Chapter III: Part 3

The preparation of colors is effected as with drawn marbles on a small surface of size, but it is necessary, that the colors for marbled edges expand more than the others. As first color, black is generally used, which is thrown on by a brush in the same way as in making nonpareil marble, but the other colors must be thrown on by a broom-corn whisk and the more colors are used, the smaller must be the drops of the colors which are thrown on the size, and it is further essential that they should be evenly divided around. Then use gall-water which consists of 10 parts water and 1 part gall and serves to arrange the different colors so that one color can be concentrated in one point, secondly, it has the effect of forming a white network of veins, which enhances the effect of the other colors, and finally, the ground color comes into play, putting the whole carpet of colors into motion. This color is nothing but a common nonpareil color and is used either by itself or in a mixture with other colors.

In preparing the ground or body color, enough of gall is added so as to slightly force the other colors into veins. An equal part of sprinkling-water is added to it, to give it the energetical power of spreading out essential to the formation of a beautifully veined net. The body-color is thrown on by a medium sized bristle brush, which must be tied near the end for this purpose. This brush is to be equally moistened with the body color, the best would be to moisten it by the aid of a common brush. When this is done throw the color by beating the bristle brush on a small board upon the carpet of colors. By this process larger or smaller specks of the body-color are formed.

THE DARK-RED MARBLE.

The marbled edges are always named from the body-color, as the latter always occupies the largest space on the edge. For dark-red marble the following colors are used: black, light pink (10 parts white, 1 part safflower-carmine), light-grey (10 parts white, 1 part black), gall-water and, finally, the ground color.

The latter is composed of 2 parts carmine-lake, 1 part black and 3 parts sprinkling-water.

THE PLAIN-GRAY MARBLE.

This kind of marbling is the most profitable of the veined marbles because it can be produced very rapidly.

For this purpose prepare the black color with gall in such a way, that a drop will spread out on the size to a spot of about 5-1/2 inches in diameter, then add an equal quantity of sprinkling water, dip a large broom-corn whisk or a bristle-brush into the color and throw it by beating on a board upon the size which has been cleaned off by a strip of paper. The color appears on the size a gray color with white veins, from which the edge can be taken.

THE BLUE MARBLE.

To produce this use the following colors; black, orange or citron yellow, Indian red with a little black and Oriental blue, finally adding gall water and the body color. This ground color consists of 1 part Indigo and 1 part sprinkling water.

THE BROWN MARBLE.

This marble is one of the most common, but if the colors are well selected as given in the following paragraph it will give a fine effect.

Black first, Havana brown second, chamois third, gall water, and, as ground color, humin-brown with a little carmine lake and one part sprinkling water.

THE GRAY MARBLE.

To produce this the following colors are necessary, black, dark purple, light bluish green, gall-water and a mixture of black with sprinkling water, by which the ground shade, gray, is obtained. A lighter or darker gray is obtained by adding more or less sprinkling water to the ground color.

THE OLIVE-GRAY MARBLE.

This marble has a very beautiful effect although in producing it but three colors are used. It belongs to the so called large-veined marbles and forms an olive grayish ground with a fine net of veins of black, dark-brown and white. It is produced in the following way; first black is put on with the brush, then brown is squirted on by the aid of a broom-corn whisk and then gall water and finally the body color is added. The body color consists of 2 parts black, 1 part green and the necessary sprinkling-water. If the shade of the body color is too deep, some pure water is added. For producing large veined marbles, the brush must be well filled with color, so that in throwing on of the color quite large drops will fall.

THE BLACK MARBLE.

It was formerly an unknown thing to produce a black marble over which a net of light-colored veins was stretched. My investigations have resulted in my becoming able to produce this brilliant and effective marble.

The colors used are scarlet-red, bluish-green and gall water, the latter representing the white, this network of veins comes out excellently from the dark ground-tone. The scarlet-red color is first taken and must spread out in a like way, as the black in the other two marbles. Then follows bluish-green and gall-water and finally the body color is added. The latter makes a special preparation necessary. Take 3/5 of an ounce of ivory-black add 1/6 of an ounce of a thick solution of gum, grind the whole mixture with a mixture of shellac-ammonia which has been diluted with a little water. If the color is ground perfectly fine it is diluted with the solution of shellac-ammonia and is ready for use. Should it not be powerful enough to force the colors into veins, a few more drops of gall must be added. This body color is likewise thrown on by the aid of the large bristle brush as all other body colors.

As beautiful as this kind of marbling may be, there is a disadvantage in its use as the body color must always be newly prepared, because on the second day after standing it curdles, and cannot be used any more.

THE BLUISH-GRAY MARBLE.

By mixing the colors very beautiful effects may be obtained. One of these fine marbles is the bluish-gray. To prepare it the following mode is used; claret red (2 parts carmine-lake and 1 part black) and as body color, Oriental blue mixed with black and sprinkling-water.

GRAY MARBLE WITH A NET OF COLORED VEINS.

To produce this the following colors are used; black, yellow, cinnabar-red or Indian-red, Oriental blue and gall water and finally the gray body color.

The colors are put on in the following way; first black with the brush into a ribbon-like form, then yellow is squirted on in small drops by means of a broom-corn whisk, then follow red, blue and gall water which are treated like yellow, and finally, the body color is squirted on by the aid of a whisk or the large brush. The latter forces the colors by its great spreading power into beautiful veins, after which the edge can be taken off. The body color consists of 1 part black and 2 parts sprinkling water.

