections were all inserted in a corresponding position, the machine is so constructed that each staple forming apparatus has two or three shifts whereby the staples in adjoining sections are inserted in different positions so that there appear on the back two or three times as many rows of staples as there are staples in each section. Fig. 19 [not shown] illustrates the positions of the staples in a book that was sewn when the machine was arranged for three shifts ; for the sake of clearness the backing material has been omitted from the illustration. It is estimated that about 2,000 sections per hour can be sewn on this machine. There is no doubt that this method of sewing is very strong; indeed, so firmly are the sections held together that usually the books thus sewn have not that degree of pliability possessed by books sewn with thread. Another objection to wire-sewn books concerns the binder: when it is necessary to rebind such books, the girls in "pulling" them are exposed to the danger of having their fingers torn by the staples. The greatest objection, however, to wire-sewn books lies in the fact that sooner or later the wire will rust and rot the paper and the back fabric to which, it is secured. so that the book will fall to pieces and cannot be rebound without first repairing every fold- an expensive method which would only be adopted for rare and valuable books, because if the book were in print it would generally he cheaper to procure a new copy than to pay the cost of repairing the sheets. Doubtless if only alumenoid wire were used this latter objection would be removed, but as this wire is expensive, its use is chiefly confined to the sewing of books that are to be sent to the East The various climatic conditions to which books destined for the East will be subjected necessitate the employment of a non-rusting wire, such as alumenoid.

Below a diagram of a "modern," i.e. mid-20th century wire binding machine showing how the signatures are attached to the mull backing...

Diagram of mechanism from Bohse's Die Industrielle Buchbinderei (Leipzig, 1955)
Heftköpfe = binding heads, fixed (stapler mechanism); Gaze-Schneideleiste = Gauze/Mull trimming edge; Umlegekasten = [staple] bending unit; Stapeltisch = stack table (for textblock); Gazerolle = Gauze/Mull roll

In contrast to books where the staples went through the entire textblock as in magazines and dime novels, these staples went through the fold giving the book reading properties equivalent to books sewn through the fold with thread. Applied to "mass-produced" trade books, these bindings have held up quite well with rust on the staples being the only real drawback. Depending on the wire, they can also become brittle and break when trying to open for pulling the book down to the signatures. Speaking as a conservator, and as noted in the quote above from Commercial Bookbinding, it also helps to be aware of these when cleaning the spines so as to avoid bloodying oneself.

Lehrbuch der Klinischen Untersuchungs-Methoden, Leipzig 1899.
Detail of spine showing staples used for binding holding signatures to cloth spine lining.

Paul Adam described this method superficially in his Practical Bookbinding (London, 1903), the English translation of his work Die Praktischen Arbeiten des Buchbinders (Leipzig, 1898), Adam, on page 52 describes this method as follows:

And below the illustration from page 53 of the same book.

In Der Bucheinband: seine Technik und seine Geschichte, (Leipzig, 1890) Adam makes use of a different illustration on pg 41 that shows the machine from a different angle.

And here the illustration from Brockhaus' Konversations-Lexikon featured in the previous post.

19th Century Bookbinding Tools and Machines

2011-05-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

The first edition originated in the Conversations-Lexikon mit vorzüglicher Rücksicht auf die gegenwärtigen Zeiten by Renatus Gotthelf Löbel and Christian Wilhelm Franke, published in Leipzig 1796-1808. Paralleling other 18th century encyclopedias, the scope was expanded beyond that of earlier publications, in an effort to become comprehensive. This Lexikon included geography, history, and in part biography, as well as the more typical mythology, philosophy, natural history, and so on. [Wiki]

The pages below are from the 14th edition published in Leipzig in 1894, and show some of the machines and other tools in use in German binderies of the time. The illustrations appeared following page 650 of the third volume with the text running on pages 650, 651, and 652. An unedited German-language transcription from the retro-Bibliothek follows the illustrations. The retro-Biblothek is a German-language project to make available in digital form 19th century reference works.

1: Rollerpress for smoothing the paper in lieu of beating with a hammer; 2: powered machine for folding board, 3: boardshear, 4: backing machine, 5: press nut for additional leverage, 6: beating hammer, 7: powered leather paring machine, 8: manual stapler for making boxes and tubes.

1: Guillotine for trimming 3 edges on book blocks, 2: sewing machine, 3: wire sewing machine (stapled), 4: small manual guillotine, 5: plough press, 6: plough, 7: manual wire saddle stapler, 8: rubbing down machine, 9: type-holder , 10: gilding cushion, 11: glue pot and finishing tool heater, 12: die cutter, 13: circular saw for cutting boards, 14: powered guillotine, 15: gilding knife, 16: blocking press.

1: Machine for angling boar edges, 2: burnishing stone (agate), 3: roll for finishing, 4: rounding machine, 5: machine folding paper once (for manual or powered use), 6: box for marbling supplies, 7: sewing frame, 8: machine for folding paper twice (powered), 9 & 10: stiff brush and screen for sprinkling book edges.

