422 



BOOKBINDING 



160 



gauges for the guidance of tho case-makers, and as stiffners for the cloth at the back 

 of the book, between tho boards. 



These three materials are then passed on 

 to the case-makers : one of whom kikes 

 possession of tho pile of cloth covers, laid 

 face downwards before him, rapidly passes 

 the glueing brush from tho pot of heated 

 and diluted glue standing by his side upon 

 the uppermost piece of the pile, lifts, and 

 passes tho glued piece of cloth to his right- 

 hand neighbour, who being provided with 

 the pile of pairs of boards and corresponding 

 hollows, lays, in succession, a board (1), a 

 hollow (2), and a board (3) (fg. 160), on tho 

 glued surface of the cloth, which is cut of a size sufficient to leave a margin to turn 

 over the edgo of the boards and the requisite distance beyond. A narrow space, 

 proportioned to tho size and thickness of the volume, is loft between the inner edgo 

 of each board and the ' hollow,' so as to allow space for tho fringe of tho case to 

 turn round and be pressed into tho ridge which is formed at each side of the back 

 of a volume when prepared for the case. 



This done, tho second case-maker then rapidly and lightly (so rapidly as not to 

 allow the hot glue to soak too much into the cloth and spoil its grain and gloss, and 

 so lightly as not to produce the same defect by too much pressure) passes the palm of 

 his hand or a folding-stick over the cloth, to make it adhere smoothly to the boards 

 and the intermediate hollow, and at once passes each to his right-hand neighbour. 

 The third case-maker in his turn quickly snicks out, with a pair of scissors, the super- 

 fluous cloth at each of the four corners, folds tho over-lapping margin of cloth round 

 the edge of the boards and the top and bottom of the hollow, rubs the edges and inner 

 margin smooth with a folding-stick, and each case is then taken by an attendant boy 

 and hung up to dry. This process is soon accomplished, and the batch of cases is 

 next passed on to the blockers. 



The blocks or stamps used for lettering and ornamenting the cases of books arc 

 of metal, generally of brass, cut in relief, and, besides the letterings, are of various 

 kinds ; border frames, bands for tho back, corner or centre ornaments, &c. ; adapted 

 to the various characters of books, and tho tastes of publishers and purchasers. In 

 many instances, special designs, pictorial, emblematical or otherwise, are cut for some 

 particular books ; and the number and variety of blocks that accumulate in any largo 

 bookbinding establishment thus becomes very great, and absorbs a considerable capital. 



The requisite block, or group of blocks required for tho cases in hand being prepared, 

 they are accurately adjusted and secured (with the stamping surface downwards) to 

 the upper bed of an arming press (fig. 161, as manufactured by F. Ullmer), which bed 



