Morocco Leather Bindings: Beauty, Craft and Care
Morocco leather has a remarkable ability to carry both the touch of the binder and the history of the reader.
In the language of fine binding, “morocco” usually refers to a high-quality goatskin leather, valued for its strength, texture and capacity to receive delicate gilt tooling. It appears on scholarly volumes, literary classics and some of the most sumptuous nineteenth- and twentieth-century collector's bindings.
What to look for
The grain, colour and suppleness of the skin can be beautiful, but the achievement is more than the material alone. Look closely at the precision of the tooling, the edges of the boards, the turn-ins, the joints and the harmony of the design. A signed binding may bring the history of an identifiable workshop into the object itself.
Protect rather than polish
Store leather bindings away from strong light, heat and abrupt changes in relative humidity. Support them on the shelf without crowding or allowing them to lean. Remove a volume by grasping its sides or spine carefully, never by hooking a finger over the headcap.
Do not apply leather oil, dressing, wax, furniture polish or household cleaners. Although such treatments were once recommended, conservation guidance now warns that they can darken historic leather, attract dirt and create long-term damage. Do not attempt to soften a stiff binding with moisture.
When the leather begins to powder
Some historic leather develops a friable, powdery surface often called red rot. This is not a signal to oil the book. Limit handling, consider a suitable protective enclosure and consult a book conservator. The same caution applies to damaged joints, loose boards and flaking decoration.
A collector should also resist the temptation to make every mark disappear. An original binding's patina, though not a substitute for good condition, is part of its material history. A carefully described, unrestored copy may be more desirable than one that has received an inappropriate cosmetic treatment.
Conservation reference: Library of Congress: Repairing Your Books; Canadian Conservation Institute: Basic Care of Books.
See examples of traditional craftsmanship in our fine bindings collection.
Further reading at MFLIBRA
Vellum Bindings: The Beauty and Fragility of Parchment · How to Care for Rare Books: The Quiet Art of Preservation