Sunday, October 22, 2023

Disbinding Bradel, Part 2: A walk through the German bookbinding literature

Before we dive into the review of the literature, below the key attributes of the Pappband structure, what we in the English speaking world refer to as the "German case binding" or "Bradel".





Before we dive into the literature, below some of the key attributes of the structure as when it would have first appeared:

  • Simple, often hooked endpapers that include guards/stubs/waste sheet for gluing down frayed out cords or other sewing support such as vellum or leather.


  • Rounded and backed to around 45 degrees
  • A spine piece of heavy card, later of separate strip for spine adhered to heavy paper


    • large enough to act as wrapper for brochures
    • Spine structure/formation was also used for parchment bindings.
    • "Gebrochener Rücken", "gebrochen" from “brechen”, to brake (bend/fold as in sheet metal) 

  • Spine piece shaped, rounded, and adhered to guards/stub


  • Boards adhered to spine piece at base of shoulder


  • Boards and spine piece trimmed to final dimensions
  • Cover
  • Put down ends/case in.
    • Later, would also be worked as case binding using same components.
To find the documented origins of this structure, we will now travel back in time to the earliest German manuals, and work our way forward into the early 20th century when modern, comprehensive manuals codified many structures and processes. With one exception, I will not trace other traditions, e.g. the French, but welcome others with the language skills and training to do so.

Like many early bookbinding manuals, the German manuals are minimally illustrated and written for a trade that would have learned the techniques starting as apprentices working at the bench under the guidance of journeymen and masters. Those manuals would have served as references. If illustrations were included, they were generalized depictions of binderies with various processes shown, such as frontispieces, some diagrams for e.g. folding signatures or of tools, and fold-out plates that showed a variety of tools. That changed in the mid-/late 19th century when in addition to diagrams, they were illustrated with the latest in bookbinding and related machines, sometimes including the hands of the maker and operators. Readers would have been familiar with what was being described. They are far removed from many of today’s manuals with step-by-step, fully illustrated instructions.

The manuals would begin by describing foundational steps such as beating, folding, and sewing in general terms, followed by specific binding types, referencing the steps, especially where they differ. The appropriate endpaper construction for these “Pappband” bindings would be selected from the simpler ones, often plain, but also colored. These could be hooked around the first and last sections, be a plain double folio sections, and later, a tipped-on folio. There could also be a combination of hooked paper guards and/or waste sheets, and later sewn cloth hinges that might be selected. Spines would be lined after rounding/backing and endbanding with strong paper, or in the case of heavier books parchment or cloth under the paper that might extend onto the guards. 

The survey of the binding literature that follows focuses on the core element of what we refer to as the "Bradel" structure, the “gebrochene Rücken”, also referred to in English as spine stiffener, lapped component, or bonnet. During our walk through the German binding literature, we will see how this structure evolved over time to become the one we are familiar with today.


Zeidler in his Buchbinder Philosophie oder Einleitung… (1708) describes sewing the text on cord/vellum/leather slips, rounding and backing and lining the spine with parchment or linen strips between sewing supports and extending beyond spine. The sewing supports (cords frayed out) would then be adhered to a guard/waste sheet that was part of the endpapers. A wrapper for the book would be made out of one piece of card fit to the shape of the text block at top and bottom of the shoulder. This would be attached to the text via the guard or waste sheet (Ansetzfalz). Finally, it was trimmed tight to the text, like what would later be called a brochure. The same process of shaping the spine was also applied to lined parchment when that was used as a covering material. (pp. 100-03)

Oevres du Comte Alagrotti, Berlin, 1772.
A simple wrapper. Just one small step from a Steifbroschure.
Note folds at shoulder, sewing supports under hooked pastedown.
From the collection of Jeff Peachey.


Title page to Zeidler, 1708.

Prediger in his Der in aller heut zu Tag üblichen Arbeit wohl anweisende accurate Buchbinder und Futteralmacher (1772), while discussing paper board bindings, describes fraying out the cords using a fray shield (Aufschabeblech), and adhering them to the waste sheet/guard after sewing and gluing up the spine. (pp. 91-93). These steps were also described in his section on parchment covered bindings where we begin to encounter the spine piece. Here, a piece of card would be cut taller and wider than the spine. Various units were used to describe this extra width in the literature, from 2-3 fingers wide, to 1-3 “Zoll” (similar to inches), to centimeters. The spine would then be measured, and the marks transferred to the card denoting the top of the shoulder. A second set of marks equivalent to the distance from the top to the base of the shoulder would then be made to the outside of the first marks. The card would then be folded (Rückenbrechen; first use of term “brechen”) at the marks so that when rounded it fit tight to the spine. 

"Rückenbrechen" in Prediger, p. 113.

This spine piece would then be adhered to the guards and then the boards adhered on top, lining up with the fold at the bottom of the shoulder. Then trim to size and cover. While described in the context of a parchment binding, the structure and steps are like those of what would be called a “Pappband” (paper binding). (pp. 106-8, 113-)

Title page to Prediger, 1772.

