Browse Items (259 total)

The binding of this work has been elaborately blind-stamped with a number of decorative tools. Note the manuscript waste visible at the top of the spine; again, materials were reused wherever possible to add in the binding process, especially in…

This binding in blonde calfskin, with hand-tooled motifs generated by many decorative finishing tools, is an example of “fanfare” binding. A “frame” is generated by a series of straight lines tooled into the leather, while the covers are completely…

This book is a post incunabula and was printed in 1512. It shows with more abundance, almost exaggeration, the use of printed ornamental initials of different sizes and formats.

This image displays yet another example of a register of signatures, with the colophon appearing just be- low. Here we see the beauty and finesse of printed text as realised by Aldus Manutius, The italic font, the spacing of characters and the…

The binding seen here is characteristic of the style of leather bindings where the calf leather is manipulated to give it texture. In this example, the leather is stained with drops of diluted acid to give the binding a mottled look. There are a…

The motif used here is an example of marbled paper with a small comb. The comb consists of a wooden stick with small metal spikes inserted into it. The smallness of the comb makes it possible to make turnstiles, which gives this particular…

This first example is that of what is termed an “armorial binding”, where the coat of arms of an aristocratic family will serve to indicate ownership on a book’s binding. Such bindings are executed with exquisite care and a family’s arms are tooled…

A laced-case binding in limp parchment with no support of boards; this was likely a temporary binding. The "laces" that are visible through the cover are actually slips or supports that are sewn into the spine to support the text block. The fact that…

Printed by Sebastian Gryphius in 1547, this item is an example demonstrating a binding repair in which the owner took special care to retain as many elements of the original binding as possible.

This printed ex-libris, attached to the “von Ende” family of Altjessnitz, Germany, appears on the interior pastedown of this book. It serves to remind us that the ex-libris was also considered an art form during certain eras for bibliophiles, who…