Gallery | book & Bible repair restoration projects | Sussex Book Restoration

Leather book repair and restoration examples

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This two-volume set was rebacked and the spines tooled to match the original spine design
Aesop’s Fables with spines rebacked and re-tooled in a contemporary style
An Edwardian edition of Chambers dictionary in need of spine repair
The same dictionary after repair with the spine re-used
Caesar’s Commentaries before the spine was repaired
Caesar’s Commentaries after the spine was repaired and tooled in the style of the original
The hinges of this volume were split and the binding was very rubbed
The same volume after the spine was restored and the binding was re-coloured and refurbished
This Book of Common Prayer was rebacked with the original spine mounted onto the new leather spine.
The spine of this book was rebacked in calf and the new spine was tooled in a contemporary style.
This book had lost the lower part of its spine
The spine was repaired with the decoration in the missing area replicated
18th century volume rebacked with the spine decoration copied from the remains of the original spine
This book’s spine was held on with tape and the back cover was detached.
The spine repaired with the original spine re-used
The works of Machiavelli prior to full restoration
The works of Machiavelli after full restoration
This volume of Camden’s Britannia was rebacked with the new spine tooled in a contemporary style
This book’s spine was torn and starting to detach
The spine repaired with the original spine re-used
The spines on these volumes were too fragile to be removed intact
The books were rebacked and the spine decoration replicated in the style of the original
Three examples of worn corners that were rebuilt to square and then re-covered
The top of this book’s front hinge was split. A neat repair was made to patch the split
The hinges had split on this Morocco binding and the leather covering was quite faded
The same book after the spine was restored and the leather covering was re-coloured

Cloth book repair and restoration examples

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This book’s spine was torn and the hinges were splitting
The book was rebacked, re-using the original spine
The spine of this book was detached with some loss and the text block was split into two parts.
The split in the text block was repaired before the book was rebacked. The original spine was mounted onto the new one and the missing lettering was re-tooled in gold.
This book’s covers and spine were torn and detached. The book was rebacked, re-using the original spine
Both of these volumes were torn and frayed at the tops of their spines and the front hinge of Volume 2 was split.
Both volumes were rebacked in cloth and their original spines were mounted onto the new ones leaving little of the new cloth visible.
This book was disbound with both covers as well as the spine detached.
The text block was re-sewn and the book rebacked in cloth, incorporating the remains of the original spine.
This volume was rebacked and the original spine was mounted onto the new one.
This volume had a damaged spine that was part-detached. Its binding had also been discoloured by mould.
The same book after being rebacked. The remains of the spine were mounted onto the new spine and the binding was re-coloured after the mould was removed.
This magnificent volume was rebacked in cloth to match the original covering material and the original spine was then mounted onto the new one.
This Victorian children’s ‘Speaking Picture Book’ had a torn binding and was damaged internally.
The damage to the pages and the box housing the mechanism were repaired before the binding was restored, incorporating the original spine.
This volume was frayed at the top and bottom of the spine and the thin cloth at the hinges was starting to tear.
The book was rebacked and the original spine was mounted onto the new one.

Bible Repair and Bible restoration examples

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This Bible was quite worn, with the spine starting to detach
The same Bible once rebacked and re-coloured, with the original spine re-used
This Bible’s spine and front cover were detached
The same Bible after it was repaired with the original spine re-used
A small Victorian family Bible that arrived with the spine worn away and the covers detached.
The same Victorian family Bible with the spine replaced and the covers firmly re-attached.
This Bible arrived with the spine and covers detached
The same Bible rebacked, with its original spine mounted onto the new leather spine
A beautifully bound 17th century Bible that was in need of restoration (left). The same Bible after restoration (centre & right).
This group of 18th and 19th century Bibles were all in need of restoration
The same four Bibles after they had been restored
This small Victorian family Bible bound in leather cloth had lost its original spine.
A new spine was created and then tooled in gold in a period style.
This family Bible had detached covers and a worn spine.
The covers were re-attached and the original spine was mounted onto the replacement leather spine.
This Bible had part of its spine missing. The Bible was rebacked, the remains of the spine were mounted and the missing gold decoration was re-tooled.
Another view of the same Bible’s spine. The original spine was mounted onto the new spine and the missing gold decoration was re-tooled.