--Edith Wharton, 1897
Although many believe the library to be the most suitable quarters for one's collection of favored books and leather bound treasures, others subscribe to the notion that book collections are most pleasing when placed throughout the home, grouped companionably together with favored objects of beauty and sentiment, believing it is the loveliness of little things that imparts substance and life to the home. In the 19th century, books were highly esteemed possessions, particularly by those of literary persuasions, with one writer describing the era as:
An age of supreme elegance when no personal belonging was considered trivial, every object--no matter how modest--was treasured.
--Susan Benjamin
For those possessing a sizable book collection, whether they were new or old and leather bound, the well appointed library contained a vast array of stately bookshelves with which to keep them tidy and in order. Oftentimes, the volumes were categorized by subject matter, while others were placed in alphabetical order or simply grouped together by a common author.
To care for these treasured volumes, certain methods of handling were always observed to preserve their integrity and to keep them in excellent repair. One such method to ensure leather bindings remained intact was to always retrieve a book by firmly grasping with the whole hand, rather than pulling on its spine. Books were faithfully kept from areas of excessive heat, which tended to make the pages brittle, as well as excessive humidity, which could cause mold and mildew to form. To inhibit dust from gathering, shelf guards were often employed, made from wood, tapestry or other suitable material, and allowed to extend three to four inches from the shelf above to keep dust from collecting on the books below.
To keep one’s books in pristine condition, a lovely bookmark or ribbon was always used to mark the page the reader was perusing, rather than turning down the corner edge. To signify the owner of a book, bookplates were commonly used and often reflected the personality of the owner by displaying a symbolic design, and always pasted in the center of the front inside cover of the book.When a book was given as a gift, an inscription was customarily made on the front free endpaper, which is the first blank page of the book, as the title page was usually reserved for the author’s signature, particularly if that page contained only the title of the book.
--The Riches and Treasures of Home