650 - Buchberger - Buchbinderei

Buchbinderei nennt man das vorzugsweise mit Heften und Binden von Büchern, jedoch auch mit der Anfertigung von Arbeiten in Pappe, Papier und verwandten Stoffen beschäftigte Gewerbe. Die Fabrikation von Portefeuillewaren (s. d.) und Kartonnagen (s. d.) hat sich von der V. im engern Sinne abgezweigt und tritt in neuerer Zeit immer mehr als selbständiges Gewerbe oder besonderer Fabrikbetrieb auf. Neben der noch vielfach int Klei- nen, handwerksmäßig betriebenen V. ist schon seit vielen Jahren und insbesondere in neuerer Zeit immer mehr der Groß- und Fabrikbetrieb mit Ma- schinen und Arbeitsteilung zur Herrschaft gelangt. Die Arbeit des Buchbindens besteht zunächst im Falzen oder Zusammenlegen, Brechen des Bogens in das vorgeschriebene Format, in 2 Teile Folio, 4 Teile Quart, 8 Teile Oktav u. s. w. Gegenüber der vielfach angewendeten Handfalzerei bietet die heute sehr verbreitete Falzmaschine, die ein großes Arbeitsquantum liefert, viele Vorteile. Eine Falzmaschine von Martini & Comp. liefert stündlich bis 1500, eine Doppelfalzmaschine (s. Tafel: Buchbinderei III, Fig. 8) 2000 und mehr Bogen. Die gefalzten Bogen werden der richtigen Reihenfolge nach zusammengetragen und darauf kollationiert. Früher als man noch zum Druck Papier ohne Leimung verwendete, ging dem Falzen das Planieren voraus; die Bogen wurden durch mit etwas Alaun versetztes Leimwasser gezogen, ge- trocknet und zur Erleichterung des Falzens mit dem Schlag Hammer (Taf. I, Fig. 8) geschlagen, oder man ließ die Bogen durch ein Walzwerk gehen. Da die Papierfabrikation jetzt bedeutend fortgeschritten und die Buchdruckerei die Bogen gleich geglättet (satiniert) an den Buchbinder liefert, so kommt das Planieren und Schlagen vor dem Falzen nur höchst selten noch vor. Sind also nach dem Falzen die Bücher kollationiert, so werden sie beim Handbetrieb mit dem Schlaghammer geschlagen, bis jede Un-ebenheit ausgeglichen ist, beim Maschinenbetrieb gewalzt, indem man je 5-6 Bogen auf einmal durch ein Satinierwalzwerk (Taf.I, Fig. 1) gehen läßt. Dem zu bindenden Buche werden nun die ihm zum Halt und zur Zierde dienenden Vorsatzblätter beigefügt, die in der Regel aus zwei ganzen Blättern und einem halben Blatt bestehen, das der Falz genannt wird; dann erfolgt das Heften auf der Heftlade (Taf. III, Fig. 7) durch Zwirn in Ver- bindung mit Bindfaden (Bünde). Für die Bünde, deren man 2 - 5, je nach Größe des Buches an- wendet, macht man Sägeschnitte in den Rücken der Bücher, wenn die Bünde vertieft liegen sollen; ohne Einschnitte auf Bindfaden geheftete Bücher erhalten erhabene Bünde. Das Einsägen geschieht in arößern V. durch die Einsägemaschine (Taf. I, Fig. 4), in die man mehrere kreisförmige Sägen, entsprechend der Zahl der für die Bünde nötigen Vertiefungen, einsetzen und beliebig aus- einander rücken kann. Auch das Heften geschieht in neuester Zeit nicht mehr mit der Hand und durch Zwirn, sondern durch Drahtheftmaschinen (Taf. II, Fig. 3 u. 7). Ist das Buch geheftet, so werden die Bünde in die richtige Länge geschnitten und das Vorsatzpapier, d. b. der schmale Bruch innen mit Kleister an den zweiten Bogen gut an- geklebt, die Bünde aufgeschabt, sodaß ein flach lie- gendes Faserwerk entsteht, und dann mit heißem Leim geleimt, um eine innigere Verbindung zu erzielen. Nach dem Trocknen beschneidet man die Vorderseite und klopft das Buch rund, wodurch die gleichmäßige Wölbung des Rückens und die gleiche, hohlkehlenartige Rundung des Vorderfchnittes her- gestellt wird, setzt dann das Buch zwischen Bretter, doch so, daß diese so weit vom Rücken abstehen, als der nun zu bildende Falz stark werden soll, in die Presse und dreht diese mit dem Preßbengel (Taf. I, Fig. 7) stark zu. Die Stärke des anzubringenden Falzes richtet sich nach den Deckeln, die das Buch erhalten soll, und wird dadurch erzeugt, daß man den geleimten Rücken erst mit Kleister ein wenig erweicht, hieranf mit dem Kaschiereisen nach links und rechts herübcrorückt und dann noch mit dem Hammer durch leichtes Schlagen in die richtige Form klopft. Dies wird in allen größern V. mit der Endossier- oder Abpreßmaschine (Taf.I, Fig. 6) ausgeführt; der mit ihr zu erzielende Nutzen ist sehr bedeutend, da man bis zu 200 Bücher stündlich damit abpressen kann. Um den Rücken schön und gleichmäßig abzurunden, bedient man sich der Rückenrundemaschine (Taf. III, Fig. 2), die gleich vorzüglich die mit Draht und die mit Zwirn gehefteten Rücken rundet. Sind die Bücher ab- gepreßt, so werden sie in kleinern Werkstätten in der Verschneidepresse (Taf.II, Fig.5) mittels des Beschneidehobels (Fig. 6) beschnitten, während man fast in jeder größern V. Veschneidemaschinen (Fig. 1, 4 u. 14) eingeführt hat, die mit Leichtigkeit ein großes Arbeitsquantum bewältigen. Der far-bige Beschnitt wird meist farbig verziert, und zwar wird bei einfarbigem Schnitt die anzuwendende Farbe erst mit Wasser und ein wenig Kleister auf einem Stein gut verrieben und die Schnitte mit einem Borstenpinsel gleichmäßig bestrichen; nach dem Trocknen preßt man die Bücher ein und glättet den Schnitt mit dem Glättzahn (Taf. III, Fig. 4). Eine andere Art ist der gesprengte oder gespritzte Schnitt. Die Bücher werden dabei ein- gepreßt und die Farbe mit einem feinen Drahtgitter (Sprenggitter, Taf. I, Fig. 3) und einer mit Farbe versehenen Bürste (Sprengbürste, Fig. 2) aufgespritzt. Durch die Wahl passender Farben und deren Aufsprengen in möglichst gleichmäßigen klei- nen Tropfen können sehr hübsche Wirkungen erzielt werden. Der marmorierte Schnitt ist der beliebteste und gut ausgeführt auch der schönste. Seine Herstellung war früher mit vielen Umständlichkeiten und Schwierigkeiten verbunden, jetzt sind Mar- morierapparate (Taf. III, Fig. 6), die alle nötigen Präparate und Utensilien in bester Qualität enthalten, billig zu beziehen. Ausgeführt wird er so, daß man einen Blechkasten zur Hälfte mit Grund- wasser, bestehend aus Carrageenmoos oder Traganth- gummischleim, füllt und darauf die in Wasser und Spiritus abgeriebenen Farben, denen ein geringer Zusatz von Ochsengalle beigefügt wurde, spritzt. Durch weiteres Aufspritzen von verdünnter Ochsen- galle zerteilt sich die Farbe zu einem marmorälm- lichen Gewebe, in das man den Schnitt leicht eintaucht, der die Farbe abhebt. Beim Kamm-Federschnitt zieht man die aufgespritzten Farben mit einer Nadel oder einem Stäbchen von der eine

