kened (see p. 155). Another very common fault in
modelled "leather work" is, that the two sides and the back are often
worked separately and stuck together on the book, necessitating a
join, and consequently a weak place in the hinge, where strength is
most wanted. Again, in most modern "leather work," those who do the
decoration do not, as a rule, do the binding, and often do not
understand enough of the craft to do suitable work.

All those engaged in leather work are advised to learn to bind their
own books, and to only use such methods of decoration, as can be
carried out on the bound book.

HERALDRY ON BOOK COVERS

It is an old and good custom to put the arms of the owner of a library
on the covers of the books he has bound. The traditional, and
certainly one of the best ways to do this, is to have an arms block
designed and cut. To design an arms block, knowledge of heraldry is
needed, and also some clear idea of the effect to be aimed at. A very
common mistake in designing blocks is to try and get the effect of
hand tooling. Blocks should be and look something entirely different.
In hand tooling much of the effect is got from the impressions of
small tools reflecting the light at slightly different angles, giving
the work life and interest. Blocked gold being all in one plane, has
no such lights in it, and depends entirely on its design for its
effect.

Provided the heraldry identifies the owner, it should be as simply
drawn as it can be; the custom of indicating the tinctures by lines
and dots on the charges, generally makes a design confused, obscuring
the coat it is intended to make clear. In designing heraldic blocks it
is well to get a good deal of solid flat surface of gold to make the
blocked design stand out from any gold-tooled work on the cover.

Another way of putting armorial bearings on covers, is to paint them
in oil paint. In the early sixteenth century the Venetians copied the
Eastern custom of sinking panels in their book covers, and painted
coats of arms on these sunk portions very successfully. The groundwork
of the shield itself was usually raised a little, either by something
under the leather, or by some gesso-like substance on its surface.

Arms blocks should be placed a little above the centre of the cover.
Generally, if the centre of the block is in a line with the centre
band of a book with five bands, it will look right.

Blocks are struck with the aid