Preservation Week 2021 and the Adopt-A-Book Program
Adopt-A-Book Program: The 1600s
The Making of Books: 1600s
Although books were printed in both English and Latin at the beginning of the seventeenth century, the only group that printed these books was made up of a small amount of booksellers and printers in London (Feather, 2008, p. 232-233). A bookseller, or "stationer" was also, technically, a publisher (Feather, 2008, p. 233). They may have also bound and distributed books as well, although that depended on the preferences of the bookseller (Feather, 2008, p. 233-234). Until the end of the 1600s, specifically the mid-1690s, one person continued to be printer, bookseller, distributor, and publisher (Feather, 2008, p. 234).
University of Missouri Special Collections call number:
| DF721 .W56 1682 |
Donors: Samuel John Bennett.
Source: https://library.missouri.edu/giving/adoptabook/
A Journey into Greece by Sir George Wheeler.
This is a travel book published in 1682. It chronicles two trips taken by the author, who was motivated by an enthusiam for science and a healthy curiosity about the world. He started his first trip in Venice, then went to Bursa and Thyateira, then paused in Smyrna. On his second trip, he traveled to Zacynthos, Patras and then to Delphi. Afterward, he traveled to Athens, and finally, Attica. [1]
The book needed kozo hinge repairs and a treatment to stabilize the leather. [2]
The treatment mentioned above was likely utilized to prevent damage to the leather such as "redrot", which is damage that occurs when the leather has been vegetable tanned. According to Kimbro (2012), "it is caused when leather reaches temperatures beyond what it can handle, has been exposed to high relative humidity or from prolonged storage" (Kimbro, 2012, para. 1). Redrot is irreversible, but treatment can stop it from spreading (Kimbro, 2012, para. 3). [3]
The book before repairs.
The book after repairs.
University of Missouri Special Collections call number: Special Collections enclosure shelf (MU ELLIS)
Donor: Gene Schillie and Beatrice Schillie
A compleat journal of the votes, speeches and debates, both of the House of Lords and House of Commons throughout the whole reign of Queen Elizabeth, of glorious memory.
This set of documents was published in 1693, 90 years after the death of Elizabeth I, by several members of the English Parliament [1]. This document was reprinted in 1974 with a new introduction, written by Gerald M. Straka [2]. He has written such books as The Revolution of 1688 and the Birth of the English Political Nation. (Problems in European Civilization), and A certainty in the succession, 1640-1815 (The Borzoi history of England) [3].
The hinges were cracked and given a kozo repair.
Kozo paper: A kind of Japanese paper made of mulberry fibers. Kozo paper is popular among book restorers because it is very strong and can be used to reinforce damaged paper, especially in the spine. [4]
The book before repairs.
The book after repairs.
Sources:
Feather, J. (2008). The British book market:1600-1800. In Rose, J., Eliot, S. & Banham, R. (Eds.), The History of the Book (1st ed., pp. 232-246). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kimbro, Kim P. (2012). "What is red rot leather and how to treat it." Preservation Solutions: Innovators of Safe Products for Wood and Leather.