Bücking’s Die Kunst des Buchbindens (1785) in discussing the “Pappband” describes a similar treatment of the spine, but rather than fraying out the cords and adhering to the guard, he first makes the spine piece, laces the cords through before adhering the spine piece to the guards, and finally gluing the cords on top of that. Finally, the boards are attached. (pp 266-67) 

Title page to Bücking, 1785.

In contemporary binding, Jen Lindsay’s “fundamental” or “simplified-simplified” binding structure, also used to good effect by Karen Hanmer who refers to it as the “even more simplified binding”, adapt Bückings idea in creative ways.

[s.n.] Anweisung zur Buchbinderkunst, (1802) writes that after backing…, fray out the cords and paste/glue down on stubs (Flügel/Falz) (pp. 128-9). Next, create the wrapper from one piece of board. To measure width of spine, flatten the spine of the text block, mark, and break/crease (brechet, gebrochene) at shoulder and to the outside of the first creases to create the wrapper. 

"Brechet" and "gebrochene" from Anweisung, p. 138.

Then. apply glue to stubs, fit the wrapper, and place in the press. Next, tear away the excess paper from stubs, make cuts in stub for turn-ins at head and tail, and trim to final size. Finally, cut the covering paper to size including turn-ins, paste out and apply, also turning in. Afterwards, put down board sheets. If thicker boards are desired cut thinner board to the needed height with stubs to either side. Then. break per earlier example, edge-pare the long sides, apply to stubs of endpapers, and put in press. Next, cut thicker boards to size, apply to spine piece and press; Covering steps would be the same as with the one-piece wrapper. (pp. 138-40) The text also provides general tips regarding the kinds of papers used for covering, the use paste as adhesive, waiting until dry before pressing so that the covering (e.g. paste paper) doesn’t stick to the press boards, working the covering across boards and spine, turning-in, and putting down the board sheet (anpappen). (pp.148-50)

Title page to Anweisung, 1802.

Greve’s Hand- und Lehrbuch der Buchbindekunst (1823) is written in an epistolary style that does not differ substantively from the preceding texts, but is the first to mention of the term “gebrochenen Rücken” (p. 327) in this way. 

"Gebrochen", "gebrochener Rücken" in Greve, p. 327.

It is also the first to mention (later with H. Bauer (1899), C. Bauer & A. Franke (1903), and A. Franke (1922)) that when adhering the spine piece, the adhesive should only be applied from the outer shoulder folds outwards, leaving the shoulder NOT adhered to the cover. Further, it is also the first to explicitly connect this structure to coverings other than paper, mentioning to leave more space in the groove dependent on thickness of covering material, as well as the sequence for covering if a quarter binding. (pp. 325-334)

Discussing tools for backing and shaping the spine, Greve mentions the use of a Kaschiereisen and Kaschierholz (Frottoirs) (pg. 214-15) in addition to the hammer. He is also the first to mention edge trimming rules (Kantenlineal) (p. 329) that facilitate cutting even board squares. The springback, an English invention is also mentioned. (p. 336)

Title page to Greve, 1823.

Le Normand’s Die Buchbinderkunst in allen ihren Verrichtungen, oder Handbuch für Buchbinder und Liebhaber dieser Kunst (1832) is a translation from the first French edition titled Manuel du relieur dans toutes ses parties (1827). In the original French, the bindings is described as “Cartonnage allemand, dit à la Bradel”, “paper binding in the German style, called Bradel”. In this German translation it is introduced as “Von dem Cartonniren nach Bradel’scher oder teutscher Manier” (pg. 139), invented by a “German binder who achieved some note for it”. 

Bradel in Le Normand, pg. 139.

It is the only text that references a “Bradel”. After sewing and backing, the binder is directed to make an “Einlag-Papier”, the term used instead of “gebrochene Rücken”. This spine piece is made by measuring the width of the spine, then folding at the shoulders and in the opposite direction at the base of the shoulder. After rounding to the shape of the spine, adhesive is brushed onto the guard to the shoulder taking care not to get it onto the endpaper and then the piece is fit snuggly to the text block and placed in a press between boards. Next, the boards are attached to the spine piece, pressed, and then trimmed to size before the next steps of covering. (p. 141-2)

Title page to Le Normande, 1832.

Schäfer’s Vollständiges Handbuch der Buchbinderkunst (1845) describes the same general structure as those preceding. It also mentions the Kaschiereisen (Frottoir) for backing and shaping the spine. (pp. 91-95)

Title page to Schäfer, 1845.

