Augsburg: Johann Schonsperger, 1497

 

CONDITION ON RECEIPT:  The incunable was bound in a full tawed leather binding with wooden boards. Successive three-line fillets and a decorative roll formed borders leading to a central decorative panel. The title was inscribed in ink in the topmost spine panel. Brass catch plates and clasps with tawed straps were attached at the foredge of the boards. Endbands were sewn. Several tie-down threads of the head endband were broken and the endband was pulling away from the textblock. The text block consisted of printed pages with numerous woodcut illustrations interspersed throughout. Small parchment tabs were adhered to the foredges of several leaves in the text block. The text block was sewn on three double-raised cords set into channels cut in the interior of the boards. A few folios were attached to parchment waste guards.

 

The binding was worn and stained. Boards were insect damaged as evidenced by many worn holes. The bottom corner of the back board was deteriorated as a result of insect damage. The front joint was almost completely broken; the back joint was broken at the head and tail. Internal hinges were broken but the board attachment was intact by way of the sewing supports. A layer of metal on one clasp was partially detached and sharp along its edge. It had damaged some pages at the foredge. The pages were dirty, discolored and stained. Pages were water-stained primarily at the bottom edge and near the top gutter. The paper was soft and weak in places. At least two leaves, smaller than the text block, had been framed in paper to increase their dimensions. Adjacent pages were stuck to parchment guards in places. The guards had made a breaking edge which caused the attached pages to fold and become weak. Many pages had tears particularly along the edges. Exterior pages were detached; those at the back were stained. Some of the colored media had bled through the pages.

 

TREATMENT PERFORMED: Written and photographic documentation was provided. The volume was collated. The head, tail, and pages were surface cleaned where necessary. The last two sections of the textblock were removed and the inks were tested for solubility. These sections were immersed in filtered water to reduce staining. Tears were mended and folds guarded where necessary with Japanese kozo paper and wheat starch paste. Previous mends were not removed. The loose sections were reattached to the text block and the sewing was reinforced around the original sewing supports with linen thread. The spine was lined and the endbands were secured to the spine with Japanese kozo paper and wheat starch paste. The sharp edge of the metal clasp was gently bent towards its strap to minimize damage to pages at the foredge. The volume was housed in a drop-spine box.