PJM Marks.
Beautiful Bookbindings, A Thousand Years of the Bookbinder’s Art. New Castle & London : Oak Knoll Press & The British Library 2011. ISBN 9781584562931. 190 pp. $49.95.
Reviewed by Beth Doyle
Beautiful Bookbindings is a collection of bindings selected by the staff of
the British Library primarily to “please the eye.”[1] The introduction
includes a brief history of the book, illustrations of book anatomy and explanations
of the economic and design influences that changed the way books were made over
the centuries. The bindings are presented chronologically in six chapters starting
with pre-16th Century and continue through the 20th Century. Additionally there
are several “special themes” that highlight furniture, embroidered
bindings, painted edges, and other notable binding details.
The history of bookbinding is a vast and complicated one that spans the globe
through many centuries.
Beautiful Bookbindings focuses primarily on the Western
tradition although the author does acknowledge, and the book briefly highlights,
bindings from non-European geographies. There are prime examples of Persian
lacquer bindings [2] , Indian pothi [3] , Chinese red lacquer bindings [4] , and traditional
North African bindings [5] that give the reader at least a minimal understanding
of what books from non-European countries might look like.
Each binding is accompanied by a short text describing what makes it special,
how a specific binding was produced, or who may have commissioned or used such
a book. It highlights well-known designers and artisans including William Morris [6]
, Francis Sangorski [7] , Philip Smith [8] and Alice Morse [9] but also shows work from
lesser-known binders. Many of the early bindings represented here are Christian
texts and the author accurately describes the religious symbols found on the
covers, something that is remarkably missed in many publications. But you would
expect this level of breadth and accuracy from a British Library publication.
The bibliographic notes on each page are sparse, listing only the place of
publication, size and a brief citation with more descriptive titles and footnotes
listed by page number at the back of the book. Be sure to place a bookmark at
the “Notes and Further Reading” section so you can flip back and
forth to figure out exactly what you are looking at. It may also be helpful
to have the British Library’s online catalog open if you are interested
in finding additional bibliographic information.
When presenting artwork or fine craft it is important that the design and production
aids the close study of the subject. Each binding in this book is expertly and
beautifully photographed and presented in a way that you can clearly see very
fine details. The explanatory text, however, is fairly small so grab your reading
glasses if you want to do more than simply look at the pictures. The binding
itself is made with a high quality paper and sewn, not adhesive bound, so it
should hold up to many readings.
By the author’s own admission, beauty is an individual assessment, “but
who can deny the visual and tactile appeal of a beautifully bound book?” [10]
If you are interested in the history of the book, or if you simply love exquisitely
made objects that are beautifully presented, you won’t be disappointed
with this purchase.
Beth Doyle is the Head of Conservation Services Department at Duke University
Libraries. She holds a B.A. in Photography from the University of Dayton, and
an MLIS and Certificate of Advanced Study in Library and Archives Conservation
from the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School of Library and Information
Science.
[1] introduction (pg. 17)
[2] pg. 65
[3] pg. 23
[4] pg. 96
[5] pg. 24
[6] pg. 141
[7] pg. 154
[8] pg. 178
[9] pg. 144
[10] introduction (pg. 8)
