Information on binding and covering books in period styles.
NOTE: See also the files: early-books-msg, calligraphy-msg, parchment-msg, pasteboard-msg, gold-leaf-msg, leather-msg, lea-tooling-msg.
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NOTICE -
This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.
This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.
The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.
Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).
Thank you,
Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: Shannon Ward <ecpsw at tiger.coe.missouri.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Looking for Book Binder
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 07:41:35 -0700
Organization: University of Missouri
> I am looking at purchasing a book for our Canton, Eoforwic. Preferably,
> it would be 15 - 20 leaves (approx. 8.5" x 11") of parchment and bound
> in leather.
> I would need the book delivered by June 1, 1997. Due to the nature of
> the book, the quality must be high.
Check out Legacy Art & Book Works in Columbia, MO:
http://www.legacyart.com../legacy_about.html
It is owned by James Downey, a book binder and conservationist who
is also known as Duke Shadan of Calontir.
Tatiana Dieugarde
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 1997 14:53:24 +1000
From: rmcgrath at nfsa.gov.au
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Bookmaking
Apparently Martin Levey (as cited in my previous post) has also written a
book entitled "Medieval Arabic Bookmaking", which includes work on recipes
using botanicals for inks and glues, methods of tanning, and the
manufacture of paper. I have no other details here, but presume that it
was published prior to 1973, and possibly by the same publisher (EJ Brill).
Rakhel Petrovna
Lochac
Subject: [Regia-US] Bookbinding
Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 11:25:57 -0500
From: "Jim Graham" <jmg0612 at labs.tamu.edu>
To: <list-regia-us at netword.com>
Not sure if I'm the only bibliophile out there, but I've just struck
the mother-load and had to share it with someone! I recently picked
up a copy of The Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding by J. A.
Szirmai. If anyone is at all interested in learning period binding
techniques, this book is the bible. It's more than a bit pricey
($189), but if your library doesn't have it, they can likely get it
through inter-library loan. This is by far the best research I have
seen on medieval bookbinding. Dr. Szirmai has an extensive chapter on
Carolingian bookbinding (in the bookbinding world, our period of
interest is Carolingian), with enough details, explanations, and
documentation to reproduce the binding techniques. He even provides
histograms of board thicknesses! Once I finish up the sketchbook I'm
doing for a friend, I'll be binding a copy of the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicles in Carolingian style. I can't wait!
Any other bookbinders out there?
Jim
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 16:53:55 -0500
From: rmhowe <MMagnusM at bellsouth.net>
To: "- Stephan's Florilegium" <stefan at texas.net>,
- Authenticity List <authenticity at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Book stamps / boat models / Pilgrim Ampullae from Dublin
Wallace, Patrick F.(Ed.): Miscellanea 1: Medieval Dublin Excavations
1962-81, National Museum of Ireland, 48pp PB Royal Irish
Academy, Dublin, 1988 PB ISBN 0901714712, HB ISBN 0901714712.
$13.49 in paperback from Amazon.com.
The first section is a Bibliography of Dublin 840-1300
listing all articles. About 5 pages of solid bibliography
by Patrick Wallace.
The second section is A 'Winchester-style' Bronze Mount
by Andrew Halpin. This depicts four differnt mounts. Similar
ones are thought to possibly have been sword pommels. This
one is highly carved in an animalistic romanesque style and
is thought to have been a ceremonial staff end of some type.
(Although to me it looks like the animals would have been
upside down in context). 10 C. English Import. Two inches
wide by about 5/8" thick. Shown actual size in three
orthographic drawings, and one photo.
The third section if Ship Graffiti and Models by Arne-Emil
Christianson. This one looks like fun, it has a number of
graffiti of early ships including a horned dragon head ship
and some obvious toys and models. Both carved models and real
boats are illustrated. Also a Birka coin and a wooden gaming
piece from High Street which is rather like a checker piece.
25 illus. Bibliography.
The fourth section is Romanesque bookbinding fragments
by Joseph McDonnell and has a number of book stamp styles
illustrated. Not the actual punches but the impressions of
them. This kind of illustration is fairly rare. The leather
bits and the six different stamp designs used are depicted.
A palmette, a repeating palmette, a lobe shaped dragon, a dove
without a nimbus enclosed in a palmette frame, an Ostrich?,
and a boar.
The last section if Pilgrim Souvenirs by Brian Spencer
which consists of quite a number of differently shaped
Ampullae. Ten illustrations and about 40 citations in the
bibliography.
Magnus Malleus, OL, Atlantia, GDH / R.M.Howe
..........
***Not to be forewared to SCA-Universitas or any open Newsgroups,
especially the Rialto. Closed email lists of the SCA or reenactor
community are fine.
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 01:44:12 -0500
From: rmhowe <MMagnusM at bellsouth.net>
To: - Medieval Leather List <medieval-leather at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Further Period Bookbinding Articles
Some book citations on Medieval Bookbinding I got from Jim Graham
who's also on the Regia Anglorum - North America list.