651 - Buchbinderei

Seite des Kastms nach der andern herüber und hinüber, hierauf wird der Kamin an der einen Seite des Kastens angesetzt und durch die Farbstreifen hindurchgezogen; langsames Ziehen giebt runde, rasches spitzige federartige Zeichnung. Beim Goldschnitt werden die Schnittstächen der Bücher aufs feinste geschabt und geglättet und mit in Wasser und Eiweiß abgeriebenem Bolus bestrichen und dann das Gold aufgelegt, das mit dem Goldmesser (Taf. II, Fig. 15), das eine stäche, vorn abgerundete Klinge von etwa 2-3 cm Breite hat, von dem Goldrissen (Fig. 10), einem stachen Polster von festem Leder, die Fleischseite nach außen und durch Haarfüllung hergestellt, auf dem das Gold vorher geschnitten wird, abgehoben wird. Nach dem Trocknen wird der Schnitt wieder mit dem Glättzahn geglättet. Weitere Schnittarten von schöner gediegener Wirkung sind: der ciselierte Schnitt, bei dem mit kleinen Instrumenten, sog. Punzen, Sterne, Linien, Bogen u. dgl. frei aus der Hand oder nach Zeichnungen eingeschlagen werden; der sog. spa- nische Schnitt, durch Aufdrücken von Stempeln; der Pariser Schnitt, durch Malen und teilweises Vergolden erzeugt. Ist der Schnitt fertig, so erfolgt das Kapitalen, eine Verzierung unmittelbar vor dem Buchrücken, die auch zur Befestigung des Rückens dient und aus einem Streifen Zeug besteht, das nach außen mit einer Schnur versehen ist, die bei Pracht- bänden mit farbiger Seide überstochen wird. Bei Büchern, die nur mit Papier (Pappband) oder engl. Leinwand (Leinwandband) überzogen werden, macht sich zunächst das Anbringen eines von dünner Pappe gebrochenen Rückens notwendig, dann erfolgt das Ansetzen der stärkern Deckelpappen, die man mit dazu passenden Linealen (Kantenlinealen) und Messern an den drei Vuchseiten abschneidet oder for- miert. Meist bedient man sich zum Schneiden der Pappen einer Maschine, Papp schere (Taf. I, Fig.5) und Pappenkreisschere (Taf.II,Fig.13), zum Ritzen der Ritzmaschine (Fig. 2), sowie zum Schrägen der Deckelpappen einer Kantenschräg- maschine (Taf. III, Fig. 3). Zur Bearbeitung (Schärfen) fast aller Ledersorten, die in der B., Porte- feuillewaren- und Albumfabrikation Verwendung finden, dient die Lederschärfmaschine (Taf. I, Fig. 9). Um Reise-, Notiz- und Geschäftsbücher an den Ecken abzurunden, benutzt man viel die Ecken- rundstoßmaschine (Fig. 11). Nun erfolgt das Überziehen des Einbandes mit verschiedenen Stoffen, als Papier, Kaliko, Leder, Pergament, Seide und Sammet, um dem Buche die noch fehlende Haltbar- keit, gutes Aussehen und Eleganz zu verleihen. Die Ausstanzmaschine (Taf. II, Fig. 12) wird in der B. vielfach benutzt, um die genannten Stoffe in Massen nach bestimmten Formen zu verarbeiten und auszuschneiden. Die Leistungsfähigkeit ist außerordentlich und es können von Papier per Tag leickt 300000 Ausschnitte gemacht werden. Hauptsächlich aber findet die Ausstanzmaschine Verwendung bei der Fabrikation von Kartonnagen, dann zum Aus- stanzen von Couverts, Etiketten, Karten u. dgl. m. 11m den Überzug gut haftend zu machen, wird er und auch der Deckel mit Leim bestrichen, glatt auf- aelegt und gut angerieben, eine Arbeit, die viel Übung erfordert. In vielen größern V. bedient man sich der Anreibemaschine (Taf. II, Fig. 8), die vorzugsweise zum Anreiben von Leinwanddeckeln benutzt wird, da die Leinwand durch sie keinen Glanz erhält und die Verbindung fester wird.

Die Bucheinbände zerfallen je nach dem Material, mit dem ihr Äußeres bekleidet wird, in verschiedene Kategorien. Bei dcr Broschüre werden die Bogen nur mit zwei Stichen in der Mitte, teilweise auch gar nicht geheftet, und das Buch wird dann unbeschnitten in einen bedruckten Umschlag von Papier durch Ankleben an den Rücken einge- fügt. Den niedrigsten Rang unter den Buchein- bänden nimmt die Steifbroschur ein, sie wird zwar auf Bindfaden, aber nur leicht, geheftet, die Deckel werden nur von dünner Pappe (Schrenz) gemacht und das Ganze mit Papier höchstens unter Anwendung eines Leinwandrückens überzogen und beschnitten. Der Pappband erhält unter den Papierüberzug einen Rücken von dünner Pappe und stärkere Deckel mit Kanten. Mit Halbleinwand- und Halblederband bezeichnet man die Bücher, deren Rücken und Ecken mit Leinwand (Kaliko), bez. Leder verseben sind. Ist der Halblederband besonders sorgfältig im Heften, Abpressen, Ansetzen u. s. w. behandelt und der Rücken überdies vergoldet (mit Goldtitcl verschen), so nennt man ihn Halbfranzband. Ist ein Buch Hanz mit Leinwand oder Leder überzogen, so ist dies ein Ganz- leinwand-, bez. Ganz lederband. Ganzfranz nennt man wohl auch den Lederband, der ebenso wie dcr Halbfranzband besonders sorgfältig gear- beitet und vergoldet ist. Weiter unterscheidet man nach den Überzugsstoffen Pergament-, Sammet- und Atlas band.

Von Verbindungen der Bogen (Blätter) miteinander ohne Heften kommen zwei Arten in der V. zur Anwendung. Das erste Verfahren beruht auf der Verbindung mit Raspel gefaserter einzelner Buchblättcr (durch Abschneiden des Rückens erzielt) mit einer Lösung von Kautschuk in Benzin, mit welcher der Rücken mehrmals überfahren wird; das zweite, dem Buchbinder H. Baumfalk in Esens 1879 patentierte Verfahren beruht auf der Verbindung des gefaserten Buchrückens mit Leim in Verbindung mit Baumwollfaser; hierbei wird das Buch sowohl vorn wie am Rücken gleichmäßig beschnitten, in einer Hohlkehle gerundet, eingepreßt, geraspelt, geleimt und mit Barchent überklebt. Beide Arten, besonders letztere, sind bei sorgfältiger Behandlung sehr dauerhaft.

Als besondere Zweige der B. haben sich im Laufe der Jahre, begünstigt durch den immer größer werdenden Konsum, verschiedene Spezialgeschäfte gebildet, so die Liniieranstalten und Geschäfts- bücherfabriken. Bei Geschäftsbüchern lst größt mögliche Haltbarkeit, verbunden mit flachem Aufschlagen des Buchs, die Hauptsache; das erstere wird erreicht durch Heften des Papiers auf starke Leinenbänder mit gutem Hanfzwirn sowie überkleben des Buchrückens mit weichem Leder oder Leinwand, Benutzung starker Pappen und durch starke Leinwand, Moleskin oder Leder als Überzug; die letztere Eigenschaft erzielt man durch den sog. Sprungrücken, einen von sich verjüngenden dünnen Pappstreifen geklebten Buchrücken, der, selbst unbiegsam, dem Buche eine große Elasticität beim Aufmachen verleiht. Eine der vollkommensten in den Liniier- anstalten und Geschäftsbücherfabriken verwendeten Liniiermaschinen ist die auf Taf. III, Fig. 1 dar- gestellte Universal - Rollenliniiermaschine von Forste & Tromm in Leipzig. Diese Maschinen liefern stündlich etwa 4000 Bogen zweiseitige Linia- turen, ein- oder mehrfarbig; sie liniieren und ka-

652 - Buchbinderleinwand - Buchdruckerkunst

rieren Postpapiere, erzeugen alle Arten abgesetzte Liniaturen und eignen sich zum Liniieren der kompliziertesten Geschäftsbücher.

