Browse Items (91 total)

EnglishLike their modern cousins still available today, almanacs contained information necessary for the carrying out of many aspects of everyday life. Their biggest asset was their portability. The item held by Archives and Special Collections is in…

EnglishThe front flyleaf has an elaborate inscription that is quite illegible due to its flamboyant handwriting. We do see the initial sentence “Souvenir de Pierre Grospin, dit le vieux grognard à M. Ballard.” These novellas parodying the…

EnglishThis item has been rebound at least once since its initial binding, this being demonstrated by evidence that the textblock has been cut to fit a newer binding. The current binding is of calf, one which has been dyed green. While it is usually…

EnglishThis work, published in Barcelona at the end of the 16th century, has two 20th century ex-libris labels affixed to its interior cover. These two ex-libris are associated with the same owner, namely Isodoro Fernandez, a Spanish collector and…

EnglishThis item’s binding is of black morocco (goatskin), one of the many colours that this very fine goatskin leather could be dyed with at the time. Its title appears in gilt on the spine, with gilt double borders on its front and back covers and…

EnglishThis is a tree-calf binding, with the tree-like appearance produced by pouring acid over the leather and the binding moved in a specific way to generate the desired pattern. Using a method that requires a high degree of mastery, the pattern is…

EnglishA binding of parchment on cardboard, this binding has had its blind-stamped ornamentations coloured black. Its title has also been handwritten in ink on the spine. Note the demi-lune shape of the textblock’s fore-edge: this is a technique…

EnglishEmbossed on the cover of a fine example of mottled calf, we see as of yet unidentified, elaborate coat of arms, embossed in gold. For those who love enigmas: do not hesitate to inform us of your findings! FrançaisIl s’agit encore d’un exemple…

EnglishThis leather binding sports a large floral ornament blind-tooled into the centre of each cover, with double borders in gilt. Although printed in Madrid, this item contains the stamp of a bookseller in “Habana”. Is this perhaps a Cuban binding.…

EnglishWe see here not one but two ex-libris on the front endpaper. The second owner (or another person entirely) has scraped out the name of his predecessor, which was located below a coat of arms surrounded by the following motto: “Mallem Mori Quam…