the BOOK REPAIR process

The Soleil Bookbindery utilizes a Book Repair Process for the inspection, repair description, estimate, and fee for each and every book brought to Susan Soleil’s work bench. Due to a high number of calls, inspections are done by appointment only. 

    Master Bookbinder, Susan Soleil, has repaired several thousand books since 1976. Her Florentine Italian bookbinding skills are applied to each repair. The Book Repair Process is outlined below to highlight the restoration process. Every book that comes through the bindery is carefully inspected by Susan Soleil and restored by hand.

                                                                        “You cannot fake hand craftsmanship.” - Susan Soleil

1. I.Call the bindery and schedule an appointment
   

The first step in the Book Repair Process is to contact Susan Soleil to schedule an appointment. The evaluation of your book is FREE. Susan can meet with you at The Soleil Bookbindery in Chapel Hill, at your home (if you have mobility problems), at your office (if it is within a reasonable driving distance), or at another location that is convenient to the bindery.

XI. THE LEATHER IS SIZED AND CUT

A repair most often requires the replacement of the “joints” with a material that matches the original cover material. The bindery carries a large selection of woven book cloths from Holland and leathers from Scotland for this purpose.

    Susan has repaired children's books, memoirs, vintage journals and manuscripts as well as bound books of all kinds. The original covers are always cleaned and used in the restoration, unless the customer desires another option.

X. the HEADBANDS ARE APPLIED

New woven silk headbands from England and France are added to the head and tail of the book. The color is selected to match or compliment the color of the book cover.

III. THE BOOK IS EXAMINED

The repair plan is custom designed for the specific needs of each and every book.

Susan will give you a very precise description of the condition of your book and what it will require in order to return it to a healthy and useable state. If you are at the bindery, she will show you samples of the archival quality materials that can be used in your book restoration or repair.  

    It takes approximately 15-30 minutes to perform an evaluation of a book. During this process, Susan will create a written repair plan for you with an estimated range for the work. A date can set at that time for the return or it can be set at another time. Feel free to bring between one and five books for evaluation.

* Prices may vary over time and without notice due to price changes for materials and their availability.

919-564-5853

The Soleil Bookbindery, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Master Bookbinder, Susan Soleil, of The Soleil Bookbindery, inspects a book brought in for restorative work.

IV. A REPAIR PLAN is outlined

The bindery is well stocked and many people who come to the shop are generally surprised by the size and supply of specialized book restoration materials.

    Most often, the original covers and spine can be restored.  If the cover is missing, or if the customer prefers, Susan can create a new cover. The bindery carries dozens of varieties of leather and book cloth that are compatible with vintage, antique, and modern books.

     Best Price and Lowest Price Guarantee. The price to restore a book is based on the parts of the book that require repair or replacement. The price to repair a book will vary from one book to the next.

V. an ESTIMATE IS given to the customer

The price of the restoration is based on only 2 factors:

      #1  The number of hours required to complete the restoration and the

      #2  Cost of the materials used in the repair (based on book size)

Susan Soleil has restored books for over 40 years and knows that customers want excellent work but they also want the work done at an affordable total cost. She works at a remarkably efficient rate while maintaining the highest quality standards. 

    Customers always comment that they are very pleased with the price quoted to them, and that they expected it to be “much more.” Susan believes that book restoration should be available and affordable to every one.

VI. THE ESTIMATE IS ACCEPTED BY THE CUSTOMER

The restoration quote will be given to you on paper so that you have a record.

It will include: the title of the book and any distinguishing characteristics.

The quote will include the following:

                           the restoration plan (notes for the bookbinder)

                           the agreed upon price

                           the date and time for the book to be picked up or delivered

                           The Soleil Bookbindery’s contact information

* As of January 1, 2017, all restorations will require a 50% deposit.

VII. RESTORATION SUPPLIES ARE GATHERED

The restoration supplies that are necessary for your book repair are gathered. Each tool serves a purpose and is specifically made for bookbinding. At the time that your book comes to the repair bench, Susan will gather all of the tools that she needs to bring your book back to healthy life. Every book repair is different.

    The Soleil Bookbindery tools and materials are acquired from sources all over the world. The Italian glue brushes are specially made in Florence and apply an even, light coating of glue. The leather comes from a tannery in Edinburgh, Scotland. This tannery makes the world’s only archival quality leather. The bookbinders for the British Kings and Queens have used this leather exclusively for 300 years. This figure proves that this leather remains supple and unchanged for at least three centuries!