Neben der Bekleidung mit verschiedenem Material verdient auch die sonstige Ausstattung als ein wesentlicher Teil des Buches Beachtung. Zu den Farben- und Goldschnitten gesellt sich der Präge-, Gold- und Farbendruck, der in der B. und den verwandten Zweigen als Verzierungstechnik von Buchdecken, Mappen, Albums u. dgl. häufig angewendet wird. Die viel Erfahrung und Kenntnisse erfordernde Technik des Handvergoldens besteht im wesentlichen darin, daß auf einen Stoff, der mit einem durch Wärme lösbaren Bindemittel bestrichen ist, dünnes Blattmetall mittels des Goldmessers geschnitten, mit erhitzten Messinggravuren (Fileten oder Stempel), die mit einem, mit Handgriff versehenen Schriftkasten (Taf. II, Fig. 9) zusammengestellt und -geschraubt sind, aufgepreßt und so zum Halten gebracht wird. Zum Erhitzen der Fileten und Stempel dient der Leim- und Vergoldeapparat (Fig. 11). Der Druck muß sicher, energisch und schnell erfolgen, und nur der richtig angewendete Wärmegrad und die sichere kräftige Führung der Filete oder des Schriftkastens wird einen reinen, glänzenden und vollkommenen Golddruck erzeugen. Lange Linien oder Ornamente werden meist statt der Filete, mit der Rolle (Taf. III, Fig. 5) erzeugt, einem Instrument, auf dessen Kreislinie ein fortlaufendes Ornament graviert ist oder das aus Linienrollen besteht die an einer Stelle durchbrochen und in Gehrungen zugefeilt sind, um gefällige Eckverbinduugen zu erzeugen. Zum schnellen und sichern Vergolden haben Bolle & Jordan in Berlin einen Kantenvergoldeapparat konstruiert, der sich vorzüglich zum Vergolden gerader Flächen, wie auch abgeschrägter Kanten eignet. Das Preßvergolden, also der Maschinengolddruck, wird besonders bei Massenherstellung von Buchdecken u. dgl. sehr erfolgreich augewendet. Hier werden nicht wie beim Handvergolden die Ornamente und Schriften einzeln oder nach und nach aufgepreßt, sondern gleich vor dem Druck zu einer ganzen Druckstäche vereinigt. Infolge des kräftigen gleichmäßigen Druckes und der sicher regulierbaren Hitze bietet der Pressendruck weit weniger technische Schwierigkeiten als der Handdruck, und seine quantitative Leistung ist gegenüber letzterm außerordentlich groß. Die früher viel ausgeführten Balancierpressen, als Vergolde-, Blinddruck- und Prägepressen, baut man heute mit Hebeleinrichtung (Taf. II, Fig. 16), wenn man nicht Dampfbetrieb wählt. Zu außerordentlich schweren Drucken, wie zum Vergolden von Buntpapieren, zum Pressen von Leder, Tapeten u. s. w., gebraucht man viel die hydraulischen, von J. Heim in Offenbach gebauten Prägepressen, die einen überaus starken Kraftaufwand ermöglichen. Der Drucktiegel ist durch Dampf oder Gas heizbar eingerichtet. Um die Decken von dem lose auf ihnen haftenden überschüssigen Golde zu reinigen und um Verlust und Verunreinigung dieses Materials zu verhindern, kommen die vergoldeten Decken in die Goldabkehrmaschine (Taf. I, Fig. 10), welche in der Hauptsache aus einem dicht schließenden Schrank besteht, in dessen Innern eine Bürstenwalze gelagert ist, die, in rotierende Bewegung gesetzt, das lockere Gold abkehrt, welches durch ein Gitterwerk in einen verschlossenen Kasten fällt.

Zur Ausführung des in neuester Zeit zu hohen Vollkommenheit gelangten Farbendruckes dienen ebenfalls die vorerwähnten Pressen. Seine Technik ist vielfach dem Buchdruck entlehnt und die dazu benutzten Platten sind entweder gravierte Messing- oder geätzte Zinkplatten. Die erstern sind sehr dauerhaft, die letztern bedeutend billiger. Die geringere Haltbarkeit der Zinkplatten ist auch beim Farbendruck kein Hindernis, da die Narben des Kaliko mit einer blanken Messingplatte erst niedergedrückt werden und eine glatte Fläche keinen heißen Vordruck erfordert. Jeder Farbendruck verlangt einen scharfen, spiegelblanken Vordruck mit heißer Presse, der wesentlich zum guten Gelingen beiträgt. Auf dunklem Grunde sind weiße oder sonst helle Farben schwer oder nur unter Anwendung besonderer Maßregeln zum Decken zu bringen. In der Negel ist erst ein mit Gold- oder Silberbronze eingestaubter Unterdruck nötig, der so eine helle, vollständig den dunklen Grund deckende Fläche erzeugt, auf der dann die aufzudruckenden hellen Farben sehr gut stehen. Die Reihenfolge der Farbenplatten giebt meist der Graveur. Die Anwendung von Deck- und Übergangstönen ist wegen der starken Deckkraft der zähen Farbe noch ziemlich beschränkt, und Übergangstöne sind am besten noch durch Anwendung des Irisdruckes (s. d.) zu erreichen.

In neuester Zeit ist für Bucheinbände auch die Ledermosaik und der Lederschnitt (s. d.) wieder in Aufnahme gekommen, auch dienen Schlösser (Schließen) und Beschläge (Ecken) oft aus edlem Metalle als Verzierung des Buchdeckels, namentlich an Sammetbänden (s. Bucheinband).

Nach der Berufszählung von 1882 (neuere Erhebungen liegen nicht vor) waren in Deutschland für B. und Kartonnagenfabrikation 13213 Betriebe vorhanden, in denen 42732 Personen (32023 männliche, 10709 weibliche) beschäftigt waren. Für 1892 werden etwa 15000 Betriebe und gegen 60000 Arbeitskräfte anzunehmen sein.

Vgl. Brade, Illustriertes Buchbinderbuch (3. Aufl., Halle 1882); Bauer, Handbuch der B. (Weim. 1881); Grosse, Der Gold- und Farbendruck auf Kaliko, Leder u. s. w. (Wien 1889); Adam, Der Bucheinband. Seine Technik und seine Geschichte (Lpz. 1890). S. auch die Litteratur zu dem Artikel Bucheinband.

Bone Folder used as textblock in workshops

2011-03-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Very nice to see the Bone Folder being used in a workshop setting, this time in Nova Scotia on July 9 as part of Susan Mills' Full Tilt Single Session Bookbinding Classes.When I made this edition available as downloadable signatures it was my hope to see it being used this way. Glad to see it happening. If anyone else is using it in a similar way, or just binding it for themselves I'd love to see the outcomes so feel free to send me a picture or two.To download the signatures see the sidebar at left.Images below from Susan's site.

Class photo from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University Summer Book Arts Workshop.
Photo: Eliot Wright NSCAD 2011

Susan Mills is a traditionally trained bookbinder in private practice since 1990. She is passionate about bookbinding education and has taught thousands of people to bind books in both institutional and alternative settings. She is on the faculty of Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) University in Nova Scotia, is a 2011 visiting instructor at Pratt Institute, regularly teaches hand bookbinding at Cooper Union Continuing Education and serves on the board of the not-for-profit The Center for Book Arts, NYC. More about Susan at http://www.susanmillsartistbooks.com/.

