(Fine-Binding) Full Leather 'Commissioners Docket No. 1, Norton County' (1881) - made by Crane & Co. Blank Book Makers and Binders, Topeka, Kansas

Geo. W. Crane Manufacturers, Topeka, Kansas,1880's, Leatherbound Hardcover
--
Heavy, extremely decorative hand binding in leather with large suede leather centerpiece with geometrical designs on the front and back covers, beveled edges, three wide gilt bands, (each 3" high) hand-gilding, faded three-sided marbled edges and marbled endpapers. 16 x 11.5 x 1.5" (40.5 x 29 x 3.75cm). Weight: 8lb . With handwritten entries on 45 (double) pages, 104 pages empty.
Condition: Suede leather centerpiece on front panel slightly faded on the lower part and with minor damage to leather. Minor loss of gilding on the spine.Very good condition. Very sturdy binding. Great decorative piece.

Provenance: From the collection of a fine-binding business ledger collector in Germany. Even at this weight, it is a well-functioning SPRINGBACK BOOK. The springback's robustness, and ability to lie flat and open for extended periods of time without stressing the spine unduly make the structure ideal for use as account and record books. These same qualities also make it suitable for guestbooks, lectern Bibles, and similarly used books.

The so-called springback or spine book has been known since around the middle of the nineteenth century. It was used wherever business data was constantly recorded by hand. It got its name from the special spring mechanism on the spine of the book block, which ensures that the book lies completely flat when opened. This makes it easy to write in right up to the binding.

This mechanism is produced by the bookbinder using only cardboard and paperboard. First, however, a hand-stitched book block with a strong and well-backed rounding is required. Solid covers are cut to match the thickness of the block.
The spine should be just as thick and made in several layers. Although the spine remains free of the block spine, it is rigid in contrast to normal books. The transition from the spine to the covers is the fold, which is usually reinforced with kraft paper under the cover material. With the springback binding, however, a cardboard, the so-called spring, lies in the fold and reaches to the back, just below the springback.

When opening, this spring presses on the first layers of the book block. The stable spring spine counteracts this force. As a result, the layers are pressed upwards as far as possible and the block paper falls to the side without curling. As you continue to turn the pages, layer after layer lies over the spring and remains flat.

Due to its solid cover and use as a business book, a simple, robust cover material made of cotton fabric such as moleskin is usually used. More luxurious cover variants in half leather, leather or parchment are possible as custom-made products (e.g. for guest books or chronicles). Until the 1980s, the springback book was part of the journeyman's and master's examination in the bookbinding trade in Europe, as a variant of the hand binding.