The purpose of this book is to guide the reader through the sequence of operations involved in creating a book bound in leather, or a fine binding. The author defines a fine binding as a book fully covered in leather, with leather-jointed endpapers, gilt edges, and leather doublures. Although a basic knowledge of bookbinding terms and techniques is assumed, this book is meant for both novice and experienced bookmakers.The book is intended to be used as an active guide during the process of fine binding. It is arranged into sixteen sections, listing the sequence of operations, beginning with preliminary work and ending with preparing and putting in leather doublures. Each section includes appropriately numbered instructions allowing the user to find his or her place in the sequence of operations with a reference for what step is next. There are also numbered explanatory sections that include a rationale (why you do it) and technique (how you do it). The work includes close to 300 black and white illustrations, four appendices, and a bibliography.

"The Grove Encyclopedia of Materials and Techniques deals with all aspects of materials, techniques, conservation, and restoration in both traditional and nontraditional media, including ceramics, sculpture, metalwork, painting, works on paper, textiles, video, digital art, and more. Drawing upon the expansive scholarship in The Dictionary of Art and adding new entries, this work is a comprehensive reference resource for artists, art dealers, collectors, curators, conservators, students, researchers, and scholars." "Similar in design to The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts, this one-volume reference work contains articles of various lengths in alphabetical order. The shorter, more factual articles are combined with larger, multi-section articles tracing the development of materials and techniques in various geographical locations. The Encyclopedia provides unparalleled scope and depth, and it offers fully updated articles and bibliography as well as over 150 illustrations and color plates." "The Grove Encyclopedia of Materials and Techniques offers scholarly information on materials and techniques in art for anyone who studies, creates, collects, or deals in works of art. The entries are written to be accessible to a wide range of readers, and the work is designed as a reliable and convenient resource covering this essential area in the visual arts."