(via tom at netword.com if you are interested in joining such things)
This was in return for my postings on the Fulda Bookbinding
and the Dublin Miscellanea 1 bookstamps article. He's in the
process of building a period cover. I'm sure someone out there
wants this stuff. You give, you get. Everybody wins.
I'm a sift. Go figure. ;)
Magnus
Christ, K. (1937): "Karolingische Bibliothekseinbande". in (LEYH, GEORG)
Festschrift Georg Leyh. Aufsätze zum Bibliothekswesen und zur
Forschungsgeschichte dargebracht zum 60. Geburtstage am 6. Juni
1937 von Freunden und Fachgenossen. Leipzig 1937. 4to. Illustrert.
pp. 82-104. "Christ discusses leather-stamping technique and
it's application to cover decoration in a number of Carolingian
(read: Saxon/Viking Age) bindings (mostly Continental). Provides
line-drawings of 20 stamped impressions, including some knotwork,
circles, and animals." In German.
Vezin, J. (1989). Le decor des reiures de cuir pendant le haut Moyen Age.
_Bulletin_du_Bibliophile_ , Vol 1 pp. 16-33.
"Has some great photos of 6 different stamped leather bindings
(mostly German, one French) from the 8th to 10th centuries.
Provides a discussion (or so my French-speaking friends tell me)
of blocking stamp-work through this time period, and provides
evidence (though not direct) that this technique was used
through the 11th century (again, like the pouches, this seems
to be a case where the technique was used just prior to and
just preceding the 11th century, but no surviving 11th century
evidence has been found - I'm relying on the translation of a
friend, so I'm not sure how eloquent his arguement is). While
the examples deal mainly with Continental bindings, paralells
are drawn between the examples and the Stonyhurst Gospel, and
he discusses Anglo-Saxon design in some detail."
From: rmhowe <MMagnusM at bellsouth.net>
Date: April 26, 2004 11:02:04 PM CDT
To: - Authenticity List <authenticity at yahoogroups.com>, - Medieval Leather List <medieval-leather at yahoogroups.com>, - Medieval Sawdust <medievalsawdust at yahoogroups.com>, - Regia Anglorum - North America <list-regia-na at lig.net>, - BARONY of WINDMASTERS' HILL <keep at windmastershill.org>, - Authenticity List <authenticity at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Some unusual bindings
SCROLL COVER :
http://www.kb.dk/elib/mss/treasures/bogbind/nks_298d.htm 4/04
Photos of a 1490's girdle book.
http://www.kb.dk/elib/mss/treasures/bogbind/rostgaard_6.htm 4/04
Magnus
From: "merouda_ at _gmail.com" <merouda at gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Period book cushions
Date: 31 Mar 2005 11:54:26 -0800
Greetings from the humble scribe Merouda Pendray.
Gentles, I'm looking for information on book cushions. For those who
are not familar with them, they are devices used to protect books with
extremely elaborate bindings. Some period bindings include protruding
gems and so forth; the book cushion prtocets the binding both in use
and in storage.
The earliest example I have been able to find online dates from
1630-1650, in the fabled "gray area." (go to http://images.vam.ac.uk/
and search for museum number T.53-1978 to see it yourself.)
I'm looking for earlier evidence, pictures and/or text mentions. Can
any one help me?
Many thanks, your servant, Merouda
From: georg <thegeorg at stny.rr.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period book cushions
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 20:26:21 GMT
merouda_ at _gmail.com wrote:
> Greetings from the humble scribe Merouda Pendray.
>
> Gentles, I'm looking for information on book cushions. For those who
> are not familiar with them, they are devices used to protect books with
> extremely elaborate bindings. Some period bindings include protruding
> gems and so forth; the book cushion protects the binding both in use
> and in storage.
>
> The earliest example I have been able to find online dates from
> 1630-1650, in the fabled "gray area." (go to http://images.vam.ac.uk/
> and search for museum number T.53-1978 to see it yourself.)
>
> I'm looking for earlier evidence, pictures and/or text mentions. Can
> any one help me?
>
> Many thanks, your servant, Merouda
It's not a cushion, but the Armenians always held their gospels with a
scarf- they did not touch the books directly, as the books were
considered Holy. I have seen pictures. I can dig and find if you wish
citations.
-georg
From: "Sabine" <woodwindy at gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period book cushions
Date: 1 Apr 2005 22:28:05 -0800
You may want to look at illuminations of the Annunciation, as Mary is
often depicted reading in those images. Other good sources would be
Books of Hours commissioned for nobles, as they sometimes include
scenes of the patrons reading from prayerbooks.
If you look at <http://e3.uci.edu/faculty/losh/pubs/Angel.htm>;, the
pictures include both opened chemise bindings acting like the book
scarves georg mentioned, and also at least one cushion (figure 9).
Your servant and that of the East,
Sabine de Kerbriant
<the end>