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Beschreibung

An extravagantly illustrated history of the development of bookbindings, from antiquity to modern day.

Bindings have been an essential--and often beautiful--component of books since the codex form was invented 2,000 years ago. They make books work, but they also provide an opportunity for binders to display their skills. Until book trade processes were industrialized in the nineteenth century, every binding was a unique handcrafted object, no matter how simple or elaborate. Bindings have been made of all kinds of materials--calfskin, parchment, vellum, ivory, even silver--and embellished using many different techniques to satisfy the wishes of owners, ranging from students to kings. How they were produced and decorated has evolved, and many countries have their own distinctive traditions. Bindings may testify to the taste and social status of wealthy connoisseurs, or to the economic necessities of ordinary households. Because they can often be dated and localized, they also give us information about the histories of individual volumes.

This lavishly illustrated book provides a fascinating history of the development of bookbindings from Roman times to the present day. Almost all the examples are chosen from the shelves of the Bodleian Library, showcasing the outstanding collection of historic bindings to be found there.

An extravagantly illustrated history of the development of bookbindings, from antiquity to modern day.

Bindings have been an essential--and often beautiful--component of books since the codex form was invented 2,000 years ago. They make books work, but they also provide an opportunity for binders to display their skills. Until book trade processes were industrialized in the nineteenth century, every binding was a unique handcrafted object, no matter how simple or elaborate. Bindings have been made of all kinds of materials--calfskin, parchment, vellum, ivory, even silver--and embellished using many different techniques to satisfy the wishes of owners, ranging from students to kings. How they were produced and decorated has evolved, and many countries have their own distinctive traditions. Bindings may testify to the taste and social status of wealthy connoisseurs, or to the economic necessities of ordinary households. Because they can often be dated and localized, they also give us information about the histories of individual volumes.

This lavishly illustrated book provides a fascinating history of the development of bookbindings from Roman times to the present day. Almost all the examples are chosen from the shelves of the Bodleian Library, showcasing the outstanding collection of historic bindings to be found there.

Über den Autor
David Pearson is a leading authority on the history of books. His previous books include Provenance Research in Book History and Speaking Volumes: Books with Histories, both also published by Bodleian Library Publishing.
Details
Erscheinungsjahr: 2026
Genre: Geschichte, Importe
Rubrik: Geisteswissenschaften
Medium: Buch
Inhalt: Einband - fest (Hardcover)
ISBN-13: 9781851246458
ISBN-10: 1851246452
Sprache: Englisch
Einband: Gebunden
Autor: Pearson, David
Hersteller: Bodleian Library
Verantwortliche Person für die EU: Libri GmbH, Europaallee 1, D-36244 Bad Hersfeld, gpsr@libri.de
Maße: 266 x 249 x 30 mm
Von/Mit: David Pearson
Erscheinungsdatum: 28.05.2026
Gewicht: 1,565 kg
Artikel-ID: 135582539