Today, we will take a look at the spine of the book with the Berlin signature 297.23. It is another in a series of obstetric manuals, but I will focus again on the physical condition of the volume rather than the content of the title itself:
Photo: archive of the Institute ÚVI
The volume nicely demonstrates how the originally green spine with Kaiser Wilhelms-Akademie signatures has fared. In my model, I call this type “green” but it is usually completely faded, as seen in today’s illustration. The distinguishing feature is primarily the lettering and the format of the label, not the current shade.
To give you an idea of the original colour, I am adding a comparison with less faded examples of spine labels. In the upper right corner, a clear transition is visible, where the material on the spine has almost completely faded due to UV radiation, while, most of the label on the front and back cover remains in better condition. Residue of the colour is clearly visible there. In the lower right corner, we have a photograph of the hidden unfaded sticker from the spine, which remained concealed inside the newer book binding. Thanks to this, the label has remained closest to its original appearance.
Markéta Ivánková, December 23rd, 2023
