Restoration on the manuscript of The orders and decorations of Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar Qajar Iran, circa 1875
Before restoration.
The end paper of the manuscript were so brittled, wear and tear and creases all over the surface. And also, there was no fly-leave in between the end paper (blank page on the left) and the first page (text page on the right).
After restoration.
The brittled and fragile end paper has been removed and replaced with a new one by using the Japanese Handmade Paper. Fly leaves also have been added in between the end paper and the first page (text page) in order to prevent future possibilities like a migration of inks from the text page(in the right) to the end paper.
Before restoration.
These two pages (pg. 16 & 17) have been sticked together at the top part probably from a previous repairer. This part need to be restored in order to prevent it from a further damages to the pages as it will create tension to paper especially on the gutter part.
After restoration.
The attached part at the top has been reattached mechanically by using scalpel and a organic solution named Methyl Cellulose and all pages have been restored altogether by restitching them back by using the original binding technique.
The manuscript has been restitched back according to its original binding technique which are consists of saddle stitch binding technique and sewn on cotton tapes as to hold each sections before attaching them back to the leather book covers.
Cotton tapes have been inserted in between the thread and the book block as to prevent tensions on the paper and also to hold the sections of the binding. Also, the cotton tapes can be linked or have a catch stitch to reduce the looseness of the sewing thread.
Mall cloth also has been inserted at the side of finished binding as to hold them even strong before attaching and gluing the book block to the leather covers. This sewing structure flexes easily, and allows the text block to open all the way back to the spine.
