Oversewn Binding - Drawbacks

Drawbacks

In 1967, Matt Roberts, chief of the circulation department of the Washington University library, first documented the drawbacks of oversewn bindings. It is especially threatening to books with acidic paper; the tight sewing in the gutter margin may cause shards of this paper, in its weakened, embrittled state, to tear and flake off. Oversewn bindings are also often very tightly bound, so it is difficult for books' spines to open fully and lie flat. From a conservation standpoint, a primary concern about oversewing is that it is essentially irreversible. In order for an oversewn text block to be re-bound yet another time, more of the inside margin has to be cut or ground off. Some librarians believe that it is a hasty practice which favors cost over artifactual value, as original bindings may potentially be restorable.

By 1986, most librarians and conservators had agreed that the threats of oversewn bindings out-weighed their benefits. Now various types of adhesive bindings, especially double-fan adhesive, are favored by library binders.

Even Cedric Chivers admitted, in 1925,

"These methods were the best which at that time could be contrived, but presently complaints began to be made as to the durability of some of my bindings. Pages broke away from the sewing . . . Indeed I frequently lose contracts for Library binding because of my refusal to follow the instructions of a specification which under other conditions I personally drew up.