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ABOUT FACTS NET
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Rare
Books
Picture Source: Library of Congress
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Since the advent of the computer, bound books are not quite as popular has they had been, but they are popular never the less. In centuries past, books were revered and well taken care of. The truth is that some of the older books are better able to resist the ravages of time than the new books which contain paper that are much more acidic. Books from hundreds of years ago were works of art. They not only contained words, but many had hand drawn pictures in full color. Before the advent of the printing press, books were hand lettered and each letter was drawn with a care and flourish that rivaled some of the great paintings. Thomas Jefferson wanted to create a library for statesmen and for the people. When the British burned the Capitol library in 1814 Jefferson offered to sell his book collection to the Congress. The collection was the cornerstone of the Library of Congress in 1815.
Book attributed to Thomas Jefferson argued for the separation of the colonies from Great Britain. Signed by Jefferson
Nekcsei-Lipocz Bible. Hungary 1335-1340 Pictured above is a beautiful bible. Notice the expert artwork on the page. As one can see this book wasn't only about words and the authors took years to carefully finish their work.
The Whole Book Of Psalmes The Whole Book Of Psalmes was published in Cambridge, Mass. in 1640. It is also called the Bay Psalm Book. It was the first extant book printed in what is now the United States. There are only eleven copies known to exist.
Gutenberg Bible - 2 views Produced in Mainz, Germany in the mid 1450s, it was the first book printed with moveable type in the west. Most places will say it was the first book ever printed with moveable type but this ignores the fact that the Chinese had moveable type hundreds of years before this. The use of movable type in printing was invented in 1041 AD by Bi Sheng in China.
La Bible The Geneva revision was printed in 1553 and is the first Protestant French Bible. It may seem hard to believe but the Library of Congress owns many books from the Libraries of famous people from other countries too. I bet you didn't know that the library has many copies of books that had been previously owned by Leonardo da Vinci. The Library of Congress had over 5,700 books from the 15th century. Our present books are crumbling at an accelerated pace all over the world. The following text is from the Library of Congress: Damage to a book is cumulative. The repeated incorrect handling and storage of a book can quickly transform a new book into a worn or even an unusable one. Proper handling and storage in a stable, cool, clean, non-humid environment, can prolong its life. The environment around the book, is a major concern because unacceptable levels of temperature and humidity will accelerate deterioration. For example, the high humidity in an attic or basement can promote mold growth, cockle pages, and attract insects. Extremely low humidity, as found above hot radiators, can dry out leather bindings. Direct sun-light, with a large ultraviolet (UV) component, will fade leather and cloth. Blue leather fades to dull green and red leather to brown, especially along the spine of the book. Dust, dirt and grime from handling can adversely effect books as well. Many people shelve their books in closed glass cases away from brightly lit windows or damp exterior walls to minimize the amount of dust and grime that will accumulate. How we handle and use a book contributes to its longevity. If a book will not lay flat, do not use force it to open further. The covers should always be supported when the book is open. Many books are damaged by the habit of pulling the books off the shelf with the head cap or the top of the spine. It is a much better practice to push the two adjoining books inward and remove the book by grasping the spine. Place similar sized books, next to each other on the shelf vertically, packing them neither too loosely or tightly. This will help to prevent warping of a tall book next to a short book. The use of paper clips and marking pens to make notations should be discouraged since clips will rust or crimp the pages and pens often bleed through the pages, obscuring text. The folding down of page corners is also damaging as it will often cause the page corner to break off over time. The practice of using rubber bands or string to tie-up a book should be avoided because both will cut into brittle pages and damage fragile covers. A flat, soft ribbon (such as cotton twill tape), can be used to tie up the books as an immediate and temporary solution. An excellent way to protect fragile books is with a box that is custom made to the dimensions of the book. Books with dry flaking leather covers can be wrapped in paper or polyester jackets to keep the fragments and dirt from transferring to hands, adjoining books and the rest of the pages. In the past, leather books were treated with a leather dressing; however the application of an oil or leather dressing can have an adverse effect and is, therefore, not recommended. See Library of Congress Preservation Directorate handout: "Leather Dressing." |
