The discoloration is due to impurities in the water

used during the production process. The yellow

tinge is likely the result of long exposure to heat. 

 

 

Paper

Parchment and paper were both commonly used during the Renaissance period, but because parchment was more expensive to produce and use, Denis Lambin used paper to print the Horace commentary.  Paper in the 1500's was not produced from wood but from cotton or linen rags.  The rags would first be thoroughly washed, then macerated and bleached (maceration is the process of using liquid to break down a material).  Clean water was absolutely necessary during this process in order to produce the whitest paper because any pollution in the water would affect the quality of the final product.  The paper-maker would then place a mold of woven wires into the stock.  The cotton fibers would catch in the wires of the paper mold as it was drawn upwards (horizontally) and out of the stock.  After hardening a bit, the mold was placed in a presser.  Once pressed, the papers were hung up to dry.  They were then sized, smoothed, and given various treatments to further improve their quality.[1]  

A Gutenburg printing press 

Printing

The invention of the printing press changed many aspects of the book making process.  Before its invention, scribes copied entire texts by hand, which took a long time.  The new printing process produced a book in just a few steps.  The printer first chose the size of the text in order to determine the length of the book and how many sheets of paper to order.  The compositor would then place the types ("types" are rectangular pieces of metal with a letter or symbol protruding from one side).  By placing these types into a "composing stick," the composer could produce a full line of text.  The stick would then be placed in a "galley tray," which constituted a page.  Signature marks were placed on the pages so as to remember their order for the binding process.  Illustrations and decorations were produced with woodcut blocks.  The blocks were printed at the same time as the text.[2]

After proof-reading the text, the pressman prepared the press with galley trays.  The paper was wetted the night before so it would be damp at printing time because the ink took better on damp paper than dry.  The text was then padded over with ink balls.  The ink-covered text was then pressed against the paper.  The paper was then removed and flipped, to print the other side.  Both sides had to be done at the same time to avoid any variation in size or temperament.[3]   According to Richard W. Clement, Professor and Dean of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences at the University of New Mexico, “Two pressmen could print 250 sheets in one hour.”[4]

The vellum binding of the Horace commentary

Binding

Vellum (calf-skin) was used to bind this book.  A long but simple process was needed to get the calf-skin to the right thickness and texture.  The calf-skin was first placed in water to be cleaned. After a day of soaking, it was moved into a lime-solution, which would de-hair the skin.  A few days of soaking in that solution was usually enough, after which the skin was again placed in water.  It would then be stretched on a frame resembling a trampoline.  A crescent shaped knife was used to remove all the remaining hair and trim the skin to the desired thickness.[5]   The vellum was then stretched over a wooden or cardboard panel to produce the book cover.[6]   The dimensions of this particular Horace commentary, with the binding and paper, are 22.5 cm wide by 33.4 cm long by 7.5 cm thick.