Csapodi, Csaba: Conservation of the Manuscript and Old Book Collections at the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Methods and Results. 1949–1964 (A MTAK kiadványai 44. Budapest, 1965)

The conservation of parchment in our collection is done only on rare occasions because we posses only a few parchment codices and these are generally in good condition. Only one such codex required extensive conservation, but this was done by D. SASVÁRI (Plates 23 — 24) on the commission of its previous owner before the codex was purchased by the Library. It quite frequently happens that the parchment pages coming loose from the boards binding them must be cleaned and straigntened. The method of doing this was taken from the Central Technological and Museological Department. b) Restoration of Binding The binding is the most important protector of the paper with a text endangered by numerous enemies: fire, water, careless handling, mould, insects. In a proper, strong, undamaged binding the inside of the book is rarely seriously harmed. But the injury to or lack of a binding results in definite destruction (Plate 19). In conservation the greatest problem is caused by the restoration of the binding or its replacement. The spoiled paper, if the book was not used too much, is more or less protected by a new binding, while without the binding the best repaired pages are not safe. Former private collectors frequently took the radical step of throwing away seriously damaged bindings and replacing them with fine new bindings of bibliophilie value. We were not able to follow this procedure. Our aim was to save everything for the research scientists. Thus every binding which could be brought into a condition to serve its original purpose (protection) was saved. Our restorators reinforced dangling parts, replaced missing sections and spines, broken wooden boards and when it was necessary made an entirely new binding. But on this new binding every fragment of the saved old binding was reinforced (Plate 27). The purpose of the addition was to replace the missing part without artistic attempts at conserving (Plates 25 — 26). The missing hide was replaced by a similarly coloured piece. (The addition is usually of an identical colour or darker then the binding to which it is added because if it is lighter it stands out from the rest. (We have never attempted to restore the binding by using new plates.

7 This method was rejected not only for financial reasons but because we felt it would be a falsification. At most only the impression of the essential lines mark the outline of the original pattern on the replaced leather surface (Plate 28). In all instances we replaced the missing hinges of volumes bound in wooden boards because these are important in keeping the inside of the book intact. Naturally these hinges were simple and not expensive imitations. All fragments (Plate 29) turning up during the conservation are saved in order to mark the original catalogue number of the book. In many instances we discovered quite valuable material among the dissembled boards: codex pieces, calendar parts, sheets of playing cards. This is how we found a onepage incunabula calendar which was formerly unknown (Plate 30). We just as carefully save the fragmentary bindings which cannot ever be used again. Minutes about the conservation work done and the material used are saved; recently every piece has been photographed before conservation. 7 Similer views were maintained by CASAMASSIMA, Emanuele: Nota sul restauro delle legatnre. (Bolletino dell' Instituto di Patalogia del Libro. 21 1962. pp. 67 — 77.) 15