All That Glitters
Student Works
Kilgarlin Preservation Lab Teaching
Collection
The 3 books on this shelf are actually modern examples of tooling created by students here at UT. The tooling on the spine is not just ornamental; it also hides the bindings under the cover.
Poems of Ossian
Translated by james macpherson
Date unknown
Kilgarlin Preservation lab teaching collection
This book is severely degraded, reminding us of the importance of preserving the art and labor of book tooling.
Lettre du Docteur Renaud
j.p. renaud
date unknown
on loan from the university of texas perry-castaneda library
Paper marbling was a fashionable technique in book decoration during the 19th century. Ink or paint is suspended on the surface of a shallow basin of water and swirled together. Then, a piece of paper is carefully lowered onto the surface and removed, taking the paint with it.
Essai sur les interets du commerce maritime
(Essays on the interests of maritime commerce)
pierre andre o'haguerty. 1757
published by la haye et prault a paris
on loan from the university of texas perry-castaneda library
The Spine of this book features an abbreviated title and elaborate gold tooling. The cover is more modestly tooled.
Essai politique sur le commerce
(political essay on trade)
jean francois melon. 1736
On loan from the university of texas perry-castaneda library
Decorative tools
Kilgarlin Preservation Lab Teaching
Collection
These tools are used to imprint decorative details onto both book covers and spines. The tools used for book spine decoration are slightly curved, as opposed to the flatness of tools used for cover decorations
Student Works
Kilgarlin Preservation Lab Teaching
Collection
Displayed here are two examples of student work: a navy plaquette with gold tooling and a red-spined book with blind tooling. Observe the simplicity of the gold designs on the navy plaquette. Notice the crooked lines and burn marks on the red-spined book. These imperfections highlight the skill needed to become an expert hand tooler!
Large roll
Kilgarlin Preservation Lab Teaching
Collection
This large roll is positioned to demonstrate how a hand tooler would use this tool during work. The hand tooler would rest the long end of the roll on their shoulder while gripping it firmly at the base. Upon closer inspection, you may notice remnants of leftover gold leaf on the thin part of the roll.
Tooling stove & leather stamping tools
Kilgarlin Preservation Lab Teaching
Collection
This electric hot plate is used to heat finishing tools such as the stamping tools you see here. Those tools are then applied to leather to make blind impressions. This scene is just one example of how this practice has progressed into the modern age.
Conservator's workbench
Kilgarlin Preservation Lab Teaching
Collection
Part of Paul N. Banks' personal collection, the lid (L) doubles as a gold cushion, upon which a craftsman would place gold lead. The gold knife would then be used to slice the leaf to size. the gold leaf would then be pressed into blind impressions on leather using a piece of cotton wool. the contents of the boxes (R) comprise supplies that a modern book tooler would need, including paste powder, tooling gloves, leather stamps, and metal scraping tools.
Paul Banks publication
by ellen cunningham-kruppa
the legacy press, 2019
Paul Noble Banks was a pioneer in the advent of modern library and archives conservation, spearheading its transition from private hobby into an area of advanced academic study. This book chronicles the emergence of the practice through the lens of Banks' career during the 1950s through the 1980s.
columbia university photo
c. 1982
Banks with some of the students in the first class of conservators and preservation administrators at Columbia University.
Photo L to R: Paul Banks, Gail Harriman, Maralyn Jones, Roberta Chalfant (Pilette), Wesley Boomgaarden, John Townsend
If You Enjoyed The Exhibit...
Come see our materials in person at the Book Conservation Lab on the First Floor of the
UTA Administration Building!
(1616 Guadalupe St.)
Our exhibit is open from
11/11 - 11/21
If you don't want to go alone, we are holding a reception on
11/21 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.