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After allowing this volume to passively grace my music stand for several years, I decided it would be better appreciated by a pianist friend of mine, and so restored it to a usable state. The textblock was coming loose at the signatures and was almost completely separated from its case. I repaired the signatures, resewed and lined the textblock, then refit the textblock into the original case after lightly treating the spine leather to quell disintegration at the head and heel.
 Completed repair. While the textblock was being repaired, the spine leather was lined with kozo paper on the inside and powdery areas were treated with Klucel G to prevent further deterioration. 
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In lieu of my latest restoration project (which should be completed in the next few weeks), I can't help but flaunt the newest (and, ironically, the oldest!) addition to my personal library: a second-edition printing of Samuel Johnson's first dictionary of the English language, published in two volumes in 1756. My copy is volume two, 'L-Z'.  Title page showing areas of loss and previous owners' inscriptions from 1811, 1894, 1899, and 1937. It came to me in a very sorry state: most of the original cover is gone, with only the laced-in back board still attached to the textblock, although the sewing itself is in great shape. I also noticed a tiny knot of red and gold silk threads sticking out of spine edge, which might be a clue as to what the original sewn endbands looked like.
 Red and gold thread knot, possibly left over from the original sewn endbands.
 New bookcloth toned to match the original. Since this piece is only visible at the hinges, that's the color I aimed to match.
 
 Detail of the worn, broken sewing.  Given the state of disrepair, the rest of the sewing was removed so that pages could be repaired and new, stronger sewing could be added.
 The stack of completely repaired and re-punched signatures.
 
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