Archaeology of a Book: An experimental approach to reading rare books in archival contexts

End-papers

"The leaves of paper added by the binder at the front and end of a book to cover the insides of the boards. They serve together with the linings to reinforce the joints and to add finish to a hand-bound book: in machine binding the end-papers secure the book in its case. The simplest form, and as used in publisher's binding, is a four-page sheet of cartridge paper tipped in the bindery to the first and last leaf of a book. The outer leaf of each end-paper is known as the paste-down or board paper, and the conjugate leaf as the fly-leaf. The paper should be strong and suitable for pasting. An off-white shade tones well with the average run of book papers. It is essential that the grain direction should be from head to tail otherwise severe warping of the boards is likely to occur.

Coloured end-papers are frequently used but with some risk of discoloration. End-papers are sometimes printed with reference matter, a map, or a decorative pattern (an obstacle to rebinding). Fancy papers with figured or marbled designs give a finish to the book but may require lining, especially if the reverse side of the paper is unsightly.

Elaborations are to mount the end-paper to a folded four-page of blank paper similar to the text, the additional leaves thereby created also being known as fly leaves; to add a strip of coloured cloth to the joints known as cloth joints, q.v.; to add a guard at the back which wraps round the first section and thus the end-paper becomes sewn in but without the sewing appearing in the joints. End-papers which are mounted in any way are known as made end-papers.

In cheap work the lining papers may be part of the first and last sections. Thus if a book has eight sixteen-page sections page 1 is pasted to the inner front cover as a lining and is conjugate with the leaf carrying pages 15 and 16 of text. At the end of the book page 128 is pasted direct to the inner rear cover. Pages 2 and 127 may or may not carry text or other matter. Such books cannot be rebound." (Glaister 159).

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