Alum-tawed thongs

A thong (or cord) that has been alum tawed to make the leather pliable while still durable.

A thong (or cord) that has been alum tawed to make the leather pliable while still durable. Used frequently as a binding support both for hard-bound and soft-bound books. Alum-tawed thongs can also be used to closures on books. Alum-tawed skins may be used for soft covers. G. A. Glaister describes thongs as: "strips of leather to which the sections of a book were sewn, after which the ends of the thongs were laced through holes in the boards and secured on the inner side with wooden pegs or wedges. ..."

    Geoffrey Ashall Glaister. Encyclopedia of the Book, 2nd ed. (New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press; London: The British Library, 1996).