Bookbinders at Work

2011-02-26T17:03:00.000-08:00

And now a slightly different depiction of bookbinders at work. The embarrassed gentleman at left is in all likelihood a journeyman binder with the master at right.

It seems we have some quality control issues..

Paul Adam: An introduction to the German bookbinding trade, part II

2011-02-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

In his introduction to Adam’s Leitfaden für die Gesellen- und Meister-Prüfung im Buchbindergewerbe (1904) Obermeister (Grand Master) Slaby of Berlin, Chair of the Federation of German Bookbinding Guilds, notes that in the short time since the adoption of (not yet mandatory) state regulated examinations for journeymen and apprentices, the need to formally define these examinations and to strive towards uniform action in the bookbinding field has revealed itself.

While the hands-on works were with few exceptions quite good, the same could not be said for the more theoretical aspects of the profession where there were severe shortcomings, with the oral examinations being even worse. Based on these observations the Masters in the Guilds and the heads of the Examination Boards decided in 1902 to create a guidebook (the Leitfaden) for these examinations, a challenge taken on by Paul Adam of Düsseldorf.

Adam took it upon himself to expand this guidebook well beyond the minimum requirements of defining the core questions apprentices and journeymen would need to answer in their respective examinations. By adding additional subjects Adam sought to provide the basis for a well-rounded and professionally aware bookbinding professional. This process of life-long learning would begin during the apprenticeship and be built upon during the binders journeymen years. Subjects added to this guidebook include a history of the book (and bookbinding), a history of the bookbinding trade. The complete contents were listed in the previous post.

Views of the bookbinding trade school of Badersleben in the Harz from the early 20th century.
Shown are the typesetting room and the bindery.

While the original intent was to publish separate volumes for apprentices and journeymen, Slaby notes that the Federation became convinced that the sooner apprentices began to familiarize themselves with the knowledge required to become a master, the easier it would be for them to progress through the ranks and become a master in their own right. As a result, trade schools (attendance at which was mandatory) were strongly urged to adopt this guidebook, and masters encouraged to impress its value upon their apprentices. At the same time members of the examination boards were told to familiarize themselves with the content of the book in the knowledge that those being tested by them would no longer “quake and be fearful” as they would be better prepared.

Overall, the tone of the guidebook was professionally stimulating, without becoming overly pedantic so that binders of all levels would want to consult with it regardless of their rank. This guidebook was not a bookbinding manual, giving only superficial attention to the details of particular binding styles but it was also more than a mere introduction to the field as it also contained details about the structure of the guilds, the ranks one could attain (apprentice, journeyman, and master) as well as sample questions for those respective examinations.

While Adams' manuals Der Bucheinband: Seine Technik und seine Geschichte (1890), Die praktischen Arbeiten des Buchbinders (1898), also published in English as Practical Bookbinding by Scott, Greenwood & Co. (London) in 1903 did not formally address the structure of the trade they did describe the work of binderies and their outfitting. With the formalization of the bookbinding trade, manuals began to appear that incorporated many of the aspects of this first guidebook, in particular sections on the history of the book and trade, “materials science,” estimating, sample questions in preparation for examinations. An example of this type of manual is Heinrich Lüers’ Das Fachwissen des Buchbinders that appeared in numerous editions (Deutsche National Bibliothek has 1939 as earliest edition). At the same time more pamphlet-like introductions to the bookbinding trade continued to be issued, often by the same authors.

View of a trade school classroom from Lüers' Fachwissen des Buchbinders (1943)

Making pastepapers and marbling in trade school.
From Lüers' Fachwissen des Buchbinders (1943)

Integral to the training of bookbinders of all levels were also the trade schools that complemented the hands-on on-the-job training provided in the individual binderies, offered courses for continuing education, and served as venues for the trade examinations. The trade schools also provided coursework in social studies, math (especially as it related to the trades, including estimating), and other subjects, something that was critical especially when apprentices were younger (as young as 13). This need for an “equalizer” was still evident when I served my apprenticeship in Germany from 1985-87 when my trade school class included those with university qualifications as well as those who left school early to learn a trade and ended up with publishers stapling magazines (also part of the hand bookbinding trades) all of whom needed to pass the same national examinations. Special courses in working with commercial grade high-speed folding machines and cutters were also included to provide a bridge to the industrial binding trade.

Master and apprentice.

I've had Adams' Leitfaden in my collection for some time, but as I was writing this, and searching for something online I tripped across Max Eschner's Der Buchbinder: Ein Lehr- und Lernbuch für Fachschulen, Fortbildungsschuen und zum Selbstunterricht, (Stuttgart: Hobbing & Büchle, 1898) similarly addresses the needs for a robust and comprehensive education in the bookbinding trade. It was based on the lesson plans of the municipal trade school for boys in Leipzig.A difference that was immediately noticeable was the inclusion of much bookbinding lore, including songs and poems that binders of all levels would have learned. More on Eschner in a later post.I am certain that others will appear over time as well...

Paul Adam: An introduction to the German bookbinding trade, part I

2010-12-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

While the trades were historically described in catechism-like works such as Friese's Ceremoniel der Buchbinder from 1712 (below), it wasn't until the turn of the 19th century for more complete and trade-oriented works to appear, works that laid out the history of the trade and its requirements in detail.

Paul Adam (1849-1931) was one of the leaders of the German bookbinding trade during the late 1800's until his death. He was the author of several seminal "modern" manuals written for the trade, among them Der Bucheinband: Seine Technik und seine Geschichte (1890), Die praktischen Arbeiten des Buchbinders (1898), also published in English as Practical Bookbinding by Scott, Greenwood & Co. (London) in 1903, Die Kunst des Entwerfens für zeichende Buchbinder (1917). All these works were reprinted numerous times and issued in various editions. Dates refer to the copies in my personal collection. His autobiography Lebenserinnerungen eines alten Kunstbuchbinders was published by the Meister der Einbandkunst's Verlag für Einbandkunst (Leipzig) in 1929.

Title page of Leitfaden für die Gesellen- und Meister-Prüfung im Buchbindergewerbe

Among these, Leitfaden für die Gesellen- und Meister-Prüfung im Buchbindergewerbe (1904) was the first modern text that set out to describe the trade for those who might enter it. It was published by Adam (founder and director of the state subsidized Technical School of Artistic and Practical Bookbinding in Düsseldorf*) for the Federation of German Bookbinding Guilds, one of the first of its kind. In over 130 pp it describes:

The history of the book trade
The early work habits and techniques of the bookbinder
The development of the bookbinding trade and its practices
The tools of the bookbinder
The materials of the bookbinder
The techniques of the bookbinder
Calculating costs / estimating
Materials, their properties and sources
Decorative techniques
Procurement of tools and supplies
Accounting for the trade
The bookbinder and bookbinding trade, their members, and their legal standing
The organization of the German trade guilds
The tradesman in his private life
Tips of the trade and organization of the the workshop

Heading for chapter V, "Materials of the Bookbinder."
Depicted are a [poorly constructed] and [well constructed] book.