THE GRAYISH GREEN MARBLE.

This is one of the most beautiful specimens of marble and according to the shading of the body color most beautiful effects can be produced by it. The following colors are used to produce it; black, carmine-red (1 part carmine lake and 1/2 part black), gray (1 part black and 10 parts white), finally gall-water and the body color.

The mode of producing it is the same as described before. The body color consists of 1 part black, 2 parts of sprinkling water and as much green as is necessary to produce the desired shade.

Before adding sprinkling water to the body color, black, only so much gall is added that it will but slightly push the different colors thrown on.

HAIR MARBLE.

THE HAIR MARBLE.

(SEE SPECIMEN PLATES.)

These marbles are in great use and are much liked on account of their rapid and easy production, especially when many books are to be marbled; they appear very elegant on account of their fineness.

For hair marbles but one or two colors are employed which are diluted with water to 1/3 their volume. Add enough of gall to the first color so that in throwing the same on the size it will spread sufficiently to form a ribbon from 5 to 6 inches wide. Take a whisk and throw on the second color in drops that are not too large and as nearly as possible, equally distributed, then, with the bristle-brush, or sieve and brush throw sprinkling water on the colors. In this way hair veins are formed, showing more or less ground according to the quantity of sprinkling water thrown on.

The size is produced for all hair-marbles alike. In the morning boil 3-1/5 ounces of carrageen moss in 7 quarts of water and after the boiling add 1 quart of cold water, stir the whole mixture several times and allow it to stand during the day until it is fully cooled off. In the evening the size must be again diluted by another quart of water and it is then filtered through a piece of linen and left to stand over night. The next day it is ready for use. This holds good during the summer months as the temperature of the air will just make the size useful for this purpose. During the winter months the size must be allowed to stand for 36 hours before use.

BLACK HAIR MARBLE.

To produce this variety of marble there is a screen or sieve necessary as well as a wide brush having stiff bristles. By adding gall from time to time, the black is made so expansive that a single drop will be spread out to a spot of about 8 inches in diameter. Dip the brush into sprinkling water, shake the brush well so that the superfluous water is thrown out, hold the sieve above the size and move the brush quickly and lightly over it. In this way the hair marble is finished and may be taken off.

RED HAIR MARBLE.

For this to be produced the best color is Indian or mineral red since all other chemical coloring substances which are bound to bodies will usually run, on strong compression, into hair veins. Only the excellent lakes of Munich will withstand this treatment, but the fineness of the veins leaves much to be desired, whereas Indian red answers every purpose.

BLUE HAIR MARBLE.

The mode of producing it is the same as applied in producing black hair-marble, but, instead of black, Indigo is used. Indigo is the only one among blue coloring matters that admits of the necessary expansion for the production of hair veins without running off or gathering into small lumps.

RED AND BLACK HAIR MARBLE.

For the production of this marble, black and Indian red are taken. The black is first thrown upon the size as in black hair-vein marble, the red is then treated by adding gall until a drop thrown upon the black will spread to about 2 inches in diameter. The trial is made with a brush, but for the purpose of producing the marble a whisk is taken, by means of which the red is thrown upon the black in very small drops and close to each other.

BLUISH-BROWN HAIR MARBLE.

To produce this marble Indigo and Vandyke brown are taken. The Indigo is put on first then the Vandyke brown is thrown on by a whisk, and finally, the carpet of colors is forced into forming veins by sprinkling water, which is applied by aid of the brush and sieve.

Rules in regard to the Marbling Table.

RULES IN REGARD TO THE MARBLING TABLE.

The table upon which marbling is to be executed must be firm and immovable. On it the utensils necessary to marbling are placed. The trough, colors, gall in a closed bottle with stopper pierced by a tube, a vessel with water, the comb, the size skimmer are all to be within easy reach. They should be placed about in the following order; in front, nearest to the workman and to the right, the trough, the receptacle for the waste color and board for skimming off the size to the left, beyond the trough the vessels in which the colors and gall are kept, behind the first vessels containing the colors the dish containing water, and alongside this the bottle containing gall and next to it the comb and stylus. On the left side of the trough there must be a sufficiently large space for the books to be marbled.

PRECAUTIONS.

Before closing the article on marbling, I will add a few words to the precautions to be observed while marbling. Before all else, see that the air in the room, where the marbling is to be done, is free of dust, as the falling dust, especially in drawn marbles will form many white spots, which spoil the effect of the marbling.

Cleanliness should always be observed, as the beauty of the marbles and their rapid production depend on it. Protect the size from dust by a lid, which you place on the vessel, and have a large soft sponge ready to remove the superfluous size after each immersion of the book, by which a rapid drying is obtained and the moisture is prohibited from impregnating the book.

SUPPLEMENTARY REMARKS.

A NEW EXPANDING MEDIUM.

I must mention here a newly discovered medium which has been found essential in the formation of beautiful veins in plain marble; take 1/10 quart of shellac orange, add 1/8 quart spirits of ammonia, allow the whole to boil for 5 minutes stirring repeatedly (by which a uniform solution of shellac in ammonia is obtained), take it from the fire and dilute the solution with about 2 quarts of water. Throw the fluid by means of the brush on the size and then throw on the body-color, _see plain gray marble_. In this way beautiful white veins will appear, which is explained by the fact, that the surface of the size is covered with an expanding medium, which can be forced together by the body-color, but is strong enough to hinder the union of the latter.

