the bookbinder's ledger

half-calf · sewn on five cords · the ledger of the binder of ledgers

work · taken in1907

datevolume · particularssig.due

mar 04no. 412 family bible, hinges gone24apr 11

mar 17no. 413 the postmaster's day-book, vol. iv18apr 02

apr 02no. 414 a child's primer, rebind in cloth6apr 30

apr 19no. 415 unbound MS., not yet titled11may 28

may 06no. 416 organ-tuner's book, new pp. inserted9jun 04

jun 11no. 417 letters of mrs. p., to be guarded3jul 02

jul 22no. 418 — description withheld at owner's request —7—

signatures · taken in78—

— · fol. 96

materials · drawn from store1907

dateusedqtyfor

mar 06calf, half-skin, dark brown½412

mar 20linen thread, waxed, no. 1840 yd412–13

apr 08cloth, blue, fine weave1 yd414

apr 22end-papers, marbled (stone, plum)4 sh414–15

may 14gold leaf, sparing (for the spine of 412)8 lf412

jun 02paste, fresh, with clove (against mice)1 jar416

jul 30box, custom, for unspoken volume1418

store · close of quarterlow—

— · fol. 97

v. ostera bound everything that came to the door: bibles, primers, handbooks, the diaries of the keeper, a number of books we know now only from this ledger. each volume is given a serial number; the book ends on no. 4118.

the binder's own ledger is the only one in the workshop without a number — the page reserved for it (no. 1) is blank, by tradition and a certain superstition. her notes are precise about thread and vague about paying customers. she was paid in coin, in tea, and once, by the apprentice, in a box of bees.

what is missing: the description of volume 418, which the owner asked to be withheld and which she withheld; and the receipt for volume 1140, the atlas of dust, whose binding was destroyed and re-made twice.

field note · pencil, inside front cover a book held in the hands must not pretend to be more than what is inside it. cover it kindly. sew it strongly. let the spine bear the weight, not the cloth.