Book repair or what?

Hello good book people.
I need a bit of advice please.
A very dear friend has bequeathed to me a copy of "The Gardeners
Kalendar" by Philip Miller, (Gardener to the Worshipful Company of
Apothecaries at their Botanick Garden in Chelsea, and F.R.S.) DATED 1743
(Spelling as inside coverg)
My problem is the cover is adrift from the spine and I can't decide
whether to have it re-bound!
a) Can it be rebound using the original cover?
b) If it is re-bound will it have a new cover?
c) Should I bother and just enjoy it as it is?
If c) is the option any suggestions as to how to keep it from
degenerating further?
Your most learned advice would be appreciated
Thanks for your time,
Alec R Powell
--
Alec Powell

Watlington
Oxfordshire
UK

"Alec Powell" wrote in message
...
Hello good book people.
I need a bit of advice please.
A very dear friend has bequeathed to me a copy of "The Gardeners
Kalendar" by Philip Miller, (Gardener to the Worshipful Company of
Apothecaries at their Botanick Garden in Chelsea, and F.R.S.) DATED 1743
(Spelling as inside coverg)
My problem is the cover is adrift from the spine and I can't decide
whether to have it re-bound!

....

What exactly do you mean by that ?

The two sides of the book, the boards, are attached by cords - usually
four or five and they go across the spine of the book and form the
raised bands. The entire book, boards and spine, is then covered
with leather, which is first soaked in paste and shaped to fit, and
after drying trimmed on the insides of each board. Which is then
covered by the endpapers.

It's quite common for the leather to crack down the hinges between
the boards and the spine, and for the cords to eventually fail.
So that the boards to become completely detached. It's slightly
less common for the leather to become detached from the boards
or spine.

In the latter case it's a relatively simple matter to re-attach the
leather using cold water paste.

Where the boards have become detached or the spine has deteriorated
it's possible to have a book "rebacked". Which usually involves
re-attaching the cords, and replacing the leather spine. This is
usually much cheaper than a full rebind, which may involve restitching
the book as well.

As a temporary expedient it's also possible to re-attach the boards
by building up a fake spine using layers of thin acid free paper,
thoroughly soaked in cold water paste. This can be easily be removed
at a later date if necessary by judicious application of warm water,
when funds permit a more professional job.

Find an illustration of a "half leather" binding on the Net. The paper
overlap on the boards for the above suggestion, should resemble the area
covered by leather on that.

Similarly if the book is rebacked, a similar amount of new leather
will be used. Although it may be tucked under any existing leather on the
boards which can be soaked and lifted for that purpose. So at to preserve
as much of the original as possible. Similarly the existing leather
on the spine, title etc., may be lifted off, and remounted on top of the
rebacking leather, again for the same reason


michael adams


....

a) Can it be rebound using the original cover?
b) If it is re-bound will it have a new cover?
c) Should I bother and just enjoy it as it is?
If c) is the option any suggestions as to how to keep it from
degenerating further?
Your most learned advice would be appreciated
Thanks for your time,
Alec R Powell
--
Alec Powell

Watlington
Oxfordshire
UK

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006, michael adams, gave forth these words of wisdom:
What exactly do you mean by that ?
Excellent snips
michael adams
Thank you Michael, I have learnt a lot from your most welcome comments.
However looking at some of the unfortunate postings you seem to get in
this NG I feel I have had enough.
You lot certainly seem to be having a rough time from the spammers and
trolls.
Thanks,
Alec
--
Alec Powell
Watlington Oxon. UK

on Tue, 11 Jul 2006 18:09:00 +0100, Alec Powell stated:

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006, michael adams, gave forth these words of wisdom:
What exactly do you mean by that ?
Excellent snips
michael adams
Thank you Michael, I have learnt a lot from your most welcome comments.
However looking at some of the unfortunate postings you seem to get in
this NG I feel I have had enough.
You lot certainly seem to be having a rough time from the spammers and
trolls.

Don't worry about that - it's only a momentary blip.
Things are usually pretty quiet around here, with a
few threads with content like yours. Thanks for
stopping by. Hope you stick around.

-Allison


--
..

Alec Powell wrote:

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006, michael adams, gave forth these words of wisdom:

What exactly do you mean by that ?

Excellent snips

michael adams

Thank you Michael, I have learnt a lot from your most welcome comments.
However looking at some of the unfortunate postings you seem to get in
this NG I feel I have had enough.
You lot certainly seem to be having a rough time from the spammers and
trolls.
Thanks,
Alec


I am sure we will survive this insanity and normality will return


Francis A. Miniter

"Francis A. Miniter" wrote in message
news:44b4062a@kcnews01...
Alec Powell wrote:

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006, michael adams, gave forth these words of wisdom:

What exactly do you mean by that ?

Excellent snips

michael adams

Thank you Michael, I have learnt a lot from your most welcome comments.
However looking at some of the unfortunate postings you seem to get in
this NG I feel I have had enough.
You lot certainly seem to be having a rough time from the spammers and
trolls.
Thanks,
Alec


I am sure we will survive this insanity and normality will return

Francis A. Miniter

We have problems with the trolls, because we fight the spammers.
Who else would be so angry?

Kris