MARBLING OF GILT EDGES.

MARBLING OF GILT EDGES.

If gilt, silver or aluminium edges are to be marbled, burnish slightly and moisten by a soft brush with a solution of powdered alum in hot water which is of the consistency of a thin pap.

The marbling of the gilt-edge is then executed in the usual way before the coating of alum is entirely dry.

After the marbling is done, water is poured over the edge until it is entirely clean.

When the edge is completely dried it is rubbed over with a waxed rag and is then burnished in the usual way. For marbling the usual marbling colors are applicable, but it should here be added, that very dry edges will not take the marbling colors readily.

MARBLING ON A LARGE SCALE.

For the purpose of marbling on a large scale especial arrangements have to be made, and it is wonderful how elegant and practical are the marbling rooms of large establishments. For instance the tables and floors are of stone and cement, or of wood covered with zinc plates, and the troughs and receptacles to take off the fluids which have been employed are to be found in universal use. Even large iron cranes are erected to hold the books together and lift them off, and to transport them to the revolving drying apparatus, which can be heated.

These arrangements are in keeping with the extent of the business and can here only be lightly passed upon.

THE UTENSILS.

THE UTENSILS.

THE MARBLING TROUGH.

The marbling trough is a long flat oblong box of about 20 inches in length, 10 inches wide, and 1-1/4 inches deep inside, and should be painted within with white oil-paint so that the size appears light making the colors more readily discernible.

This trough must have inserted on one side a sloping partition of sheet zinc so that the waste of color may be skimmed over it by aid of paper slips or a piece of wooden board without running it over the top.

In addition to the trough containing the marbling size, a second smaller trough or basin of 10 inches width, and 1-1/4 inches depth is necessary for the reception of the waste of color. This is to be placed, while marbling, immediately to the left of the first trough.

SIZE SKIMMER.

This is a piece of wooden board about 2 inches high, about 1/4 inch thick and of the exact width of the trough. At both ends the board is slightly wider than the trough, protruding, and while the larger part of the board moves over the surface of the size, the projecting ends act as guides by sliding over the rim of the trough. In this way the board is always kept in a like position and serves to remove the air bubbles and films and also the color waste.

Recently, strips of blotting paper 1 inch wide have been frequently and successfully used for the removal of waste of color. They are applied in the same manner as the board.

THE STYLUS

of wood or bone, is used for the drawing of the colors in producing nonpareil marbles. This was described in the chapter on nonpareil edges.

THE COMB.

For the production of nonpareil marble, the comb is employed, made in the following way; take two strips of heavy pasteboard, 12 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide, divide one of these exactly where the needles are to be inserted, draw grooves so that the needles can be laid in; glue the part in which the needles are to be laid, insert the needles in the grooves as aforesaid, and, after drying, the second strip of pasteboard, is glued upon the first.

The needles best adapted to comb making for use in comb marbling are fine pearl needles of steel; they are preferable to the common pins because they do not bend and do not offer any resistance to the size while drawing the colors, and also because they cut the colors easily without forming furrows.

The comb is so prepared that the pasteboard protrudes slightly at both ends, by this the movement of the comb is defined by the rim of the trough. It is advisable to prepare about three such combs with the needles separated from each other about 3/32, 3/16 and 1/4 inch respectively.

THE PEACOCK COMB.

The peacock comb consists of two common combs having strong needles separated from one another by 1/2 inch. These two combs are put together by means of a pasteboard frame in such a way that they can be moved 1/4 inch to the side.

Moved sideways the needles of one comb move to the centre between the needles of the other comb, they cover each other as soon as both combs are moved 1/4 inch in the opposite direction.

THE BRUSH.

To distribute the colors equally for drawn edges it is necessary to divide the color around on the size as explained in the chapter on nonpareil marble. This is almost impossible if a common brush is employed as the drops cannot be voluntarily directed by it, I have had, therefore, brushes made with bent bristles which make the distribution of the drops easier.

THE BROOM-CORN WHISK.

This whisk is made of soft broom-corn about 1 to 2 inches thick. The upper end is tightly bound with string or wire so that about 5 inches of straw protrude. These whisks are used in producing marble-edges.

THE BRISTLE BRUSH.

A bristle brush 3 inches long and from 2 to 2-1/2 inches thick is bound by a well waxed packing-thread about 1-1/4 inches from the top so that the bristles are open for a length of 1-3/4 inches. This brush is very well adapted for distributing the drops.

In marbling large lots of books, large broom-corn whisks are profitably used for throwing on the body color or sprinkling water. Being possessed of the above mentioned utensils which only are expensive at first, nothing is further necessary for the production of beautiful edges.

THE BOOK CLAMP.

The clamp is used to hold several books together which are to be immersed at the same time into the marbling trough. They are of iron entirely, are eccentrical in their movement and make a very quick handling and an easier holding of the books possible.

APPARATUS FOR THROWING ON COLORS.

For the purpose of producing nonpareil marble an equal distribution of color is desirable.

It consists of four small color receptacles and apparatus from which protrude needles equi-distant from each other in the form of a rake.