Thon’s Die Kunst Bücher zu binden (1856) continues the use of the term “gebrochener Rücken” for the spine. (p. 208)

In a later edition (1865), he describes the original one-piece construction of this spine piece, but for the first time, the 2-piece construction we now use where the spine stiffener is glued to a piece of heavier paper. In this, the spine stiffener is cut from card to the width of the spine and glued onto a wider strip of heavy paper so that the width would be equivalent to that of the then traditional one-piece spine piece. Like the traditional, it would be edge pared and adhered to the guards. Like Greve it mentioned adjusting the board position for the thickness of the covering material. Thon was also the first to describe this structure for use as a case binding, suggesting that one attach the spine piece to the guards with two dabs of glue, then attach the boards, cover, and pop off to stamp the cover or spine. Before this, labels would have been used. The case is then reattached properly and the ends put down. Thon also described creating the case without the connecting strip, mentioning that this was suited to mass production and that a hollow could be used to secure it to the text block. (pp. 331-342)

So, the "gebrochene Rücken" evolved from example at left to that at right:

On the left, the "ur-Bradel one-piece spine, on the right the later
2-piece. The image is from the first book structure I learned
and bound during my 1984 internship in Nuremberg.

Title page to Thon, 1856.

L. Brade’s Illustrirtes Buchbinderbuch (1882), no connection any Bradel, repeats the two variants of spine piece described by Thon. In describing the newer construction using a spine stiffener of card with a heavy paper strip to connect it to the text block, he points out that it is easier to apply and better suited to thin books. While no reason is given, the paper folds better and is more flexible resulting in better openability. Brade also mentions the suitability of the structure for bindings covered in paper, cloth, some leathers, and parchment. (Pg. 202) Published in numerous editions, it remained largely unchanged on this topic, e.g. the 1892 edition.

Title page to Brade, 1882

Adam was one of the most prolific German bookbinding instructors and authors of the late 19th early 20th centuries, arguably responsible for much of the codification of techniques that resulted in Luers, Rhein, and Wiese.

Both versions of the spine piece (1-piece card, 2-piece paper and card) and the method of attachment were described in Systematisches Lehr- und Handbuch der Buchbinderei (1882) and Der Bucheinband, seine Technik und seine Geschichte (1890). 

In the 1882 text, Adam writes to "cut “gebrochener Rücken” from card slightly longer and 2 finger widths wider/ side than spine of book, then edge-pare the long edges so as to avoid step under paste down. To stiffen the spine further, e.g. a large, heavy book, cut a strip of heavy paper/thin card height of gebrochener Rücken, then measure and mark width of spine centered on strip at top and bottom, score and fold. Finally make the parallel folds for the groove, also accounting for thickness of covering material. (pg. 279)

The more modern alternative described a few pages later is made of a.spine stiffener (Einlage) cut to width of spine and glued centered on heavier paper that is wider to allow for attachment to text block and of boards. (pg. 281) For both styles, apply paste/glue to stub of waste sheet (Flügelfalz) with frayed out cords pasted on top or bottom of “Flügel” of the Rücken (Einlage to inside), rub down, apply boards and press. Trim fore-edge, cover...

Other things mentioned include that for this structure, the shoulder created by the swell from sewing was usually sufficient (pg. 155), and that the cover was “eingehangen“ (cased-in) a departure from the traditional in-boards/built up method. Due to the flexibility of the “gebrochener Rücken”, it could easily be applied to both.

Title page from Adam, 1882.

In the 1890 text, Der Bucheinband... these descriptions are largely unchanged from the 1882 text.

Title page to Adam, 1890.

Adam’s Die praktischen Arbeiten des Buchbinders (1898), is the first German manual that was translated into English as Practical Bookbinding (1903). It is also the first to illustrate the “gebrochener Rücken” spine piece in the more modern version with a card strip adhered to a wider strip of paper describing it as a “Pappbandrücken” (paper binding spine). In the English edition. This was referred to as the “springback” because it was not adhered to the spine itself and formed a hollow. It extended over the spine and underneath the cover (4-5 cm wider on each side) with “backing”, a "spine stiffener" of same material, exact width of spine. It is not to be confused with the “Sprungrücken” (springback ledger-style).

"Gebrochener Pappbandrücken" (1898) at left,
translated as "spring back" (1903) at right.

Note that the "spine stiffener" is to the inside of the connecting paper strip.

Title pages from Adam, 1898 & 1903.

H. Bauer’s Katechismus der Buchbinderei (1899) written in the form of a dialog describes the spine piece as being made from 2 pieces of card, one the width of the spine, the other wider. As with this structure, the narrower piece was adhered centered to the wider piece. Unlike most other descriptions (excepting Greve (1823), C. Bauer (1903), and A. Franke (1922), it was only adhered to the guards from the outer folds at the base of the shoulder only. (pp. 137-39)

Title page from H. Bauer, 1899.

C. Bauer’s Handbuch der Buchbinderei: eine leichtfassliche Anleitung zur Herstellung (1903), edited by A. Franke is like H. Bauer, but also mentions that the weight of the card used for the wider strip of card that is adhered to the guards should be determined by the size and other properties of the text block. It also described the narrower strip that is the width of the spine as an “Einlegerücken”, today referred to as the “Rückeneinlage”. The structure can also be the basis for the cloth covered binding, with simplifications for use in large scale trade binding. (pg. 107)

Title page from C. Bauer, A. Franke ed., 1903.

