Restoration & Conservation
Bring your cherished pages back from dust.
The Restoration Process
Assessment
Evaluating the book's condition to identify issues such as structural damage, missing elements, or material deterioration.
Stabilisation
Addressing immediate concerns that might cause further damage, such as tears or loose pages, to prevent additional deterioration.
Cleaning
Gently removing dirt, dust, and other contaminants from the book's surfaces without causing harm to the material.
Repair
Mending tears, reinforcing weak spots, and fixing damaged bindings using materials that match the original as closely as possible.
Restoration
Reconstructing missing or severely damaged parts of the book, such as the spine, cover, or pages, to restore its original appearance.
Preservation
Implementing measures to protect the book from future damage, and digitisation through non-destructive scanning if necessary.
Our Restoration & Conservation Service
Our Book Restoration Service focuses on the repair and conservation of damaged books, with specialised expertise in Chinese-style stitch-bound (線裝) books. We are among the limited number of companies equipped with the knowledge and network necessary for the restoration of these traditional books. We ensure each project is handled with care and precision to maintain the book's integrity and historical value.
Consultation
Please share your specific needs with us, and we will offer tailored advice and service recommendations. To assist you more effectively, we may request photographs or other details about your item.
Transportation
We will dispatch a specialised archival packaging to your provided mailing address, designed for the secure transportation of your book. Please use this bespoke case to send us your book safely. We will return your book in the same protective case, ensuring its safe arrival back to you.
Assessment & Quotation
After your book arrives, we'll evaluate it to decide on the best restoration approach and give you a final quote. If the final quote is higher than the original estimate and you're not satisfied, we can mail the book back to you at no extra cost.
Restoration & Return
We will restore your book to its best possible condition. Throughout this process, our dedicated account representative will keep you informed about the progress. Once the restoration is complete and all payments have been settled, we will send your book back to your original address in the archival packaging, which you are welcome to keep.
Ideal Storage Conditions for Books
40%
Humidity
35% - 45% relative humidity is the most ideal conditions for book storage. Humid storage conditions may lead to mould growth, and attract insects. An environment with low humidity may cause paper, leather and binding materials to become dry and brittle.
Storage and Handling
Make sure books are shelved together with similarly-sized books, so that they are evenly supported throughout their height. For larger books, it is better to store them horizontally, to alleviate the strain of the extra weight of the paper. When handling, make sure your hands are dry and clean, and do not place books face-down, fold corners. Thin and soft-material bookmarks are recommended over metallic ones.
20°C
Temperature
Around 20°C or 70°F is the ideal temperature for book storage. While different temperatures are not as detrimental to conservation as humidity, it is important not to expose books to fluctuating or extreme temperatures.
Dusting and Cleaning
When placed on shelves, books tend to accumulate dust over time. This will eventually cause damage to the material, due to acidity and microbial changes. In home environments, we recommend lightly dusting the exposed parts of books with a dry unused paintbrush or cloth.
No Harsh Light
Harsh light, especially shorter wavelength lights like UV rays can cause paper and binding materials to fade and disintegrate over time. It is important to not expose your books to direct, harsh lighting conditions such as sunlight. Important high-value volumes should be placed in individual archival-quality boxes instead of open shelves.