Parables of our Lord (1847) are bound in a black polished calf with blind-stamped design bevelled boards. This publication, with its centre oval gilt title, was bound by James Hayday (1796–1872), who operated in premises at 31 Little Queen Street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. He liked books to lay flat when opened, and to achieve this effect he often sewed the books all along every sheet. To remedy the extra thickness that would be caused by sewing with thread, he used silk. To make the back tight he dispensed with the ordinary backing of paper, and fastened the leather cover down to the back. Hayday became famous for his bindings.]]> ___]]> Parables of our Lord (1847) are bound in a black polished calf with blind-stamped design bevelled boards. This publication, with its centre oval gilt title, was bound by James Hayday (1796–1872), who operated in premises at 31 Little Queen Street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. He liked books to lay flat when opened, and to achieve this effect he often sewed the books all along every sheet. To remedy the extra thickness that would be caused by sewing with thread, he used silk. To make the back tight he dispensed with the ordinary backing of paper, and fastened the leather cover down to the back. Hayday became famous for his bindings.]]> ___]]> Juvenile Forget-Me-Not annual of 1831 was created by Thomas de La Rue, who introduced technical improvements in playing card production in England in the early 1830s. De La Rue (the name is visible lower left) used a fly embossing press, an early version of a blocking press, which was capable of exerting the enormous pressure required to block the covers with engraved plates. The book was actually bound by the firm Francis Westley who, according to the binder’s ticket present, was based at Friar St. near Doctors Commons. Binding annuals was big business for Westley; they often exceeded 15,000 copies per issue.]]> ___]]> Into the Thirties: Style and Design 1927-1934, is echoed in the Art Deco style of the binding. The book is bound in black goatskin and the colour of the sewn endbands mirror the iridescent colours of the paua shell inlaid on the front. The narrow chrome plate, also inlaid on the front, and the graduating curves of the front and back boards are an allusion to the style which was ubiquitous in the 1930s. The binding won joint second prize at the competition with no first prize being awarded.]]> Klaus-Jürgen Sembach]]> Animism Series from 1955. The sculpture was obtained locally and is privately owned.]]> Edgar Mansfield]]> ___]]> Magazine of Science and School of Arts (1840) is plain and ordinary, as befits a mass-produced low-cost title aimed at a growing reading public. However, on closer inspection, the cover has delicate patterns of foliage on both covers and spine which gives an added depth and detail to the design. As technologies improved, numerous patterns such as bead, bubble, criss-cross, honeycomb, and diaper styles evolved that aimed to beautify these more modest publications.]]> ___]]> ___]]> ___]]> ___]]> ___]]> ___]]> ___]]> ___]]> ___]]> Romanum Missale proves the theory that big books survive better than smaller ones, with only the black morocco covers scuffed and slightly damaged. The centrepiece is a gilt double-headed eagle which is a common symbol in heraldry, often associated with the Byzantine and Holy Roman Empires. In this instance, the coat of arms belongs to the Savelli, an old Italian (Roman) noble family, who over centuries produced a number of popes. This book was likely owned by Frabrizio Savelli (1607-1659), an Italian military leader, commander of papal troops and later, a Catholic Cardinal. It has a rounded spine with no raised bands, which suggest that it was later rebound. It was gifted to Special Collections by Willi Fels in 1946.]]> ___]]> Romanum Missale proves the theory that big books survive better than smaller ones, with only the black morocco covers scuffed and slightly damaged. The centrepiece is a gilt double-headed eagle which is a common symbol in heraldry, often associated with the Byzantine and Holy Roman Empires. In this instance, the coat of arms belongs to the Savelli, an old Italian (Roman) noble family, who over centuries produced a number of popes. This book was likely owned by Frabrizio Savelli (1607-1659), an Italian military leader, commander of papal troops and later, a Catholic Cardinal. It has a rounded spine with no raised bands, which suggest that it was later rebound. It was gifted to Special Collections by Willi Fels in 1946.]]> ___]]> Jeremias Drexel]]> Jeremias Drexel]]> A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings carries a fine example of a mottled binding. Mottling is the process of decorating the covers of a book by applying colour or acid (dabs of ferrous sulphate, copperas, or lye (soft soap and soda)) to the leather calf and producing a variegated effect. Ornate gilt decoration runs around the edge of the cover and in each compartment down the spine. The edges have been sprinkled, which was a fashion in the 17th century English bookbinding scene. This book was once owned by Sir Thomas Sebright, the 4th or 5th Baronet, whose bookplate bares the motto: Servare Mentem, ‘To preserve equanimity’. Perhaps Sir Thomas commissioned the binding?]]> Henry More]]> A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings carries a fine example of a mottled binding. Mottling is the process of decorating the covers of a book by applying colour or acid (dabs of ferrous sulphate, copperas, or lye (soft soap and soda)) to the leather calf and producing a variegated effect. Ornate gilt decoration runs around the edge of the cover and in each compartment down the spine. The edges have been sprinkled, which was a fashion in the 17th century English bookbinding scene. This book was once owned by Sir Thomas Sebright, the 4th or 5th Baronet, whose bookplate bares the motto: Servare Mentem, ‘To preserve equanimity’. Perhaps Sir Thomas commissioned the binding?]]> Henry More]]> New Testament may have been done by Mearne, and if so, it may have been one of his last; he died in 1683. Alternatively, it could have been executed by another binder, with the great Mearne overseeing production.]]> Sébastien Castellion]]> Heinrich Roch]]> Heinrich Roch]]> Heinrich Roch]]>