C. Bauer’s Die Buchbinderei: eine leichtfassliche Anleitung zur Herstellung (1922), edited by A. Franke, and the 9th edition, described the same structure for the “gebrochene Rücken“ as in the previous item (1903) with both parts being made from card. The long edges were edge pared, much like in the 19th century. While the main application seemed to be on cloth bindings, C. Bauer wrote that the original paper covered “Pappband” held up quite well, but the ones produced during [WW I] tended to go back to a bookbinder for replacement. He attributed this to their being mass-produced industrial products. (pg. 142)

Title page from C. Bauer, A. Franke ed., 1922.


Moving forward in the 20th century, the structure itself has remained essentially unchanged. Endpapers went towards bi-folios, with a hooked waste sheet to fan the frayed cords or tapes out on. Cloth hinges were also used on these endsheets, sewn in or tipped on with a decorative on over the stub. In short, there were lots of possibilities, but the uses of this structure were increasingly as case bindings. In terms of whether to apply adhesive all the way to the edge of the shoulder or not, most mid-20th century and newer manuals describe the former. Manuals describing this include Luers, Fröde, Moessner, Rhein, Wiese, Moessner, … An exception appears to be Morf who described applying the adhesive from the base of the shoulder outwards. The “bible” to the Pappband structure as currently used is Siegfried Büge’s Der Pappband (1973) that references the historical origins, and describes it for fine paper bindings and what we call the “millimeter” binding (Edelpappband). The term “Bradel” was not mentioned. However, the term “Bradel” is not unknown in Germany, due in part to translations and learners traveling to take advantage of workshops and other training. Reviewing contemporary manuals (1960s onward) reveals that there are differences from the German, but that these are in the details and nuances. 

As an example, the German case binding structure I describe can be used for covering in paper, cloth, leather, vellum, and combinations thereof. It can be built up on the text block in-boards) or constructed as a case. The Edelpappband (noble paper-covered binding) has leather trim along some combination of board edges and spine, the Danes call it "Rubow" after the binder who made it popular there, and the Anglo-Americans call "millimeter" binding because of the amount of cloth/leather/vellum trim showing after covering. This is distinct from the Danish "millimeter" that is like the modern French "Bradel
 and “simplified” built up on the text block. There is also the explanation I was given by Suzanne Schmollgruber, formerly of the Centro del bel Libro in Ascona, CH, is that in modern usage, the "Bradel" is now used to describe bindings using the "gebrochener Rücken" that are built up on the text block, whereas "mit aufgesetzten Deckeln" is used to describe the "three piece case binding" variety. 

Finally, if one were to do a dissection of a full paper or cloth (not separate spine covering), one should not be able to tell the cased apart from the in-boards. I use both methods, preferring the in-boards on smaller, more delicate books as I find it easier to work precisely. Sometimes, I'll work in-boards, attaching what will be the cover to a waste sheet, then removing to stamp... as a case, and then reattach.





Below are some good readings on the historical structure in English:


As always, I welcome questions, references to additional sources, and other thoughts via the comments. Just remember to cite those sources. Thank you.
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Monday, October 16, 2023

Disbinding Bradel, Part 1: Who was Bradel? Does it Matter?

This is the first in series of articles that grew out of the research that went into my workshop on the ur-form of what we call the Bradel given to students and staff at the University of Iowa Center for the Book and University Libraries on October 1 -2, 2021. As part of the William Anthony Lecture Series it was supported by the Nadia Sophie Seiler Fund and the University of Iowa Libraries & Center for the Book.

I had originally considered formally publishing this in a journal, but for a variety of reasons I am serializing here at the Pressbengel Project, perhaps somewhat less formally. Advantages of online publication include the ability to embed video... When completed, the posts will be combined into a downloadable form. The title, "Disbinding Bradel" was originally suggested by Jeff Peachey. I am also grateful to Susie Cobbledick, Guild of Book Workers Journal co-editor, for her thoughts on converting my hand-out into an article.


To Disbinding Bradel, Part 2: A walk through the German bookbinding literature, in which I will focus on the evolution of that which defines this structure – the spine piece and board attachment. 



What do we (primarily in the English-speaking world) mean when we refer to a "Bradel" binding, what are its origins, and how, and what did it evolve into?  Originally, the structure consisted of a single piece spine stiffener and a connecting strip attached to the text block, with the boards then attached as the binding was completed working outwards from the text. Over time, that evolved into a separate spine stiffener and a connecting strip of paper to which the boards were attached. 

The images below are of a binding of Lessing's Works (Berlin, 1838) in my collection. 

Here, book closed, the one-piece spine and connector construction. 

The book open.

Pappbänder: 1812, 1825. 1842.

This question of the origin of the structure came to the fore when I was asked to present a hands-on workshop on the original, ur-form of the Bradel to students and staff as part of the William Anthony Conservation Lecture Series at the University of Iowa Center for the Book and the Libraries' Conservation Lab. 

