Thread: Book Restoration.

Last year when my mother passed, the family Bible was passed to me. I keep track of the family history & preserve it with various methods for the rest of my relatives. The Bible belonged to my great grandmother & was presented to her on her wedding day in 1908. It contains the hand written notes from the family members who have been responsible for it since then. The Bible was in rough shape, so I took it to Nova University across the street. The head librarian directed me to a conservator who works with the American Institute For Conservation. The conservator lives in Colorado, so the Bible was sent a few months ago. The conservator also made a custom box to store the Bible in.

It arrived back home today, so here are a few photos of her work & a Bible that will now last another 100 years.

Thank you for reading,
Hirlau


http://www.conservation-us.org/


Before:

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,After

Awesome!
Great keepsake and great restoration!

Nice work! I grew up doing this type of work.

It looks great and what a great heirloom. Although it sounds like it comes with certain responsibilities too, you will have to look after both.

This detail was a learning experience for me. I learned just how complicated this type of work is & just how "credentialed" & skilled the conservators are. Also that it appears to be a dying skill, so few left doing this type work.

Originally Posted by RezDog

It looks great and what a great heirloom. Although it sounds like it comes with certain responsibilities too, you will have to look after both.

The responsibilities are actually a pleasure for me. My only concern is it's future after I'm gone. I spent some time today educating my son on the importance conservation.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

This detail was a learning experience for me. I learned just how complicated this type of work is & just how "credentialed" & skilled the conservators are. Also that it appears to be a dying skill, so few left doing this type work.

Probably due in part with the fact that we have become such a disposable society. It seems like everyone wants everything cheaper and sooner. No regards for quality, or waste. Developed societies generate an incredible amount of garbage every day. Don't save an old item, throw it away and buy a new one. I'm glad that there are still people around wanting to stop and look after a few things here and there.

To put it mildly, Hirlau, this is a skill and art that a Luddite should embrace as it does not require any, to speak of, modern technology to perform. A beautiful job was done. Have you decided who will carry it on when you no longer can. There are not enough families maintaining their family history. As a first generation American I can go back only to the stories of when my parents came to this country with barely more than the clothes on their backs.

Thats fantastic,thx for posting