Also included were the required theoretical knowledge and hand skills for apprentices, journeymen and masters so that these would know what was expected as part of a nationally coordinated education and examinations process for the trades. These last sections were perhaps the most important as successful completion of the exams for the various levels would determine the career path of the individual.

Advertisements for many of the vendors of the time round out the volume.

Illustration ending chapter 4, "Tools of the Bookbinder."

In successive posts I will describe some of these sections in greater detail as they would be very useful topics to cover in updated form by programs teaching bookbinding and the book arts (or most any craft) today. To help ensure at least a chance of success, crafts/tradespeople must not only understand their manual skills but also the fundamentals of calculating costs, accounting, and the other business aspects of what is a beautiful craft and trade.

Below are some of the other illustrations of this work depicting a great deal of Jugendstil charm.

Illustration for chapter VI, "Techniques of the Bookbinder."

Illustration for chapter IX, "Decoration."
While the "Meister" is laying on gold leaf with a piece of paper, the journeyman keeps away the curious apprentices...


Final illustration depicting rats being driven away from a bag of starch.

From the muse to the binder.

Ploughing an edge. Plough with
a circular blade at bottom.

The Bookbinder and Bookbinding in German Books of Trades

2010-12-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

Ständebücher, or books describing social classes and trades were fairly common in 16th/17th century "Germany" providing valuable descriptions and insights, and in the case of trades, the tools and working environments of the craftsmen.

The two most well known ones are Jost Amman's (1539 - 1591) Ständebuch, Eygentliche Beschreibung aller Stände auff Erden, Nürnberg, 1568, and Christoph Weigel's (1654 - 1725) Abbildung Der Gemein-Nützlichen Haupt-Stände Von denen Regenten Und ihren So in Friedens- als Kriegs-Zeiten zugeordneten Bedienten an, biß auf alle Künstler Und Handwercker, or Ständebuch, Regensburg, 1698.

Amman's well-known image of the bookbinder is iconic within the bookbinding community. The text below the image is attributed to Hans Sachs (1494 - 1576). Amman was born in Zurich, Switzerland the son of an academic but settled in Nürnberg, Germany, completed over 1500 prints and died in poverty. Sachs was a Meistersänger, master poet who started off learned the shoemaker's trade before deciding to become a poet. Insel Verlag, Leipzig/Frankfurt, Germany published several editions of facsimiles of the woodcuts beginning in 1934.

The Bookbinder / Der Buchbinder

I bind all sorts of books /
Religious and worldly / large and small /
In parchment or plain boards
And fit it with a good covering/
And clasps / and tool it with decorations /
I even flatten them at the beginning /
And many I gild on the edges /
With which I earn much money.

Ich bind allerley Bücher ein/
Geistlich und Weltlich/groß und klein/
In Perment oder Bretter nur
Und beschlags mit guter Clausur
Und Spangen/und Stempff sie zur zier/
Ich sie auch im anfang planier/
Etlich vergüld ich auff dem Schnitt/
Da verdien ich viel geldes mit.

The woodcut shows a very well equipped bindery with books being sewn on a sewing frame, [the master?] ploughing the edges of a book with the press supported in his lap; books in laying presses, a paper beating hammer on the floor as well as a scraper and the saw resting against his stumpish stool. The walls show rolls with lines and patterns (based on apparent width), a drill, rasps, and axe for working wooden boards.

In the same vein, were Weigels Abbildung Der Gemein-Nützlichen Haupt-Stände Von denen Regenten Und ihren So in Friedens- als Kriegs-Zeiten zugeordneten Bedienten an, biß auf alle Künstler Und Handwercker of 1698 described the trades in prose with illustrations of each, 4 pages in the case of the bookbinder. While Weigel, a leading engraver and publisher of the time, is credited with many of the plates in this work, he did not create all the plates, especially for trades would not have know much about (such as nautical ones). The others were purchased from Jan Luyken of Amsterdam who had published Het Menselyk Bedryfa, a similar book of trades in 1694, and also depicted the bookbinder. [Source: Bauer, Michael: Christoph Weigel (1654-1725), Kupferstecher in Augsburg und Nürnberg. Sonderdruck. Frankfurt a.M. 1983] Weigel's Ständebuch is online at the State Library of Saxony in Dresden, with no mention being made in the catalog of the Luyken's contributions. The bookbinder begins on page 414 (actual page count starting with pastedown), with the plate following paginated page 256.Thank you to Jeff Peachey for alerting me to the work of Luykens and to other sources.

Looking at the identical image of the bookbinder (from Etwas für Alle) below one can see a very typically Northern European (Dutch) architecture indicating that this plate most likely originated from Luyken as well.

The Bookbinder / Der Buchbinder

Gott merkt und liset still, was man verblättern will
God notices and quietly notes what one ruins

Man's heart is like a birch
God tightens it the crosses presses,
and sews on it (as measured,)
the grace for the original sin.
Finally after hammering and cutting He will
clothe the same in golden blessings.

Das Menschen Hertz ist wie ein Buch:
Gott spannet es in Kreutzes-Pressen
Und heftet (wie Er's abgemessen)
daran die Gnade für den Fluch.
Zuletzt will er nach Schlag und Schneiden
dasselb in güldnen Segen kleiden

While the bookbinder at left is sewing a book on four cords (gluepot at his feet), his colleague is beating the pages flat as was habit at the time. Jeff Peachey discusses the practice and beating hammers on his blog in two postings (first | second). A plough with circular blade for trimming book edges rests against a stack of books on the floor.

Abraham à Sancta Clara's Etwas für alle, Würzburg, 1699, i.e.. Something for Everyone, That is a short description of persons of various classes, offices, and trades... also included a catechism, something that was not uncommon during that time. This used the same engravings as Weigel's Ständebuch. Sancta Clara, an Augustinian monk, was born as Johann Ulrich Megerle (1644-1709) at Kreenheinstetten, near Messkirch in Baden, Germany and was appointed imperial court preacher at Vienna in 1669.

On the subject of bookbinding in general, Sancta Clara is credited with writing:

So I will also, where much praise is due the bookbinders, because truthfully: useful, highly useful is the hand of the bookbinder, because a book without a binding is nothing more than a mirror without a frame, a house without a roof, a garden without a fence, a town without a wall, a steed without a saddle. The binding that which makes it possible to read a book comfortably and gainfully.

So ist es mir auch erlaubt, wo einiges Lob den Buchbindern zu geben, denn in allerlei Wahrheit: nützlich, übernützlich is die Hand des Buchbinders, da ein Buch ohne Bund nichts anderes ist als ein Spiegel ohne Rahmen, ein Haus ohne Dach, ein Garten ohne Zaun, eine Stadt ohne Mauer, ein Roß ohne Sattel. Der Bund macht erst, daß man ein Buch bequem und mit Nutzen lesen kann.

And,

While many sew their books together so loosely that the leaves soon fall out just as easily as the leaves are blown off of a tree in the fall. Others due partially to inexperience and laggardness that cause the signatures to misalign and as a result damage and bring shame to the book. Finally there are the many, yes, even most bookbinders that don't just know how to make a gilt edge, but also know how to live a virtuous life.

