[Illustration: FIG. 13.
Typical appearance of the sewing of a book on raised bands, as seen from
the inside of each section. The bands invisible. Known as 'flexible.']
Although in the embroidered books the bands of the backs do not show on
the surface, it is common enough to find the lines they probably follow
indicated in the work on the back, which is divided into panels by as
many transverse lines, braid or cord, as there are bands underneath
them. But in some cases the designer has used the back as one long
panel, and decorated it accordingly as one space. The headbands in some
of the earlier books were sewn at the same time as the other bands on
the sewing-press and drawn in to the boards, but in most early bindings
the ravaging repairer has been at work and made it impossible to know
for certain what was the state of the headbands before the book came
into his hands. Most of the existing headbands are made by hand in the
usual way, with the ends simply cut off, not indeed a very satisfactory
finish. It would be better if these ends were somehow drawn in to the
leather of the back, as for instance they still often are on thin vellum
books.
The great majority of embroidered books, both large and small, have had
ties of silk on their front edges--generally two, but sometimes only
one, which wraps round.
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