The Danube
by Emil Lengyel, 1939
Treatment performed at: The Charleston Library Society Book Conservation Studio
Overseen by Conservator: Brien Beidler
Mid-twentieth-century circulating book with a torn spine separating the text block from the back board, repaired with Japanese tissue to strengthen the hollow spine, and dyed Japanese tissue used to return visual harmony to the buckram lining
This treatment was the first of three I performed on circulating volumes at the Charleston Library Society and the first time I implemented a treatment procedure Mr. Beidler called the modified hollow spine repair, outlined below. I entered the volume's condition and treatment proposal into the circulation repair log, a condensed condition report used by Mr. Beidler in the Book Conservation Studio.
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For the modified hollow spine repair, a piece of Japanese tissue was cut the height of the spine and 6X the width of the spine and the volume was positioned over the edge of a vertical surface, as shown in the second image. Then a 1:1 mixture of methyl cellulose and wheat paste, which remains flexible when dry, was painted over a piece of Japanese tissue that completely covered the exposed text block and interior area of the spine with ten inches of excess tissue hanging over the loose back board. As the adhesive began to set, a piece of mylar the exact dimensions of the spine of the cover was placed over the text block. Then the cover was folded back into position under weight, wrapped in a halite dust jacket, as shown in the third image. After being left to dry, the mylar was carefully removed preserving the hollow spine, and the remaining tissue was used to attached the loose backboard to the in pages and text block, the result of which is shown in the fourth image.
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Aesthetic repairs were performed by dying strips of Japanese tissue with acrylics applied to the buckram lining with a 1:1 methyl cellulose and wheat paste mixture.