ling over
that, leaving the pattern in the new gold on the original colour. But,
to my mind, edges are best left undecorated, except for plain gold or
colour.

If the edges are to be coloured, they should be slightly scraped, and
the colour put on with a sponge, commencing with the fore-edge, which
should be slightly fanned out, and held firmly, by placing a
pressing-board above it, and pressing with the hand on this. The
colour must be put on very thinly, commencing from the centre of the
fore-edge and working to either end, and as many coats put on as are
necessary to get the depth of colour required. The head and tail are
treated in the same way, excepting that they cannot be fanned out, and
the colour should be applied from the back to the fore-edge. If in the
fore-edge an attempt is made to colour from one end to the other, and
if in the head or tail from the fore-edge to the back, the result will
almost certainly be that the sponge will leave a thick deposit of
colour round the corner from which it starts.

For colouring edges almost any stain will answer, or ordinary
water-colours may be used if moistened with size.

When the colour is dry the edge should be lightly rubbed over with a
little beeswax, and burnished with a tooth burnisher (see fig. 57).

[Illustration: FIG. 57.]

In addition to plain colour and gilding, the edges of a book may be
decorated in a variety of ways. The fore-edge may be fanned out and
painted in any device in water-colour and afterwards gilded; the
painting will only show when the book is open. The fore-edge for this
must be cut very solid, and if the paper is at all absorbent, must be
sized with vellum size before being painted. The paints used must be
simple water-colour, and the edge must not be touched with the hand
before gilding, as if there is any grease or finger-mark on it, the
gold will not stick evenly. Painting on the fore-edge should only be
attempted when the paper of the book is thin and of good quality. More
common methods of decorating edges are by marbling and sprinkling, but
they are both inferior to plain colouring. Some pleasant effects are
sometimes obtained by marbling edges and then gilding over the
marbling.

CHAPTER XI

Headbanding

HEADBANDS

Modern headbands are small pieces of vellum, gut, or cord sewn on to
the head and tail of a book with silk