I am learning to conserve "personal keeper" books and, of course, I came in loving leather as someone who has worked with leather for other purposes for decades. When it is tanned in certain methods and cared for I have even fairly thin leathers that have been handled a great deal and are still going strong 50 years in. While I've never seen a commercially-produced book last well with leather, my experience suggests to me I could use the same leather I've crafted and/or owned for other things and just very occasionally condition the outside layer and it would act the same as the box covers and eyeglass cases and checkbook covers etc. an, at 51 years old, last the rest of my life and still make a nice gift. Herein lies the rub, though, so to speak: book owners and librarians aren't known for caring for leather book covers like people who are attached to expensive leather vintage items and accessories (nor are many leather books made well with substantial leather). One would think an awareness could develop (as I think it might have with high-end bible owners) that there are leather covers and there are *leather* covers (not paper thin laminate but pared on the edges to be able to fold it) and these can withstand the test of time if tanned well. But I thank you for your professional truths and insights. I came to see if anyone is using anything but hydroxypropylcellulose as a consolidant for old powdery, thin leather books, or if that's the golden standard. I have methylcellulose (I suppose it's useless for this?) and all sorts of things and was hoping to use something I already had, but will go with whatever's tried and true. Thanks again for your channel.
I don't think it's the leather, it's the modern tanning methods. Victorian leather books seem to be susceptible to this, whereas 16th century oak tanned leather survives very well.
I love your thoroughness and precise work on this very old Bible but I'm wondering why would you not take the time to recondition the leather after all that you've put into bringing it back to life. A little light leather stain and a touch of leather wax would make it look as though it was loved and cherished by the owner.
Great question! Given that the leather was permeated by powdery red rot, it would darken significantly and irreversibly if exposed to any water-based liquids. Wax has its place, but in this case would mix with the powdered leather to likely create a paste that I suspect would easily smear (especially when handled by warm, humid fingers). Don't worry! The owner of the book, who has training in book conservation but no lab, was thrilled with the results.
How do you tell its leather? I got a bible that is over 200 years old, There is alot of materials that make up the cover. The Cover came away from the binder over the years. I'd like to fix it someday but i have a feeling its not gunna be that easy.
Newbie question: Should you not have applied the consolidant before toning the paper? Because more redness came out when it darkened and the long fiber you toned now doesn't match as well now.
Hey, great question! The consolidant lightens back to the leather color after it evaporates completely. The red coming off is powdered leather (red rot). And the lighting for filming really, really brings out the differences between the toned paper and the leather. I always tone in natural light by a window because that's the light I'd like a best match in.
Good question! Not usually. I usually/often apply it to the underside of leather I need to adhere back into place to prevent water in the adhesive from penetrating as aggressively into the leather.
Great question. My opinion is that it depends on the kind of faux leather and the use. I wouldn't use faux leather in conservation because, in immediate terms, the adhesives that will stick to the outside of the leather are often not conservation-friendly. Also, the plastic may degrade in strange and unwelcome ways. If it's a new binding, the faux leathers are less expensive and easier to work with. They don't mar when wet. Some of the faux leathers are aesthetically well done, so it's hard to tell the difference. Downsides can include difficulties tooling and stamping the faux leathers. I do see fairly convincing faux leathers from the 1970s-1990s that have a heavily grained texture of some kind of molded synthetic (possibly acrylic) on top of paper. They can be easy to work with in terms of conservation treatment, or they can be a complete pain.
I have a sheepskin leather book from the 1930's. A few very small areas where the leather has started to rub away and crack. The red areas underneath do not appear to be rubbing off on my fingers yet so I don't think it is quite to the "red rot" stage but I want to do whatever I can to keep it from getting to that stage. Would you recommend putting Cellugel on the entire book, even the areas which are not showing damage yet? Then after that would you recommend a leather dressing on top of the Cellugel? I also see klucel-g and sc6000. Any guidance appreciated!