I was trained in, and am very familiar with the modern form of the German case binding covered in paper and its variant forms, and nowhere does that descriptor of "Bradel" appear in the German manuals, historical and contemporary. Instead, one finds Pappband (paper binding), gebrochene Rücken (referring to the way the spine piece and cover are constructed), and variants of these structures. I have described several of the modern German variants in published tutorials linked to from here, but have not until now traced the evolution of the structure from its origins. The structure also appears in other national traditions, in particular the French, often with nuanced differences. Still, there are questions about the original form and history of this structure, one most often associated with German books of the 18th and 19th centuries. 

One thing that stands out is that most English-language publications on this and related structures are based on observational studies of period bindings. Manuals describing the structure in whatever language are seldom referenced, a challenge when the sources and language are not known or accessible to the researcher.

In his "Teaching Genealogies of American Hand Bookbinders" (Guild of Book Workers' Journal, Vol XXVIII, 1990. 3-4) Tom Conroy wrote:

The low profile of the German element in American hand binding is hard to understand, although several factors can be identified. German-tradition binders have added little to the English-language literature of binding; and little has been translated from German. Much of the German contribution to the common pool has been forwarding and technique rather than design finishing. The German tradition has contributed little to the philosophy of binding in America (this comes largely from the English Arts and Crafts movement); and in aesthetics American binders have tended to follow the French in aping painting and the fine arts.

Having regularly been asked to find and translate German sources for colleagues researching and writing articles, this was a challenge I am very familiar with and enjoy. Thanks to my paper-based reference library and digital collections, I was able to trace the evolution of the structure in the German tradition back to Zeidler in 1708. Not a Bradel to be found ... 

So, the question of "who was Bradel" and what is his connection to the structure remained. Let's see what we can find out about this structure's namesake [in the English and French-speaking worlds].
 
In English, a good starting point is searching lexica like Don Etherington's Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books, where the Bradel is described as:

A type of binding having a hollow back, and not unlike a library binding, except that it is considered to be temporary. The style was originated in Germany by Alexis Pierre Bradel, also known as Bradel l'ainé, and also as Bradel-Derome, son-in-law and successor to Nicholas-Denis Derôme. The style was taken to France sometime between 1772 and 1809. Bradel bindings generally have split boards into which are attached the extensions of the spine lining cloth. The edges are uncut, sometimes with the head edge being gilt. They generally have a leather or linen spine. In France the style was known as "Cartonnage à la Bradel", or as "en gist".

Ligitus' the Language of Bindings Thesaurus (LoB) is "intended to provide a consistent and agreed terminology to be used by anybody working with historic books, such as conservators..." It is the only lexicon that uses the term "gebrochener Rücken" in describing the Bradel as:

The German term for the three-piece case, 'gebrochener Rücken', meaning literally 'broken back', is presumably a reference to splitting a one-piece case into two sides with a connecting spine-piece. This meant that it was possible to have a thinner flexible spine-piece that allowed the book to open whilst having a rigid board on each side to support and protect the book block, a dual function that was not possible with the one-piece case. The three-piece case was known in France at the end of the eighteenth century as the ‘reliure Bradel’ or ‘cartonnage à la Bradel’ having been introduced there, apparently, by a member of the Bradel family.

While being very general about the "who", it gets at the essence and functionality of the structure though I disagree with the translation of "gebrochener", a term that refers to the act of folding and creasing, in this case the piece of thin board/card that connects the boards. This is traced in detail in the literature review, in particular see Anweisung zur Buchbinderkunst (1802), Greve (1823), Thon (1856), and Adam (1898).

CERL, the Consortium of European Research Libraries, in its thesaurus describes Alexis-Pierre Bradel (d. 1760), "also known as Bradel l’Âiné as he carried on the work of his uncle Derome Le Jeune, as a well-known Parisian binder. Bradel moved to Germany, where he started a style of a temporary binding that later became very popular in Germany." Comparing these two sources, we start to have issues around Bradel's dates and his role." 

The bookbinding database of the French National Library, Reliures.bnf.fr, has no record of an Alexis-Pierre Bradel. It does have a record for a Francoise-Paul Bradel (1757-1827) describing him as a "bookbinder belonging to a family dynasty of bookbinders, established in Paris since the end of the 17th century, one of whose members definitively ensured the durability of the name, which has now become a common name to designate a casing process that he would have imported from Germany to France in the 1770s. François-Paul Bradel is the son of Paul Bradel, master bookbinder in Paris, and Marie-Louise Le Cornu." 

Johann Denninger in his article "The 'Temporary' Binding of Alexis Pierre Bradel", The New Bookbinder (1996) goes much deeper than most. He described Bradel as a Bavarian "Maesterbuchbinder" who arrived in Paris ca 1800 and introduced the technique. The technique itself was "simply an imitation of the German binding made by the bookbinder Lichtscheid, who was working in Vienna in 1800. Lichtscheid, a famous bookbinder at the time, stated that he made his bindings using the Dutch of the time as an example." Denninger goes on to write that "around 1820 Bradel's friend (and later enemy) Lesné took over and adapted the original form as a 'German binding'. Denninger mentioned a La Reliure, toutes les operations de la reliure (1827) by Séb Le Normand. This was found in Gallica as Manuel du relieur dans toutes ses parties (1827) where the structure was referred to as “Cartonnage allemand, dit à la Bradel” (German binding in paper, called Bradel). The manual was later published in several editions as Nouveau manuel complet du relieur with the description retained. 

