The Book Restoration New Jersey Professionals Offer Gives Old Volumes New Life

By Donald Morris


People who love books usually like to show off special volumes in glass cabinets or arranged on shelves. Many are especially proud of the books that have been handed down to them through the family. Sometimes older volumes begin to look the worse for wear though. When this happens a lot of owners turn to book restoration New Jersey professionals to see what can be done.

Owners can either physically bring the work to the restorer's shop or send in good photographs that show all sides of the volume. The restorer will examine the exterior and interior and do whatever research is necessary to come up with an opinion of value. After that this professional will give the owner options for restoring the work or suggest that there is not enough value to warrant an expensive restoration.

An honest evaluation includes letting an owner know what cannot be restored. If old leather is rotting and falling off, there isn't much that can realistically be done. There are chemicals, some restorers use to harden the material, but whether or not the effect lasts is a matter of disagreement among experts. No professional restorer will do anything to a work that makes it appear more aesthetically pleasing, but reduces the value.

Leather covers without a dry rot problem can often be returned to something like the original state with conditioning. Deteriorating pages can be repaired with the use of a special tape. It will disappear if correctly applied and will not yellow over time. Pages with torn edges or missing sections may be mended using discarded volumes of the same period.

Dirty, stained pages are something restorers see all the time as well. There are specific techniques they use to improve the look of these pages. It does not normally include cleaning with water however. Most of the time, the paper is not of sufficient quality to spend the time and money it would take to remove the pages, which may be glued or sewn into the bindings.

Cloth covers can be cleaned, repaired and re-dyed. Restorers place color matched cloth under the original fabric. The result will vary depending on the kinds of stains and soil that has to be removed. Rebinding is something restorers do if there are no better solutions. Many do not believe that rebinding books using old methods gives the best results. They prefer to use more modern technology that gives the same effect and will last over time.

Very rare books are not usually handled by general restorers. They recommend the owners contact the department head of the rare book collection at a university or major library for a referral to an expert in this field. Restoring rare bibles and bibles that have been handed through families for generations also have special requirements.

Old books are a source of pleasure and pride for those who own them. Many are treasured reminders of loved ones who have passed on. Restoring them to their former glory is a fitting tribute to the original owners.




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