Title: Panopticon, or, The inspection-house…
Author: Jeremy Bentham
Published/Created: Dublin; London: Re-printed and sold by T. Payne, 1791
Owner: Morgan Library & Museum, Printed Books and Bindings
Dimensions: H 16.3cm x W 10.5cm x D 3.3cm
The book is covered in full calfskin with minimal gold tooling and a red leather spine label. The textblock is sewn on five recessed cords with a tight-back spine and includes four foldouts at the back.
The binding is in poor condition. The back cover is completely detached, and the front cover is tentatively attached by the sewing supports. The leather cover is abraded with red rot. The textblock paper and sewing are intact, though the surface is generally grimy. The foldout maps have tears, with Plate II completely torn away. Additionally, the first foldout is difficult to access and unfold due to the tight structure of the binding.
The treatment started with surface-cleaning every leaf with cosmetic sponges. Tears on the foldouts were mended with Japanese tissues and a wheat starch paste-methylcellulose mix, ensuring the mends were wide enough to prevent lifting. Strips of medium-weight Japanese paper were toned to match the leather cover. The back board was reattached by inserting the toned paper under the leather cover and attaching the untoned half to the inner hinge of the last flyleaf. The front board, which had detached while tipping in the front flyleaves, was reattached using the same method. The leather was consolidated with a 3% Klucel-G solution in isopropanol.
This treatment was carried out in consultation with Frank Trujillo.
