Fine Bindings

Part of what makes antiquarian books so collectible are their fine and delicate bindings, and the tradition of book binding has come a long way since the clay tablets and palm fronds of the ancient world. After binders moved from clay and palm leaves, they began binding sheets of vellum, or calf skin. The sheets were bound with wooden boards and then connected with strips of leather. As the art of bookbinding became much more accepted, certain binders began to attach precious gemstones and metals in the bindings themselves. Although many of these books were destroyed because looters wanted to steal the gems, there are still a few books that remain with these rare and unique bindings. Of course, there are other types of fine bindings as well. Long-stitch bookbinding can still be found today in many types of journals. Long-stitch bindings feature the sewing together of sections of a book. It originated in Germany in the medieval era and has been used ever since. Similarly, Ethiopian bookbinding features a chain-stitch sewing method that uses two needles. Interestingly, though the covers were the typical wooden boards, they were left uncovered and often unadorned. Books with fine bindings are themselves works of art, and they bring added value and color to any collection. Whether book collectors choose to focus on one type of binding or whether they wish to embrace the wide diversity of bindings, any of these books would greatly enhance their collection.