Each volume crafted from common hands and Bound in History
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Book-binding: The art of gathering and sewing together the sheets of a book, and covering it with a back, etc. It is performed thus: The leaves are first folded with a folding stick, and laid over each other in the order of the signature. They are sewed upon bands, which are pieces of cord or packthread which is done by drawing a thread through the middle of each sheet, and giving it a turn round each band, beginning with the first, and proceeding to the last.
These being moistened in water , are cut out to the size of the book, then smeared over with paste made of wheat flour, and afterwards stretched over the pasteboards on the outside, and doubled over the edges withinside; .....
(Taken from ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA; or, a Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, compiled upon a new plan. 1771)
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After this the books are glued, and the bands opened and scraped, for the better fixing the pasteboards; these being applied, holes are made for fixing them to the book, which is pressed a third time. Then remains the covers, which are either of calfskin or of sheepskin;
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