From the 1827 edition:

The type of binding that has become known in Paris, was imported from Germany by a bookbinder who alone made it for some time, with this type of binding acquiring a certain reputation. When well executed, it has a number of advantages: it looks good enough on a library shelf; it is clean and can be made with solidity; the leaves are not so that works can be read for a long time as they were simply bound, and when it is they retain wide margins. Here's how it's done... (p 209)

The instructions for the technique described by Le Normand map 1:1 to the German manuals of the time. In addition to this background information on Bradel, Denninger purports to give instructions for Bradel's pre-1823 structure, admitting he has never seen one. Unfortunately, those instructions are seemingly for a hybrid Danish millimeter and modern German Edelpappband, known in the US as a "millimeter binding" or by North Bennet Street School Students as "Rubow". This combination makes the article on the whole confusing. [NOTE: Le Normande also appeared in German as Die Buchbinderkunst in Allen Ihren Verrichtungen (1832). See Part 2 ...]

Thanks to Jeff Peachey another source was able to weigh in. Emil Thonin in his encyclopedia Les Relieures Francais 1500-1800 (1893) listed pages of Bradels going back several hundred years. Of most relevance were his concluding remarks on a Bradel (pp. 219 – 221):

We are familiar with the so-called, German-inspired 'Bradel' bindings "because, says Lesné, Bradel was one of the first bookbinders who started to make them and because he makes them well enough". That being said, in another passage of his poem, he mentions him again, this time in a much less benevolent manner, speaking about those binders who claim to have invented some new system:

 With the help of a very amphibological jargon, he impresses the fools, and exposes himself to criticism; Such are the processes of Bradel, Cabanis, who charm the province and even all Paris. The one binds in the German style, And the other sews as in Holland.

Our poet speaking in the present tense, it seems obvious that the author of these bindings must have lived in 1820, but how do we identify which one of all these Bradels he was referring to? We give up on that, as well as we give up on trying to identify the other one that he quoted and whose talent presumably equaled that of Chaumont and Deboisseau, well regarded binders of the restoration period. (Thank you to Benjamin Elbel for this translation)

So, while we seem to have no definitive answer about who this Bradel was, the resources above seem to agree on an origin somewhere in Germany in the late 18th, early 19th centuries, and that the core elements of the structure are integral to many binding styles and their variants. From the memoirs of 19th century bookbinders such as Adam Henß (1780-1856), Paul Adam (1849-1931), and other mentions we know that bookbinders travelled widely during their journeyman years and sometimes emigrated, e.g. Germans to England in the 18th century. This process greatly facilitated the spread of ideas and techniques across Europe. So, does it really matter if we don't have a "who"? We do need an agreed upon descriptor for the base structure, though, no?


To Disbinding Bradel, Part 2: A walk through the German bookbinding literature, in which I will focus on the evolution of that which defines this structure – the spine piece and board attachment. 



As always, I welcome questions, references to additional sources, and other thoughts via the comments. Just remember to cite those sources. Thank you 



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Wednesday, October 11, 2023

A Brief History of Book_Arts-L (1994 – 2023)

By Peter D. Verheyen
This article is adapted from the original, published in the Guild of Book Workers' Newsletter, Number 270, October 2023.

So long and thanks for all the "books".
The last postings from the "home" of 28 years, Syracuse University.
The list was home at Cornell University its first year.

On June 1st of this year, Book_Arts-L was migrated from Syracuse University’s servers to Emory University. This date was a month shy of the list's 29th anniversary, an eternity in the online world. But, what is Book_Arts-L, and why did I create it?

The “Internet” as we know it now with the World Wide Web (WWW) was invented by Tim Berners-Lee on April 30, 1993, though its conceptual origins go back even further.. In 1987, Walter Henry at Stanford created the Conservation Distlist, the first discussion group for all things conservation, accessible via email from anywhere in the world, if you had a connection. I got connected to it in early 1989 with a slow dial-up modem and a Compuserve account. Despite its focus, other topics more binding and art related crept in, something I was certainly guilty of contributing to and encouraging. Walter Henry was very patient, but also encouraging of my questions. In 1990, Peter Graham, a librarian at Rutgers, founded Exlibris, an online discussion group for rare books and special collections with many opportunities for exploring topics related to the book arts.

The world was still overwhelmingly analog at the time, newsletters like the Guild of Book Workers’, the American Institute of Conservations', and the Abbey Newsletter, among others, with their calls for exhibits, workshops, and jobs, were eagerly-awaited resources. I was fortunate to spend those early years in places with active book arts and conservation scenes, such as Chicago and New Haven, so in-person activities also played a large role.

