Many volumes in the special collections bear interesting bindings in a variety of materials. These give an insight into the history of each book, perhaps providing an indication as to when, where, and even by whom, an item was bound, and possibly also who it might have been owned by. The following is a, by no means exhaustive, selection of some of the more interesting bindings in the collections arranged by the type of material used in their construction, and the type of decoration applied to that material.
If you would like to see any of the early printed books or manuscripts mentioned in the index, please contact the Special Collections Librarian (tel. 01223-339393).
Calfskin - Blind-tooled
- 15th c. English blind-stamped calf (Scales Binder; with scored rebus of William Langton).
- 15th c. English blind-stamped calf (Scales Binder).
- 15th c. German blind-stamped calf (Nuremberg, for Anton Koberger, with title).
- 15th c. English blind-stamped calf (ornaments owned by the Floral Binder).
- 15th/16th c. English blind-stamped calf (panel stamps - Oldham, RO.11 & REL.13, unique example).
- 16th c. English blind-stamped calf (panel stamps - Oldham, HE.3 & HE.4).
- 16th c. blind-stamped calf (panel stamps - acorn design & four saints).
- 16th c. English blind-stamped calf (panel stamps - Oldham, HE.26 & RO.21, by John Reynes?).
- 16th c. English blind-stamped calf (panel stamps - Oldham, BIB.16 & BIB.1, by Andrew Ruwe).
- 16th c. English blind-stamped calf (rolls of Garret Godfrey - Oldham, AN.f1 & DI.a1).
- 16th c. English blind-stamped calf (rolls of Nicholas Spierinck - Oldham, AN.f2 & DI.a2).
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Calfskin - Gold-tooled
Morocco
Pigskin
Vellum
Textile
Other binding materials
Book furniture
Fore-edge decoration