The throwing of marble-colors at equal distances and in equally large drops on the size is made possible by it in a very certain and easy way and is even a good help to the inexperienced marbler in the production of even and exemplary edges. For the production of comb-marble on a large scale this apparatus is especially profitable as by using it much time is saved.

Table I. TRYING OF COLORS.

Table II. TRYING OF COLORS.

Table III. THROWING ON OF COLORS.

for Nonpareil Marble.
_See Page 105._]

Table IV. THROWING ON OF COLORS.

_See Page 106._]

Table V. DRAWING WITH THE STYLUS.

for Nonpareil or Comb Marble.
_See Page 106._]

Table VI. NONPAREIL MARBLE.

Table VII. PEACOCK AND BOUQUET MARBLES.

Table VIII. HAIR-VEIN MARBLE.

Table IX. TURKISH MARBLE.

Table X. TURKISH MARBLE.

APPENDIX.

Colored AND Decorated Edges.

ACCORDING TO THE

NEWEST DISCOVERIES

BY

Eminent Specialists.

STARCHED EDGES.

STARCHED EDGES.

A great similarity to marble edges have the so called starched edges.

To produce this kind of an edge no especial practice and no important preparations are necessary, but it permits of many varieties.

For this purpose, books already cut are placed into the hand press, and in such a way, that the edge is horizontal.

Dissolve a small quantity of pure rice starch in water until it has the consistency of a paste, add the different colors, which must be soluble in water in order to color properly, such as carmine or vermilion, cinnabar, Turkey, burnt umber, Prussian-blue, ultramarine, etc.

When the color added has been carefully united by stirring with the solution of starch, throw, by the aid of a small whisk, the solution so colored in drops that are not too small on the edge placed horizontally, so that the edge is covered as uniformly as possible.

As soon as the starch thrown on is dried, sprinkle on by the aid of a sprinkling brush and sieve, a darker color over the whole surface and allow the whole edge to dry again, then brush off the superfluous starch, and the colored and spotted edge will appear with veins interspersed.

The edge will be more effective and more similar to marble, if, for example, bluish-gray colored starch and then other starch mixed with red, the former in small the latter in larger drops, are thrown on so that the edge is quite well covered. Finally, a dark-brown color is sprinkled over the whole surface.

Such edges have the effect of bluish-gray marbling imitations which are interspersed by dark veins. If you sprinkle on fluid gold bronze i. e. bronze finely ground in gum-arabic, instead of the dark-brown color, you obtain the celebrated gold veined edge in connection with the starched edge.

Unsized paper is the best for producing starch edges because it quickly absorbs the moisture of the starch and color.

To sized paper the color does not stick so readily and for that reason often runs together. To prevent this, moisten the edge before applying the starch color, with some ox-gall, and allow the first color to dry thoroughly before applying the second.

The Production of Colored Edges.

THE PRODUCTION OF COLORED EDGES.

The beautiful marbled edges have nearly driven every other kind of edges entirely out of the market.

Aside from marbled edges, colored edges are mostly used. They will keep their place on account of the simplicity of their production and their bright coloring effects.

Red-edges, especially when prettily made, give a dignified aspect to a book, so to speak, and they are therefore frequently and properly employed.

Our highly developed color industry offers to us a very great number of red colors, especially the carmine, vermilions and cinnabars, all of great value in our trade. These colors will not fade, the former carmine possesses great intensity, and cinnabar has the power to obliterate colors underlying it.

When cheap colored edges are to be produced even aniline colors can be taken into consideration. For instance, eosine is a red color, which used by itself or in combination with carmine and other red colors makes a beautiful color for edges but it will fade on exposure to the sun.

The preparation of these colors is of importance. Genuine carmine should, after the different pieces have been crushed, be ground for a short time with a little spirits of ammonia and then allowed to stand until completely dissolved. To dilute it, a thin solution of gum or water (the best is rain water) may be used. If too much spirits of ammonia has been employed the color will assume a bluish hue.

The heavy cinnabar makes a more powerful binding medium necessary, the best being a paste of starch or a solution of gum-arabic. Careful crushing and a thorough grinding of the color are essential.

Genuine carmine has a red color with a slight bluish cast whereas cinnabar approaches yellowish-red. A pleasing, pure red can be produced by using Turkish red. A bright lustrous shade is obtained by adding some red aniline color.

If edges have to be colored blue, use ultramarine blue for dark, or cobalt blue for light.

Both colors must be mixed with gum-arabic or paste by grinding, and, if necessary, be diluted with water.

To produce yellow edges, chrome yellow is mostly used. It is for sale in all different shades from the brightest greenish-yellow, to the darkest orange-yellow.

In using it, like any other mineral or earth colors, it is finely ground and mixed, for use, with paste.

Green edges are often produced by using Schweinfurt's green or silk-green. By mixing light chrome-yellow with cobalt-blue, a beautiful rich green results.

For brown and black the well known colors umber, sepia, vegetable lamp-black, drop ivory-black and others are employed.

The color for producing violet edges can be best obtained by mixing cobalt-blue with Turkish-red or carmine.

It is always the most essential part of the process to grind the color uniformly with the paste, if it is desirable to obtain an edge of the same intensity of color.

A peeling off of the color while the edges are being burnished is due to a lack of paste, or of a too great consistency or too insufficient fineness of the color.

