A ONE-OF-A-KIND COOKBOOK

 

 

 

This handwritten cookbook is truly one-of-a-kind. Some of the recipes are 100 years old. It’s a charming old book that needed extra consideration. The owner wants to use it as a cookbook and even add her own handwritten recipes to its pages. I suggested making copies of it to use, but they want to handle the book itself as they follow these recipes from previous generations.

 

 

The back cover was shredded and torn. How to repair it for future use? I custom-dyed strong Moriki repair paper with a mix of methylcellulose (a starch filler) and Golden Acrylic (Raw Umber). 

 

Matching the color and inserting repair paper

Back cover repair

 

I tore strips of mending tissue and pasted them to the folded spine edges, as well as to some inside pages. The original paper is somewhat acidic and now the new linen thread will not tear it.

 

 

 

 

The sewing (below) is known as a French Link. It allows the pages to lay flat, making the book easier to use. I decided to leave off the usual paper spine liner on the back. The strong fabric “mull” will be more flexible by itself, so the book will open easily.

 

Original sewing

 

 

New sewing with linen thread

 

 

I love the prayer on the front flyleaf!

 

 

 This book is getting repaired to use, rather than conserved and then stored away. To be honest, future use will wear it further. But that wear continues the history of the book. (I am providing a clear plastic cover to protect it amid a kitchen’s heat and humidity.)

Front cover repaired

  

The client chose the leather from what I had on hand. It’s not an exact match to the existing leather, but I am leaving the original bits on the spine and corners for reference. The gold-tooled lines show that this ledger was given some extra treatment to look good.

 

For my client, it is a physical, tangible connection to the women who came before her and wrote down their recipes for future generations to enjoy. Now she will be able to add her handwritten recipes to this precious book of shared family memories.