Mold and Water

It is not recommended that one leaves a 500+ year old book in water. The open book shown here has extensive water and mildew damage. The leather bindings and paper are rotting away. Some pages have large wholes in them and/or the edges have rotted away completely.
Master bookbinder, conservator, and restorer, Anthony Zammit was explaining and demonstrating the lengthy process of restoration to a small group today.
Every Saturday a small 'special interest' group of 7-8 individuals from the Friends of the Sate Library come together in Anthony's Bindery and, surprisingly, bind books. These books become the hand bound limited editions that are sold via the Friends or from the Library to collectors and the general public. As a bonus to getting our weekly fix on book binding, we enjoy Anthony's expert tuition on binding and also on the restoration and conservation of old and rare books, photographs, artwork and maps.
What better way to spend a cold, wet and stormy Autumn day in Adelaide than "in the Shed, under the shadow of the Boat".

More about what happens on Saturdays "in the Shed, under the shadow of the Boat" in blips to come.