Recently our industry has taken this article in hand and furnishes a large number of beautiful, cheap and well prepared colors for producing edges which can be bought more profitably than they can be laboriously made.

As all colored edges, to give a beautiful effect, must be burnished after coloring, it is advisable to execute the coloring while the books are in the press, place the books after their front edges have been cut, by the aid of gilding boards into the hand-press and with a soft brush apply the color thinly. If the color does not thoroughly cover on one application, the operation must be repeated after the first coat has completely dried. When a uniform color is obtained allow the edge to dry in the press and then burnish it well with a broad burnisher.

By using a little wax you will render the burnishing more successful.

The color will sometimes enter into unsized or wood paper notwithstanding heavy pressure.

To avoid this the edges must be moistened with a thin paste to which some alum is added. It is still better to use the grounding substance manufactured by William Leo, of Stuttgart.

If beautiful edges are to be produced, then, in cutting the book it is necessary to see that the knife of the machine is free from nicks, so that the cut is clean and smooth.

At the fore-edge of the book there will always appear some small parts of the different sheets protruding slightly. If this is to be overcome, these edges are to be treated as hollow edges which means that they must be scraped hollow before coloring and must be burnished with the round-burnisher.

The use of colored edges is always left to individual taste. The following rule may be of some advantage; colored edges must have a binding of an opposite color. A red edge will appear to most advantage with a white, gray, dull-green, dark-brown or antique binding.

Bindings of a reddish-brown color would lose in their general aspect by the employment of a red edge.

If books with red edges are to be covered with red, it is then essential that the colors of both are corresponding.

GILT EDGES.

GILT EDGES.

In the production of gilt edges, there have not been any essential improvements noticed.

If the gilt-edge is to-day produced more beautifully and perfectly than formerly, it is due in part to a more extensive experience and practice, and also to the excellent quality of gold-leaf now on the market.

No edges contribute so greatly to the generally elegant appearance of a book as gilt-edges; they are lustrous and rich and are more pleasing to the eyes of most men than the plain and unseemly colored edges, though a great deal of trouble and industry is necessary to the production of these beautiful effects.

A principal condition in the production of gilt-edges is the utmost cleanliness and skill in executing the necessary manipulations.

In cutting the book, great care must be taken that the cuts are entirely smooth and clean, without any blemish. Sharp knifes are therefore indispensable in this kind of work.

Gilt-edges demand an entirely smooth surface which is only produced by carefully scraping the surface with a steel scraper. The edge must be scraped perfectly smooth so as not to show the marks of the knife in cutting or those of the scraper. To this end the books, the edges of which have already been cut, are placed between gilding-boards in hand presses in such a way that the fore-edge protrudes but slightly over the cheeks of the press. After the press has been tightly drawn down and has been fastened firmly, the scraping of the edges can be begun. When this tiresome work has been finished, and an entirely smooth surface has been obtained, the surface is moistened with a paste-water and rubbed dry with clean paper-shavings. By this grinding and rubbing off, the edge becomes shiny and dry, and gains in the power of resistance, which is of great importance for the burnishing that occurs in the later stage of gilt-edging.

The smooth, hard ground of paste is not sufficient for the production of gilt-edges that are perfectly beautiful.

They must be colored lightly with bolus or chalk, (the most adapted to this work is the finely washed Armenian bole.)

The book-binders supply establishment of Wm. Leo, of Stuttgart, provides an excellent article.

This bole after it has been finely ground and scraped, must be mixed with a solution of albumen (the white of the egg) such as is used for laying on gold leaf, and must be spread lightly and evenly over the edge by a fine broad hair brush or with a fine sponge, to prohibit the scaling off of the gold.

This process must be repeated. The ground of bole gives the gilt-edge a dark shade and a high lustre and glow.

When the grounding of bole is entirely dry, and all the parts clinging to the edge have been carefully brushed off, we begin the most difficult part in the production of gilt-edges, the laying on of the gold.

As binding medium between the gold-leaf and the edge of the book, a solution of the white of the egg is used. Carefully separate the white of the egg from the yolk and dilute the same with 1 pint of water and stir until a perfect mixture of the two results. After this fluid has stood for several hours, it becomes perfectly clear, the froth of the egg floating upon the surface is removed and the solution is ready for use.

Paper containing lime makes a stronger size necessary.

To transfer the gold-leaf, which has been cut on the gold cushion to the size required, on to the edge, a rectangular light wooden frame of wood or paste board is used, across which two horse hairs or silk threads are stretched parallel to the long sides of the rectangle in such a way that they can be moved at will nearer to or farther from one another.

LAYING-ON APPARATUS.

THE LAYING-ON APPARATUS.

Much more practical than this frame is the laying-on apparatus. It can be more easily and securely handled, and the laying on strings can be more easily set.

By means of this simple instrument the sheets of gold-leaf which are laying ready on the cushion and which must be so wide that they not only cover the edge entirely but also protrude about 1/8 inch beyond the gilding boards are transferred on to the sized edge. The sizing must be done with a soft camels hair brush, not too thin and it is essential that the gilding boards also become moistened.

The strings of this laying on apparatus or of the frame must be so far distant from each other that they reach from gilding board to gilding board.

The sheets of gold leaf that have been cut before must then be carefully transferred, one by one, on the sized edge.