VIII. LOOSE PAGES SEWN IN

Loose or detached pages are carefully sewn back into the book with Irish linen thread.

    The first goal of the restoration is to use the same or the most similar materials available when restoring your book so that its appearance and function are as close as can be to its original condition.

The second goal is to restore the book to a healthy and strong condition so it can be read safely and passed on to future generations.

    The Soleil Bookbindery uses centuries old processes to ensure that the book will remain in excellent condition.

IX. the SPINE IS STRENGTHENED

Each part of the book must be cleaned and prepared for the restoration process. 

  The spine of the book is consolidated and strengthened with archival quality linen and archival adhesive.

    The linen reinforces the joint, the location where the cover bends back toward the spine.

    The joint is most often the first part of the book to break down.

XII. THE SPINE IS REPLACED

A new piece of spine leather of the same thickness and color and texture as the original is joined to the original corners. Care is taken to make the overlap of the leather on the front of the cover exactly the same as in the original binding.

Always try to work with a master craftsman when you have a book repaired. A master craftsman will preserve your book using conservation methods. An inexperienced or self-taught bookbinder can make many mistakes during this process that can’t be corrected later.

XIII. THE CORNERS ARE RESTORED

New leather corners can be cut and added to any book that comes in for repair. Healthy and strong corners are very important to the future protection of the book.

XIV. the ENDPAPERS ARE CUT and ATTACHED

If the book has original decorated endpapers (such as printed or marbled designs), acid-free all cotton archival endpapers are attached to the inside covers. Most often they can be removed and re-applied as part of the restoration.

    When there is an important inscription or bookplate on the inside surface of the cover Susan will remove it, clean it, and reattach it in the exact same position.

XV. the ENDPAPERS ARE SMOOTHED

The endpapers are smoothed down and firmly attached to the inside of the cover using a bone folder. A bone folder is a professional tool used by bookbinders to perform many tasks in book repair.  Great skill is involved in this step called "casing in". This ensures that the book will open easily.

The pages (or, “text block”) must be correctly positioned inside the cover. An error of 1/8th inch will cause the book to open improperly. The Soleil Bookbindery uses great care in this process.

XVI. the BOOK GOES IN TO THE PRESS

The book press performs an essential function in the process of restoring a book. It applies firm and even pressure over a large horizontal area. Over the course of 2-3 days the book dries completely while in the book press. Please notice the special brass strips on the front edge of the pressing boards.

    The brass holds the “joint” between the front cover and the spine, setting a crease where the front cover will bend back when opened. A great deal of experience is needed for the bookbinder to know exactly how much pressure the materials need to dry perfectly.

XVII. the BOOK is REMOVED FROM PRESS

A book will stay in the press until it is dry. Notice that the original spine was attached to the new healthy leather spine. Here, the book is removed from the press and checked thoroughly. The book is ready to go home to its owner.

Hundreds of people just like you have sent their treasured books to The Soleil Bookbindery for repair. Susan Soleil treats every book with great care and and she uses the same excellent craftsmanship as if it came from her own family.

XVIII. BOOK IS RETURNED TO YOU

The book is carefully wrapped in protective wrapping and expertly packed for shipment. The customer is called to advise them that the book is being shipped, the tracking number,  and when it is expected to arrive at their home.

  In 37 years of repairing books, The Soleil Bookbindery has never lost a customer's book in shipment. Great care is taken to ensure safe delivery of every book.

Susan has repaired thousands of books in her career. She has sent books from her bindery to locations in and outside the United States. Please contact the bindery if you have a book that you would like repaired. For contact information, go to the contact page.

II. BRING YOUR BOOK TO BINDERY

If you live outside the Chapel Hill area, arrangements can be made for you to ship your book to the bindery. Each year, customers from all over the world ship their book for Susan Soleil to complete a Florentine restoration. Our customer satisfaction rate is very high.   

    Once your book is at the bindery, Susan will discuss the details for repair for your book. If you ship your book to the bindery, Susan will call and discuss the repair over the phone with you.

STAMP DIE

If you want the title (or a name) stamped (in silver or gold) on the cover of your book, it will require a stamp die. The fee for a die is $125 plus $10 per cover stamp (the first stamp is included in the price of the die).

    It takes approximately two weeks to prepare the die for stamping. Please allow the proper amount of time for this process if you decide to have your cover stamped. This time must be added to the time that it will take to repair or restore your book.

* As of January 1, 2016, all restorations will require a 50% deposit.

THE SOLEIL BOOKBINDERY

WHERE BOOKS ARE HANDMADE