@DunwichType How much would it cost to buy copies in really good shape?
Also: if these are type specimen books that you want to do scans on...having the spine already busted saves you from later worry/guilt/responsibility regarding the spine when you want to make it perfectly flat for scanning! Consider this a “win”!
And/or do all your scanning up front, and only then do the re-binding!
@tphinney the problem with getting them in good shape isn’t price, it’s getting them at all. Tagore in Dutch is a rarity on eBay. (I only buy Tagore on eBay because I don’t trust a listing without multiple good photos. I’ve been burned too many times.)
I don’t buy vintage type specimens at all anymore. I lost interest in the whole type specimen thing. The only specimen I’ve bought years was Rian Hughes’ latest kickstarter.
Dunwich Type Founders
Thomas Phinney