To make the gold-leaf adhere to the strings of the frame, the strings are rubbed slightly upon the hair of the head by which means they absorb sufficient fatty substance to hold the light sheets of gold.

If after the gold is laid on it should contain any imperfections or breaks, other portions must be applied to these abrasions. The press is then placed aside until the edge is entirely dry. In treating the upper and lower edges i. e. after the book has been rounded, care must always be taken that in sizing, not too much moisture impregnates the back part of the edges as there is no pressure to prevent the size from running in.

If the gilt-edge is to have lustre and glow by burnishing, great care must be taken to dry the edge well.

An edge, which is not sufficiently dried, will exhibit breaks in the gold on burnishing, and an edge which is too dry will never have the desired lustre.

It is impossible to name the time within which gilt-edges become dry. This depends upon the temperature of the room, the quality of the paper in the book and on the quantity of albumen solution which has been put on the edge.

The safest way to find out whether the edge is dry or not is to blow upon it. If the lustre of the gold is dimmed for several seconds, the edge is still too moist, but if the cloud vanishes immediately the edge is sufficiently dry.

We can also determine by a careful easy burnishing whether the edge is dry enough to be worked further.

The burnishing should always be executed with a flat agate burnisher, and afterwards followed by a flat blood stone. The burnishing should be commenced by covering the edge with a piece of thin smooth paper that has been rubbed with wax.

First burnish the gold laid on slightly, afterwards continue with greater force.

By this the edge acquires a uniformly dull aspect but a strong union of gold and paper is thereby established.

Before beginning the real burnishing rub the edge with a soft rag upon which a small quantity of pure white wax has been rubbed. This thin film of wax renders the burnishing much easier because the burnisher is made to glide more readily and securely over the edge.

The burnishing must first be executed lightly and then with greater force.

The repairing of gilt-edges should be avoided as much as possible. Should it become, nevertheless, unavoidable, then moisten the spots to be repaired with the solution of albumen described above, lay on gold leaf, allow the spots which you wish to repair to become dry, rub off and burnish as usual.

In place of albumen solution, sulphuric ether can be used for repairing. The latter has the advantage of causing the spots so repaired to become dry immediately, but it causes a lighter spot to appear in the gilt-edge. Alcohol, lightly applied, can also be used for this purpose and with more security. The gilding of the hollow edge is produced in the same way as that of the level edge. In scraping, curved scrapers are used. To lay on the gold use the frame. Transfer the gold leaf from the gold cushion to the strings of the frame, then carefully bring these strings closer to each other, so that the gold leaf is no longer straight, but somewhat hanging down. Then transfer it to the sized edge.

To burnish give the hand press an oblique position, making the front of the press lay lower than the rear so that one half of the hollow edge has a more horizontal position, and burnish it with a flat burnisher in the same manner as the level edge. This being done, the remainder of the hollow edge is likewise treated at the same time, giving the press a different position. Only after the edge has been burnished on both sides with a flat burnisher, is the round burnisher (tooth) used to finish the hollow edge on its length.

Gilding on a colored, especially a red edge is very effective. These gilt-edges with an underlying red-edge are of English origin and are used generally for Bibles and prayer books. The fore edge of such books is colored in an oblique position of the edge, and they therefore have not a golden, but a red effect, when opened.

The production of such edges demands a certain experience, if the coloring of the fore-edge shall have a correct effect, and the leaves of the book are to be as little as possible impregnated by the color.

This color must be mixed like any other edge colors with gum-arabic, starch paste or the white of an egg.

All etching substances, such as spirits of ammonia, must be avoided as they often cause the color to soak too deeply into the paper.

In manipulating the fore edge, open the book slightly, fasten the edge in this oblique position and then lightly apply the color.

When this has thoroughly dried, open the edge towards the other side and continue with the same procedure.

The different leaves are thus not only colored at the edges proper, but the color has also been slightly imparted to the upper and lower sides of the leaves at the same time, and for this reason the edge of the book, after it is gilded, appears reddish when the book is opened out.

The upper and lower edges must be treated as all other colored edges.

In producing the gilt-edge in the way above mentioned, rubbing off with paste and grounding with bole must of course not be employed.

The production of edges with metal leaf or aluminium, is under the same rules as for gilt edges.

To produce silver edges, a sizing material of a solution of gelatine (one half of a gelatine cake to one cup of water) is used as a surrogate to the albumen. This can also be employed in the laying on of aluminium.

For base metal leaf care should be taken that a soft, thin article is used, the one of a light hue is more pliable on account of the larger quantity of tin contained in it than is in the darker copper one.

The more pliable French aluminium is preferable to the brittle German article.

If gilt-edges are to be produced upon unsized paper, the edges must be sized with a solution of gelatine.

Colored Edges with Front and End Gilding.

COLORED EDGES WITH FRONT AND END GILDING.

The effect of edges gilt front and back with marbling between is beautiful. This edge is especially applicable to books of large size.

The plain red-edge (carmine) and every marbled edge can be used in this connection.

Antique marbles are greatly adapted to this kind of book-edge decoration.

The production of these edges does not offer any especial technical difficulties. The book block must be treated as a hollow edge and must be scraped and then decorated with antique marbling or red color.

This having been done, insert the book into the hand-press and mark correctly how far the gilding is to be done.

