Studies in the History of Bookbinding

This book consists of articles on the history of bookbinding and related subjects, most of which have been published previously in a wide variety of places over the past twelve years. Several articles have been updated and two have been substantially re-written. They have been grouped under seven headings and range from general topics such as bookbinding as a subject for study and the need to preserve the book in all its aspects, to more detailed descriptions of individual bindings (from the fifteenth to the twentieth century), and discussions of binders, the binding trade, collectors and collections. - - The balance is heavily weighted in favour of gold-tooled bindings, showing an early liking for the splendid products of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The more recent articles reflect Mirjam Foot's growing interest in the study of binding structures and binding techniques, and in exploring the relation between the history of bookbinding and that of book production, the booktrade, and - more generally - the history of the book and its place in the history of society at large. - - Written by an acknowledged expert in the field, these articles place bookbinding in a wider historical context and will contribute to a greater understanding and knowledge of the history of bookbinding; they will be invaluable to bibliographers, book collectors, librarians, antiquarian booksellers, art historians, bookbinders and conservators.