Etliche zwar hefften die Bücher zusammen so liederlich, daß die Blätter so bald abfallen als die Blätter von einem Baum, denen der harte Herbstlufft gleich den Rest gibt. Einige seynd wohl auch theils aus Unerfahrenheit, theils aus Saumseligkeit, Welche die Bögen versetzen und folgsam dem gantzen Buch ein Schad and Schand zufügen. Im übrigen seynd ohnegezweifelt sehr viel, ja die meisten Buchbinder, die nicht alleyn einen guldenen Schnitt zu machen wissen, sondern auch einen guldenen Wandel führen.

Christoph Weigel wrote:

Because the exterior binding and cover, if they are well-made and preserved, protect the book from damage over time and allow the pages to be turned and opened at will quickly and without loss of time, whenever one wishes to read or note something; because of this the praiseworthy trade of the bookbinder is a necessary as useful.

Da die Bücher der aüßerliche Einband und die Decke, wenn sie wohlgemacht und reinlich gehalten werden, von beeden ziemlich lang bewahret und die Blätter nach Belieben ohne vielen Zeitverlust flüchtig herumbgeworfen, das jenige leichtlich aufzuschlagen vergönnen, was man zu suchen und etwan zu lesen oder auszuzeichnen beliebet; solcher Gestalt is das löbliche Handwerk der Buchbinder so nötig als nützlich.

[All from Buchbinder-Lob, Max Hettler Verlag, Stuttgart, 1959. This book is a treasury of anecdotes and references about the history of the book, bookbinding, the trades, and art of the book... Unfortunately, it does not provide formal citations for these.]

All these sentiments about bookbinding and bookbinders note the importance of the trade for the preservation of the texts, access to them, and as the climax of a holistic work. With the explosion in the printing of texts during the Reformation, the role of the bookbinder in their dissemination was clear to all.

Deceitful Bookbinders in 1724

2010-12-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Georg Paul Hönn's Betrugs-Lexikon (1724), or an Encyclopedia of Deceits committed by the trades describes the myriad of shortcuts and other deceits committed by craftsman in the numerous trades that were parts of Guilds and other elements of society. During that time the Guilds controlled all aspects of a trade including what we would now consider protectionist practices such as not allowing other trades to perform the work of others such as binders selling books and vice-versa. Some of these protectionist aspects still exist today, though the guilds have lost a great deal of influence and power.

Hönn’s work was first published in 1721 in Coburg, Saxe-Coburg in central Germany, in an edition of 2000 copies, quite large for that time and was quickly sold out. As a result three more authorized editions were reprinted as well as pirated editions.¹ The “encyclopedia” contained more than 300 articles on deceits.

Thank you to Peter Zillig of Cologne, Germany for posting the original German text of the article on bookbinders on his Vuscor blog.

Encyclopedia of Deceits, or a lexicon of deceits, wherein can be found most deceits and the means of countering them.

Bookbinders commit deceit when they:

When they remove leaves or complete signatures from good books left for binding and then conceal this, or even claim this as a defect from the bookseller who left the books for binding.
When they complete defective books for their good friends or clients by replacing them with complete works left by other clients and let the latter complete their now defective or missing works.
When they work to create defective books in order to spite booksellers with whom they are not on good terms.
When they carelessly misbind books, misfold signatures or trim these too closely, and then when these errors are brought to their attention blame the journeyman.
When for their own advantage they divide into two or more volumes books that would be more appropriately bound as one volume.
When they should bind a book in calfskin or vellum but instead use sheep and pass it off as calf.
When they stall clients who have brought them books to be bound from week to week, and do not deliver the work when promised.
When they have secret agreements with book printers to buy at a discount illicit reprints of publishers books in order to sell them as bound copies with great loss to the publishers.
When they silver plate the metal clasps and bosses on prayer and hymn books, and sell them to unwary buyers as being made of pure silver.
When they gild the edge of a book with fake gold, claim it to be real gold, and charge for gold.
When they sell newly-bound publishers bindings under false pretexts and cause harm to the local booksellers who possess the sole rights to sell these.
When they scrape clean old and dirty vellum bindings and sell these as new.
When French or English volumes are shoddily handled and bound so that they attract moths and then quickly fall apart.
When they bind the signatures and do not use as many sewing stations as they should and skip stations here and there or combine two or more signatures.
When they insufficiently beat or size the signatures so as to save work and sizing.
When they agree to fix prices among themselves for Bibles, hymnbooks, calenders, to arbitrarily raise prices.
When they discretely file or trim down silver clasps and bosses that were included with books left for binding.

Measures to protect one against these deceits:

That one does not give the binder any book that one has not conscientiously collated so that if there are mistakes the binder can be held accountable.
That to prevent deceit, one takes the good advice of competent people, and upon receipt of a book from a binder examines it carefully and leafs through it to ensure that there are no defects or mistakes, and if any deceit is found the binder will be reported to the bookbinders’ guild for punishment.
That they be forbidden from entering the profession of bookseller under any pretext, and to do will result in confiscation of their books and punishment for themselves.

Sources:

Hönn, Georg Paul: Betrugs-Lexikon, worinnen die meisten Betrügereyen in allen Staenden nebst denen darwieder guten Theils dienenden Mitteln entdecket von ,-, Dritte Edition, Coburg 1724 [Nachdruck Leipzig 1981], S. 77-80. http://www.zeno.org/Literatur/M/H%C3%B6nn,+Georg+Paul/Werke/Betrugs-Lexikon/Buchbinder

Georg Paul Hönn (1662-1747) zwischen Pietismus und Aufklärung, http://www.landesbibliothek-coburg.de/hoenn.htm

Guild of Book Workers Journal Out

2010-10-11T07:08:00.001-07:00

The 2009 issue of the Guild of Book Workers Journal is now out and it is a very impressive. The long wait has definitely been worth it and I would like to be the first to congratulate Cara Schlesinger and her staff on an amazing rebirth for the Journal. VERY nice selection of articles, lots of color, very nice (re)design, ... The Bone Folder appears on pages 48-63. In her foreword to the issue Cara writes:

... museums; and a translation of a 1922 German text in which a fictional binder engages his collector-client in a series of discussions about binding. As you read this particular piece, consider the similarities between the challenges faced by conservators and translators: how visible should the practitioner's hand be? How does one retain the essence of the original while making a piece accessible to a new population of readers? What sort of documentation should be provided for posterity?

Interesting questions and ones which I hope to discuss in the future. A letterpress/printing focused dialog from the same general time by Oldrich Menhart and translated by Philip Metzger, Evening Conversations of the Booklover Rubricius and the Printer Tympanus, will appear in Volume 7 of The Bonefolder and serve as a complement to Collin's text. Both are charmingly pedantic in their own way but provide valuable insight into the state of the crafts and craftsmanship during that time.

First 10 of Edition + Prototype

2010-06-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

First ten of the edition bound. Had to reprint after a printer/paper fiasco, and glad I did. Now to make more pastepapers and then back to sewing. Fun.