To put on the gold, a solution of albumen is applied to the spots to be gilded and then a good and substantial gold leaf is laid on. As soon as the edge is dry, burnish as any other gilt-edge.

A fine chased pearl line at the meeting of the two edges, will greatly enhance the effect of this beautiful edge.

The Punched or Chased Gilt-Edge.

THE PUNCHED OR CHASED GILT-EDGE.

The procedure by which the effect of the gilt-edge is enhanced and enlivened by chasing is very old, in fact nearly as old as the gilt-edge itself. It has been driven out of the market as many another thing by over production and has finally become obsolete. In recent times it has been taken up again on account of the progress in the industrial arts and is now very highly esteemed. The design for such a decoration of gilt-edges should always be prepared by an artist and should always conform strictly to the decorations of the cover.

Technically, the production of such edges is not difficult. Some talent for drawing and a sure hand are necessary, but the artist is repaid for his labor by the interest he derives from the execution of such kind of work.

There are two ways of producing them.

The first makes the ornament appear bright, while the ground remains dull, in the other the dull ornament appears on the shining ground surface.

The first is the more effective and the more easily produced.

The gilt-edge is here to be treated like every other plain gilt-edge, to produce dull ground, burnish with a piece of paper between the book edge and the burnisher.

CHASED EDGES.

CHASED EDGES.

Transfer the design on thin tissue paper, lay the paper carefully upon the edge of the book placed in the press so that design and edge tally perfectly, and fasten the paper by pasting it on the gilding boards.

If you now by the aid of a dull awl or a pin trace the design of the tissue paper on the edge, it will appear and will be the gilder's guide. When this has been done with all necessary care, remove the paper and burnish the parts of the edge between the tracings by means of a small, pointed burnisher.

This alone relieves the ornament from the dull gilt ground.

The full effect of such edges will be imparted when the outlines of the ornaments are pressed in. To do this, fine steel stencils or stamps are best used, the same as are used for fine leather work. These stamps and the above mentioned agate burnishers can be obtained from Wm. Leo, Stuttgart.

Take the point stamp in one hand and a light hammer in the other and with an easy, equal, hammering make dot after dot of the marked pattern. If the dull ground is then profusely marked with the small pearl stamp as shown in the illustration, the effect of such edges leaves nothing to be desired.

The effect is still more surprising when the ornaments are produced in gold of a different hue or of silver or color. In the former case the ornaments are carefully penciled in with albumen solution, gold of a lighter hue, silver or aluminium is put on, and, when completely dried, is burnished.

Colored ornaments are likewise scraped out and then produced by painting.

It is a question though, whether the total effect of this last named is a refined one.

BRONZED EDGES.

THE BRONZED EDGE.

Produced by printing over colored edges. It is certainly proper to endeavor to brighten colored edges by spreading on bronzed color.

That this process has fallen more or less into disuse is probably due to the tiresome labor necessary for the making of such edges. It gives us the possibility of producing manifold changes in edges because silver or gold ornaments can be put on any color as well as on the white edge.

We have here the possibility of adapting the design of the edge to that of the cover, which under other conditions can only be done with chased edges.

It is an erroneous idea to disfigure genuine gilt-edge by putting on bronze ornaments. The base and perishable bronze can never be the correct material to brighten the effect of genuine gold.

The bronzing of edges can only be applied to colored or white edges but not to genuine gilt-edges.

For the production of bronzed edges, the following articles are necessary.

First, Engraved plate or Cliche representing the ornament with which the edge is to be decorated.

Second, Thin leaves of roller composition for the transfer of the ornament from the plate on to the edge.

Third, Roller for rolling in the gravure.

Fourth, Thick, fluid, strong amber-lacquer, as binding medium between the bronze and the color of the edge.

The following rules should be observed.

The treatment of the book block is similar to that of the hollow edge, therefore the book, after the fore edge has been cut and rounded must be scraped hollow.

As colors for the edge, the above mentioned colors, carmine, cinnabar, cobalt-blue and others are recommendable.

As binding medium a strong albumen or gum-arabic should be used. Aniline colors can be used for this purpose, but they must be dissolved in alcohol.

Such edges have a bewitching appearance if they are made in the same shade of color as the cover, but they render a certain practice in the mixture of colors necessary.

The coloring and burnishing of the edges is executed in the same manner as described in the article upon the production of colored edges. After the burnishing of the edge is executed, the time has arrived to imprint the ornament upon it.

Cut off of the thin leaf of roller composition, a strip slightly larger than the surface of the edge. Put a little of the thick, fluid amber-lacquer upon the roller, and move the roller forward and back on a smooth stone (marble slab) until the lacquer is equally spread out over the surface of the roller. When this is done, the gravure can be rolled over by aid of this roller.

The thin strip of roller composition is then carefully placed on the gravure, pressed on lightly and evenly with cotton wadding or a soft rag. By this means the ornament of the gravure is transferred to the roller composition.

To transfer this ornament on to the surface of the edge, it is necessary to lay the strip of roller composition carefully on the edge and carefully and evenly press it on.

The bronze is not to be put on to the edge on which the design is printed before the lacquer is quite dry, only then can the blurring of the ornament be avoided and the bronze be made to retain its specific metallic lustre.

After the lapse of several hours, the bronze will be dry, and then the cleaning of the edge is done with soft cotton wadding.

