Rebinding Original Book Pages In Blank Journals

Dismantling a vintage book
by cutting the binding thread
so that the pages can be rebound.

What is fantastic about vintage and antique books is they have been bound with thread and usually a minimal amount of glue.  This method of binding allows the books to more easily be dismantled (both for conservation purposes and for re-purposing the book), and the pages to be removed intact.

Newer books, of course, are bound with much less thread and much more glue in the spine, making it impossible to capture the full intact original pages.  I am saddened by this.

At some point it occurred to me I might want to include original pages in these refreshed journals.  I particularly love the idea of including the copyright pages with a book.  Oh, how I ache for the copyright pages I previously discarded!

Original copyright in a small pocket,
from a newer hardcover book.

So, with newer glue-soaked books, I often make a little pocket for the back of the book using original end paper, or fresh end paper.  I tuck the folded copyright page into the pocket for the new owner.  It sort of feels like a seal of authenticity, or a record of where this book came from.

With vintage books, I make every effort to remove the intact copyright pages and bind them within.  However, sometimes this just isn't possible - previous binding holes may be mangled, or the pages stuck to the end paper with glue.  So, these end up in a back pocket, too.