NEWS FROM THE PRESERVATION OFFICE


And now, James Bond, Agent 007. Dada-da-da-da-dum.

Agent double-0-seven, James Bond. My parents wouldn't let me watch movies in the
James Bond series as a child. Too much violence. Too much sex. Both were the attrib-
utes of a godlessness totally contrary to their beliefs. Like any death-defying child, I
devoutly saved my lunch money for the price of a movie ticket, and sneaked into a 007
flick pretending to be someone else's child.

The violence in the film was undercut by the instruments of death. They were too tech-
nologically advanced, I was sure, to be more than fantasy. There had to be more,
something underlying it all, something about two forces coexisting within a realm of
intrigue. Finding out wasn't worth the price of another ticket.

I had forgotten about James Bond until recently, when asked about bonded leather.
What is it? And, is it real or fake? My mother always spoke of bonded leather with the
same regard she had for bail bondsmen and, of course, James Bond. The term ap-
peared in none of the Libraries' science, technical or trade dictionaries or encyclopedi-
as. For all I could find out about bonded leather, it might well have been James Bond -
secret agent. Like James Bond, it seemed like just so much skin... but was it real?

The Library of Congress subject heading for bonded leather is "Leather Bonding," not
"Leather, Artificial Welding." In the trade, "bonding" and "welding" mean roughly
"glued." "Glued leather. Huh?" In bookbinding, leather is almost always glued to
something. Research in the literature of the leather trade indicated that bonded leather
might be a form of processed leather, armor-plated as it were with vegetable tanning
products, waxes or glues, that were used to create a tough, durable, water-resistant
leather. But, the literature called this "filing (the leather's pores)" rather than "bonding."

At the point of frustration, knowing I would never be a detective, the answer present-
ed itself in the literature of chemical engineering. "Leather, bonded." One small arti-
cle, in a Slavic language, described what, in layman's terms, could be called "bonded
leather." So, real or fake? "Yes" and "No." Bonded leather is not technically a wolf, but
man-made substance, in sheep's skin. Bionic leather, as fantastic as 007's instruments of
death. Bonded leather is created of real, "gen-U-ine" leather bonded to an artificial sub-
stance using acrylics or poly (vinyl-acetate). It is supposedly created with the intention
of making a leather product more durable to the wear and tear of bookbinding materi-
al.

The strength of bonded leather is seen in its performance at the book's joints. Imagine
the skin and muscle covering the bones in James Bond's index finger as it bends
around the trigger of a Saturday-night-special. If leather can be bonded to something
that bends as readily as James Bond's index finger, both will survive.

The weakness of bonded leather lies in the limits of the bonding agent, the glue. If
leather and the substance to which it is bonded separate, the book shall rest in decay.
The forces which cause the separation are as common as heat, humidity and cold -
changing, cycle after cycle.

[Thanks to Chuck Lipsig and Ann King for help in the scientific research.]
Erich Kesse





NEDS FROK THE P;ESERVATIO U OFFTIf.


And now, James Bond, Agent 007. Dda-da-da-da-dum.

AhAt-4 :-ef b -t n, James Bond. My parents wouldn't let me watch movies in the James
Band series as a child. Too much violence. Too much sex. Both were the attributes of a
godlessness totally contrary to their beliefs. Like any death-defying child, I devoutly
saved my lunch money for the price of a movie ticket, and sneaked into a 007 flick
pretending to be someone else's child.
The violence in the film was undercut by the instruments of death. They were too
technologically advanced, I was sure, to be more than fantasy. It was like watching Buck
Rogers in an episode of the T.V. sit.-com. Get Soart. The sex seemed like so much flesh. I
could see that any summer day as shirtless boys in shorts pushed lawn mowers over fields of
grass through aid-day's heat, while neighborhood girls offered them
fresh-frc-the-package-&-tap lemonade. There had to be more, something underlying it all,
something about two forces coexisting within a reals of intrigue. Finding out wasn't worth
the price of another ticket.
I had forgotten about James Bond until recently, when asked about bonded leather. What
is it? And, is it real or fake? My mother always spoke of bonded, leather with the same
regard she had for bail bondsmen and, of course, James Bond. The fere appeared in none of
the Libraries' science, technical or trade dictionaries or encyclopedias. For all I could
find out about bonded leather, it mioht well have been James Bond -- secret agent. Like
JaMes Bond, it seemed like just so much skin, (You saw that coming, eh!) ... but was it
real?
The Library of Congress subject heading for bonded leather is "Leather -- Bonding," not
"Leather, Artificial -- Welding." In the trade, 'i.::i-: and "Pe!di-:" mean roughly
"Qlued." "Glued leather. Huh?" In bookbinding, leather is almost always glued to
something. Research in the literature of the leather trade indicated that bonded leather
might be a form of processed leather, armor-plated as it were with vegetable tanning
products, waxes or glues, that were used to create a tough, durable, water-resistant
leather. But, the literature called this "filing [the leather's pores]" rather than
"bonding."
At the point of frustration, knowing I would never be a detective, the answer presented
itself in the literature of chemical engineering. "Leather, bonded." -- One small article,
in a Slavic language, described what, in layman's terss, could be called "bonded leather."
So, real or fake? "Yes" and "No." Bonded leather is not technically a wolf, but man-made
substance, in sheep's skin. Bionic leather, as fantastic as 007's instruments of death.
Bonded leather is created of real, "genUine" leather bonded to an artificial substance using
acrylics or poly(vinyl-acetate). It is supposedly created with the intention of making a
leather product more durable to the wear and tear of bookbinding material.
The strength of bonded leather is seen in its performance at the book's joints. Imagine
the skin and muscle covering the bones in James Bond's index finger as it bends around the
trigger of a Saturday-night-special. If leather can be bonded to something that bends as
readily as James Bond's index finger, both will survive.
The weakness of bonded leather lies in the limits of the bonding Agent, the glue.
imagine Ja es Bond in black tie, holding a woman in his arms. If leather and the substance
to which it is bonded separate as easily as James Bond from his clothing, the book shall
rest in decay. The forces which cause the separation are as common as heat, humidity and
cold -- changing, cycle after cycle.

[Thanks to Chuck Lipsig and Ann King for help in the scientific research.
Thanks also to a vivid imagination. Any resemblance to characters, living
or dead, is purely fictional.)