The strips of roller composition so used must be cleaned immediately after use with clean turpentine and, after they are dried, they can be again used.

In order to produce the necessary transfer strips use only the best English roller composition. Cut this mass into small pieces, place them in an earthen vessel, subject them to a moderate heat until they become entirely fluid and pour the fluid mass on a piece of glass or a smooth sheet of tin. After this has cooled it should be carefully removed. To render this easier, the plate of glass or the piece of tin should be lubricated with some fine oil.

Producing Marble on Gilt Edges.

PRODUCING MARBLE ON GILT EDGES.

If gilt, silver or aluminium edges are to be marbled, they must be thoroughly dried, burnished slightly and rubbed off with a small piece of linen, silk or leather, and any blemishes or spots from which the gold or other metal has blistered must be repaired.

The dull gilt-edge is now to be moistened by means of a soft brush with a solution of powdered alum in hot water after this has formed a thin paste.

The marbling of the gilt-edge is executed in the usual way, before the layer of alum is entirely dried. After the completion of the marbling the edge must be washed with water until it is entirely clean.

After the edge has become dry, it is rubbed with a waxed rag and burnished over.

For marbling, the common marbling colors can be used.

It remains only to add that too dry edges do not take marbling colors readily.

CONTENTS.

Page.
Preface to the first edition, 3
Preface to the second edition, 10
Historical, 13
The size, 21
Carrageen moss, 31
Gum tragacanth, 45
Salep, Flea-bane and other glutinous bodies, 53
The Ox-gall,--Its chemical analysis, 59
Effect of the gall on colors, 60
Preparation of ox-gall and its uses, 63
Substances acting similarly to gall, 71
Sprinkling water, 75
The alum water, 79
The preparation of colors for marbling, 85
The marbling of book-edges and paper, 97
The comb or nonpareil marble, 103
The peacock marble, 111
The bouquet marble, 115
The entwined comb marble, 119
The snail marble, 123
General remarks relative to drawn edges, 129
Marbled edges, 137
Hair-vein edges, 147
Rules in regard to the marbling table, 153
Precautions, 153
A new expanding medium, 154
Marbling of gilt-edges, 159
Marbling on a large scale, 159
The Utensils,--The marbling trough, 163
The size-skimmer, 163
The drawing needle or stylus, 164
The comb, 164
The peacock-comb, 165
The brush for comb-edges, 165
The broom-corn whisk, 165
The brush for marbled-edges, 166
Book-clamps, 166
Apparatus for throwing-on colors, 167
Sample plates, I-X, 169-187

APPENDIX.

The starched edge, 193
The colored edge, 197
The gilt-edge, 205
Colored edges with front and end gilding, 219
The chased gilt-edge, 223
The bronzed-edge, 231
The marbled gilt-edge, 237

PRICE LIST
OF
Halfer's Imported Marbling Colors
============================================================
Halfer's Superior Marbling Colors.

5 Qt. Cans, One Qt. In Pint
per Qt. Jars. Jars
Scarlet Red $1.00 $1.25 $ .70
Carmine Lake 1.00 1.25 .70
Oriental Blue, [light] 1.00 1.25 .70
Indigo, [dark] 1.00 1.25 .70
Yellow, [lemon] 1.00 1.25 .70
Green 1.00 1.25 .70
Black 1.00 1.25 .70
Brown 1.00 1.25 .70
White 1.00 1.25 .70

SHADES PREPARED TO ORDER.

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SUNDRIES.

In 10 Lb. Less than
Lots. 10 Lbs.
Gum Hogg $ .60 $ .65
Gum Tragacanth .90 1.00
Irish Moss, [carrageen] .12 .20

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SUNDRIES.

In In
Quarts. Pints.
Prepared Ox Gall $ .50 $ .35
Sprinkling Water .50 .35
Shellac Ammonia .50 .35

REFINED BEESWAX, ETC., AT LOWEST PRICES.

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IRON MARBLING CLAMPS.

2 inches between jaws, per dozen $ 5.00
4 " " " " 7.00
6 " " " " 10.00
8 " " " " 11.00

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The American Bookbinder,
BUFFALO, N.Y.

Complete Marbling Outfits.

SIZE A.

CONSISTING OF

1 Marbling Trough, 14-1/2 x 23, galv. iron, japanned.
1 Basin for waste color, galv. iron, japanned.
1 Basin for sprinkling water and trying of colors, japanned.
1 Sprinkling Brush for hair-vein edges.
1 Sprinkling Sieve for hair-vein edges.
1/2 Dozen Broom Corn Whisks for Spot (Turkish) edges.
1/2 Dozen Bristol Brushes for drawn edges.
1/2 Dozen Color Recepticals.
1 Size Skimmer.
1 Stylus.
1 Narrow Comb.
1 Medium Comb.
1 Piece of Coarse Cloth for straining size.
6 Bottles Halfer's Marbling Colors, 1/2 pint each.
1 Bottle Prepared Ox Gall.
1 Bottle Sprinkling Water.
1 Bottle Shellac Ammonia.
1 Pound Irish Moss.
1/4 Pound Gum Tragacanth.
1/4 Pound Gum Hogg.

PUT UP IN NEAT SUBSTANTIAL BOX.

PRICE, $25.00, NET.

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SIZE B.

CONSISTING OF