About Collin and his "Pressbengel"

2010-06-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

Ernst Collin (1886–1954) was a writer whose father, the well known Berlin-based bookbinder Georg Collin (1851–1914), occasionally provided bookbinding lessons to the Prussian King and German Emperor Frederick III. The elder Collin was also very involved in training women to become full-fledged bookbinders. Because of this paternal connection with the trade, Ernst maintained a strong affinity for bookbinding, demonstrated by his publications about and for the bookbinding trade. Among them are Vom guten Geschmack und von der Kunstbuchbinderei (1914), a treatise about aesthetics and fine binding included in a monograph about the Spamersche Buchbinderei, Leipzig; Deutsche Einbandkunst (1921), the catalog to the Jakob Krause Bund’s exhibition; and the Bund’s newsletter, Die Heftlade (1922–24). The Jakob-Krause-Bund, a precursor to Meister der Einbandkunst (MDE, the German association of masters of the art of binding) , included some of the most influential German binders of the late 19th and early 20th century, among them Paul Adam, Otto Dorfner, Paul Kersten, and Franz Weiße. Collin also authored Buchbinderei für den Hausbedarf ([1915]) and Paul Kersten (1925), the latter a biography of one of the most seminal German fine bookbinders, whose Der Exakte Bucheinband (1923) helped define German fine binding.

Der Pressbengel (1922), Collin’s best-known work, was first republished in 1984 by the Mandragora Verlag and later translated into Italian as Dal Religatore d’Arte (1996). Conceived as a dialogue between a bibliophile and a master bookbinder on all aspects of the bookbinding craft as well as specific techniques, the original German has a charming if somewhat pedantically formal “school primer” tone, in keeping with the time in which it was written. The question-and-answer format has long history in pedagogical texts, whether for catechisms (see Nicolaus Cusanus’ Christliche Zuchtschul) or trades, as in Friedrich Friese’s Ceremoniel der Buchbinder (1712), which introduces the reader to all aspects of the bookbinding trade and its traditions. First published in 1937, Oldrich Menhart’s Evening Conversations of the Booklover Rubricius and the Printer Tympanus is the letterpress equivalent to Collin’s Pressbengel, and there is considerable overlap between the two, as might be expected. Evening Conservations was later translated into German (1958) and then English (1980), the latter by the Crabgrass Press in an edition of 100 copies bound by Fritz Eberhardt

Throughout the work, Collin himself is very frank in addressing the conflicts between quality and cost, as well as the positive and negative impacts of “machines” throughout the work. In his introduction to the 1984 reprint of Der Pressbengel, Gustav Moessner, author of and contributor to several German bookbinding texts, states that he sees the Collin’s work in part as a reaction to the growing industrialization of the bookbinding trade and the loss of the skills and techniques connected with this industrialization. In many respects this trajectory continues today, accelerated by the decrease in formal bookbinding apprenticeship opportunities, the increasing simplification of structures, changing aesthetics, and ultimately changes in the perceived value of books and the general economic climate. Until recently, Germany’s strong guild system required one to complete a formal apprenticeship and become a master binder to order to open one’s own shop and train apprentices. Unfortunately, this system has been in decline over the past decades, and many shops are closing or no longer training apprentices – a completed apprenticeship and “meister” are no longer required to open a business if no apprentices are being trained. Concurrently, a network of centers and alternative programs, such as “master-run” shops offering instruction to amateurs, is not developing in a way that would provide the high quality, rigid training critical to sustaining the craft over the long term. The apprenticeship system declined even earlier in the United Kingdom, another nation with a strong tradition of formal craft training. In other countries the trade system was not as formalized to begin with. The United States represents the most diverse environment for the trade, with a blending of the dominant English, French, and German traditions brought over by immigrants, but a formal career path, like that in the European tradition, never developed. Instead, less formal apprenticeships (on-the-job training) became the norm. This did not, however, hinder the development of some very fine American binders.

Samuel Ellenport’s The Future of Hand-Bookbinding (1993) provides an excellent if sobering overview of the changes experienced by the hand bookbinding trade in the United States, but leaves out the explosive growth among amateur binders and book artists. The past thirty years have seen a resurgence of interest in all aspects of the book arts, with centers offering workshops springing up across the United States. Formal programs have been developed, including the North Bennett Street School in Boston (a two-year trade model), the American Academy of Bookbinding in Colorado (a series of workshops), and the University of Alabama’s MFA in the book arts (an academic degree). These programs are doing much to preserve many traditional skills, but the contemporary book arts craft risks losing others that may be deemed too anachronistic or, like gold tooling, simply unaffordable and therefore not regularly practiced.

This is the first publication of Der Pressbengel in English, and while I have attempted to remain faithful to the original text, it should not be considered a scholarly translation , nor was it ever intended to be a “technical manual.” Like the German original of 1922, it is intended to be a general introduction to the bookbinding craft and trade as it existed in Germany when the work appeared. The title change from Der Pressbengel, an esoteric tool used to increase the leverage when tightening a German backing press (Klotzpresse), to The Bone Folder, an iconic tool that represents bookbinding as no other can, was undertaken both because “Pressbengel” has no “clean” English equivalent and to help make the text more accessible to today’s binders and bibliophiles. In a very few other cases, references to brand names have been made more general where this had no impact on the essence of the text. The result, I hope, is in keeping with the spirit and essence of the original German.

Peter D. Verheyen

Print Version Done and a Prototype Bound

2010-06-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

The print version of my translation is now back from the designer and looks great. Look forward to copying/printing and then binding 25 copies. A PDF of the text laid out in seven eight-page signatures will also be available for download. Want to wait until the original publication in the Guild of Book Workers Journal has happened.

However........., did get busy to bind a prototype of the edition. Simple non-adhesive link stitch, with folded paper wrapper. Title stamped in gold. Each paper wrapper will be different - a nice way to use up papers and a great excuse to make more.

Translation of Pressbengel to be Published

2009-11-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

A translation of the Pressbengel will be published in the 2009 Guild of Book Workers' Journal. See the sidebar at left for the introduction. A small print edition suitable for binding will be available as a download in early 2010.

While I have attempted to remain faithful to the original text, certain liberties have been taken to make the text more accessible to today’s binders and bibliophiles. First, and foremost is the title change from Der Pressbengel, an esoteric tool used to increase the leverage when tightening a German backing press, to The Bone Folder, an iconic tool that represents bookbinding as no other can. The result, I hope, is in keeping with the essence of the German original.

Stay tuned for more information...

Der Pressbengel von Ernst Collin, 1922

2009-06-23T17:04:00.001-07:00

DER PRESSBENGEL

GESPRÄCHSBÜCHLEIN ZWISCHEN
DEM ÄSTHETISCHEN BÜCHERFREUND
UND SEINEM IN ALLEN SÄTTELN
GERECHTEN BUCHBINDER
VON
ERNST COLLIN

BERLIN 1922
EUPHORION VERLAG

Click on image for full-text GERMAN e-version online at here