In 1993, I moved to centrally isolated Ithaca, NY, where I was rare books conservator at Cornell. Compared to my past haunts, Central New York was a very barren and remote place to practice the book arts.. Attempts were made to form a loose regional group with a newsletter, but this never succeeded in building the active critical mass required for success. Was there any help for getting out of this professional and avocational loneliness? Could these new online tools, like listserv and gopher (a precursor to the web), help? Typo-L, a list which continues to serve the typographic community, was founded in early '93. For much of its first year, however, that list was unusually quiet, with numerous "is anyone else out there" messages. I also happened to be unaware of its existence.

Encouraged by Walter and Peter, I founded Book_Arts-L in June 1994 on Cornell's list server, and it was announced on the DistList and Exlibris. It was my turn to see “who was out there”. I knew about some of the technical details, but was clueless about what I was getting myself into. The subscriber list grew slowly, but steadily, as did participation, and by the end of that first year there were about 400 subscribers with as many postings. When I moved to Syracuse, the list followed me there as well. In 1997, there were 900 members with 3000 postings. Initially, I found myself doing quite a bit of "handholding" as people learned how to subscribe,use a listserv and use email. To some extent this continues to happen, though much more infrequently. With time, most of these challenges faded away, and the list grew to a peak of over 2500 global subscribers. Managing those could have been a chore, but was generally a great deal of fun as one gets to know like-minded people all over the world. Some of my virtual connections are still ongoing and sustaining, and have led to collaborations and other opportunities for both parties. 

Walter Henry offered to host its archives at CoOL, initially on a Gopher server and shortly thereafter to the WWW. The archive remains available to subscribers via the web in different places including the Internet Archives's Wayback Machine (1994-2009). It is my wish to pull all these together in a unified and consistent interface, but that will require some work and goes beyond my abilities.

Not content to simply discuss technical matters, within weeks we were debating the essence of the book. This topic would recur periodically, and it exploded in the spring of 1998 around the question of defining the artists’ book. An "innocently simple" question, looking for a definition of "artists’ book", results in 89 printed pages that are still regularly read and cited. Like many other discussions, it traveled a very circuitous routes, becoming "what is art," the difference between "art” and “craft," the definition of "craft," training, technical competence... While there the ubiquitous "me too" replies, the list and its archive nevertheless became a great repository of collective experience and knowledge about such arcane topics as reconditioning a press, finding a particular supplier, using materials, and how to practice the craft of bookbinding. The quality of postings varies, determined by the expertise of the poster, but even a simple or naive post serves an educational function as well. We all learn best from our own or others' experiences. Sustaining all this learning is an incredible global community of individuals who share generously of themselves. In a few cases, participation has become multi-generational, with parents and offspring contributing to the discussions. Those early days, including beyond Book_Arts-L were the topic of  Bringing us together / Getting us out presented at Hot Type in a Cold World, the Silver Buckle Press' 25th anniversary symposium.

In the early days, the idea of Book_Arts-L, an online community, or pretty much any presence of our allied arts and crafts on the then-newish internet was not met with universal acceptance. Indeed, there were numerous voices that spoke out against it within the Guild and its membership, as well as other similarly-focused organizations. Among the concerns were gatekeeping, “trust”, fad, and fears for the survival of print publications such as newsletters. When I started Book_Arts-L, I had no idea how long it would last.  Almost 30 years later, numerous other friendly and aligned lists and fora appeared, and then faded. The book arts, and related fields, have also proliferated on social media. While they do provide easy ways to share work, especially images, such platforms are not well suited to long form discussions. 

So, what has contributed to Book_Arts-L’s success? I believe that the most significant factor is [pro]active stewardship – as list owner starting and contributing to threads, and sharing resources, especially during lulls. While lulls in conversation are natural, and often good, in the context of a resource like listservs and for a it can lead to “out of sight, out of mind”. Also, important are actively engaging with subscribers, especially when topics become contentious, along with occasional calls for civility. A global community is a microcosm of society with all that implies, and contexts in one place may not be the same elsewhere. The list language is English, but that is not everyone’s native language – things can be lost in translation. It was my role to make sure that things did not get too heated. These challenges were however a very small part in the history of Book_Arts-L largely because of the [pro]active stewardship.

In 2019, on the 25th anniversary of Book_Arts-L, I made the decision to step back by the 30th, quietly hoping that the list would continue under new “ownership”. In late 2022, I opened that conversation, and very quickly events took on a life of their own. Of great importance to me was also the continued availability of the archive. I was very glad and relieved when Kim Norman and Emory University Library’s Preservation Department stepped forward, especially as they use the same backend infrastructure. On June 1st of this year, the community moved to Emory. I look forward to mentoring Kim as she takes the reins and reshapes the list to better reach its community, all the while moving it forward. At the same time, I will enjoy watching and contributing without the responsibilities. It was an adventure I will always be grateful for. In parallel to the list, I also maintained my Book Arts Web at philobiblon.com. Still an often-accessed resource, it has suffered from neglect in recent years. It will be interesting to see what is left of it, but a snapshot will always be available via the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

What follows are some snapshots of Book_Arts-L’s activities these past 29 years. Similar data was shared via a Bonefolder Extras post in 2015. The trends have remained constant.

