Excerpt from Bookbinding and Its Auxiliary Branches, Vol. 3 of 4: In Four Parts

The invention of machinery has given impetus to all branches of manufacturing, and, by the displacement of hand labor, has given a possibility for further develop ment of modern methods, yet we find there is in many binderies labor performed by hand which, with a proper understanding of hand and machine methods, might be done more expeditiously and perfectly with machines. Modern conditions and demands, however, are not an unmitigated advance; coupled with the opportunity for improved methods have come the pressure of competition and the slipshod makeshifts to economize in material and time without regard to the fineness or durability of the product, which puts on the appearance of a genuine article and is a good seller because of the cheapness in price. Art with cheap'ness was the motto of the ancient Greek, and it would be well for the modern man also to adopt the slogan. Cheapness, in contrast to extravagance, is meant, not to be confused with shoddi ness. The Greek believed, as we should, that simplicity and plain durabilty were the methods of attainment. Art in bookbinding should never be overlooked, for art means wholesomeness, and wholesomeness is lost by resorting to shabby, albeit gaudy, styles and materials, but isgained by better and quicker methods of execution and suitability of design to the theme.

So, changes in, as well as continuation of, methods and styles of bookbinding must be merited by sufficient reasons. The terms of bookbinding are sometimes tech nical, but at other times are local or accidental. To have terms of value it is necessary to make them universal, so that a science may be based upon them, and one man may profit by the experience of another. It may seem strange, yet it nevertheless is true, that terms are at variance in different localities, and there seems to be no harmonious plan of description.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.