The Journal of The Society of Arts, of No. 2537, Vol. XLIX (July 5, 1901)**Containing the article 'On the Preservation of Books'

London: George Bell & Sons, 1901 Hard cover, tall 8vo, in tan cloth covered boards over original printed green wraps, brown kraft type pastedowns, with a typed label applied to front, ii,621-640, iv. including advertising, First Edition. CONDITION: Very Good. Front board is sunned, or stained. The wraps are lightly browned at edges, and pages moderately age toned. A pencil location note at rear end paper.**This is the entire issue of this influential weekly arts newspaper for July 5, 1901, featuring a description off the Society's annual garden party, called "The Converzatione," whereupon over two thousand arts-minded Londoners were treated to orchestral music, choral singers, and no doubt tea and sandwiches, on the grounds of the Royal Botanical Society ( and within The Rhododendron Tent.) One presentation at this idlyllic sounding soiree was bad news about the deterioration of books bound beginning around 1830 and especially after 1860. The investigative committee set up by the Society took up the baton of British bookbinder Thomas Cobden-Sanderson, who had made noise about the sad state of affairs in book rot beginning a couple of years prior, from his editorial pulpit at The Central School of Arts and Crafts. His fellow committee members included a number of prominent English hand-bookbinders such as Douglas Cockerell, Walter J. Leighton, Sarah Prideaux and Joseph Zaensdorf. Also on the slate were prominent librarians connected with the British Library and Museum, Richard Garnett and Cyril Davenport, a raft of leather manufacturers, and at least one noted collector, Mr. Huth. The results of these investigations make for good reading, and represent the first concerted effort in the understanding of book conservation. Beyond manufacturing causes, there is discussion of the damage done by environmental contaminants, such as damp, nicotine and the like. The article flags up considerations for the modern collector about the proper storage of old books. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good.