Book Holder System

Rare books are valuable. They are easily damaged and over handling should be avoided at all cost. However, books are meant to be read but by handling with care, opening carefully and supporting the covers effectively, even fragile books can be enjoyed and preserved for the benefit of future generations.

All books are mechanical objects. They are flexed and manipulated during use but laying a book flat on a surface will apply destructive torque to its spine, causing its structural material to be degraded and weakened.

Gentle yet robust support

The Ramstand book holder plays an important role in protecting such treasures by cradling the mechanical structure and relieving these destructive pressures.

Manufactured from acid-free archival Evazote the Ramstand will cushion and support even the heaviest tomes and will not degrade, discolour or ‘powder’ like polyurethane book pillows.

Its inherent flexibility accommodates uneven board as well as pins and bosses, providing even support over the entire surface.

Multi-component system

The Ramstand comes in three basic
sizes, small, medium and large. It
comprises six components in three
basic shapes:

• A base wedge to present the
  book at a suitable reading
  angle.
• Two side wedges to support
  the covers when the book is
  opened.
• Two rectangular pads give
  the supporting wedges extra
  height to relieve pressure on
  the spine during display.
• A spine support strip to
  prevent spine creasing and
  detachment when a book
  with tight back binding
  (flexible spine) is opened.
  (Common until the end of the
  18th century.)