Where did subscribers come from? As of the end of May 2023, 2376 subscribers came from the United States (2236*), Canada (36), Australia, United Kingdom (18 each), Germany (9), Netherlands, New Zealand (8 each), Romania (3), Italy, South Africa, Sweden (2 each), Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Malta, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland (1 each). This number is based on the “domain” of the subscriber with all .com, .org, .edu being attributed to the US. Given that Gmail, AOL, and many other internet providers are international, but based in US, this significantly inflates the US total of subscribers.

In the past 29 years, Book_Arts-L received a total of 90,831 posts that represent approximately 53,000 “threads” or topics that were sent by approximately 7000 “subscribers”. Names online are one of those things with frequent changes, so the actual number of distinct posters will be lower than those 7000, but based on a cursory scan, not by much. There has also been a good level of turnover over the years with subscribers coming and going. That said, the top posters have remained fairly stable, some posting regularly over the lifetime of the list.

The chart below shows the total number of posts by year. The number climbed steeply in the first 3 years, but has been in decline since 2010.


Book_Arts-L Total Postings June 1994 – May 2023.

This same trend can be seen in visits to the Book Arts Web, the website I have maintained with a vast number of links to other resources. Google started offering its Analytics in 2006. Facebook and other social media started becoming more prevalent after the introduction of the “smart” phone by Apple in 2007.

Book_Arts-L and Book Arts Web Overall 2007 – May 2023

The top 20 threads are shown below. As with everything related to posts, sometimes the subject lines of the thread don’t apply at the message level, perhaps having morphed during the conversation. 

Top 20 Threads

Most postings were sent mid-week, with the weekends the slowest. This pattern seems logical, as subscribers have lives outside the book arts.
Book_Arts-L Postings per Day of Week by Year


On June 1st, 2023 Book_Arts-L moved to Emory – Now, onto the next 29...

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Saturday, July 1, 2023

Maria Lühr and a Stool

CREATIVE FEMALE HANDS

Miss Master Bookbinder

As in so many professions dominated by men alone, women have also turned to bookbinding. In the workshop of Maria Lühr, Berlin, where only female hands exercise the craft, artistic and tasteful book bindings are created under the direction and the own hands of this woman.

The products of this unique female bookbinding workshop will soon be shown in America as part of an exhibition of German women craftsmen in St. Louis and Chicago.

Apprentices inserting the books into the hand press for "backing" and placing the finished books into the standing press.

Copyright by Presse-Photo G.M.B.H.
Berlin SW. 38 -- Wilhelmstr. 130

Apprentices inserting the books into the hand press for "pressing"
and placing the finished books into the standing press.

Also seen at far left is the "forgotten Bauhaus stool" manufactured
by Rowac in Chemnitz", Germany.


Schaffende Frauenhände

Fräulein Buchbindermeister

Wie in so vielen vom Manne allein beherrschten Berufen, hat sich die Frau auch dem Buchbinderhandwerk zugewardt. In der Werkstatt von Maria Lühr, Berlin, in der nur weibliche Hände das Handwerk ausüben, entsehen unter der Leitung und den eigenen Händen dieser Frau künstlerische und geschmackvolle Bucheinbande.

Die Erzeugnisse dieser wohl einzig dastehenden weiblichen Buchbinderwerkstatt werden demnächst in Amerika im Rahmen einer Ausstellung Deutscher Kunstgewerblerinnen in St. Louis und Chicago gezeigt werden.

Lehrlinge beim Einsetzen der Bücher in die Handpress zum "Abpressen" und Setzen der fertigen Bücher in die Stockpresse.

Copyright by Presse-Photo G.M.B.H.
Berlin SW. 38 Wilhelmstr. 130




The image was shared with generous permission by Alide & Dieter Amick / Rowac who are reissuing this classic stool.

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Friday, June 23, 2023

Position of the Tongue in Bookbinding

 This fun poster was created by James Welker sometime shortly after 2004. Mark Andersson, then teaching bookbinding at North Bennet Street School is demonstrating a trade binding popular in mid 20th century Sweden at Guild of Book Workers Standards in 2004, and I am teaching the German-style springback at Minnesota Center for Book Arts in 2003. 

Are there other national preferences for tongue position in binding? Asking for a friend.



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Sunday, May 7, 2023

Fritz Otto Examines "The Salmon of Wisdom"

 A new fish skin binding acquisition for the piscatorial collection.

The Salmon of Wisdom from the Folklore Fish series. It is bound in salmon prepared by @sosnastudios with hazelnut-dyed salmon lacing. The book was one of 3 exhibited in the Beyond Bookbinding 2023 exhibit at @nbssboston in Boston where Sara, '23, is a student. Take a look at her Instagram and more fish skin bindings.


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