Anyone know how to reinforce the leather spine of a manuscript book? It's early 19th century with card covers and leather spine, and the fold where the covers join onto the spine has become brittle and fractured. I know linseed oil will help the leather, but will some gum arabic help to anchor the cover before it begins to lift away? If so, where can I get some gum? I've had the book a couple of years, and I guess the transfer from fusty old bookshop to the dryer atmosphere of my home hasn't helped. I photocopied it soon after I got it and so it's rarely opened now. I daresay that's helped to stiffen the spine too.

With reference to the previous remarks about conservation: I know from my time at the London College of Printing 30 years ago that in bookbinding at least, you never do anything that cannot be reversed. Hence the use of water soluble glues, stitching, etc. I had some old (also early 19th C) books restored in the bookbinding department, and had to witness the cover of one of them being soaked in water for a week to get the original cloth binding off the boards. Then by applying that (with gum arabic) to matching repair cloth, a complete new cover was built, which at first glance looks original. I had to witness one of the books being repeatedly opened and pressed flat by the bookbinder. He told me it had never been properly "opened", which any stitched binding should tolerate. He said that it helps to keep the spine flexible, and that if you open any book bound in that way, ideally it should lie flat at whatever place it is opened. In fact he said a thorough "opening" should be the first thing done to any newly purchased book with a properly stitched binding. This was helpful in that book's case as a small section of pages was being refixed into place. I think it was that old "fish" glue that he used.

Seem to have rambled on a bit - sorry.

Andrea