{"product_id":"bookbindings-an-illustrated-history-hardcover","title":"Bookbindings: An Illustrated History - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDavid Pearson\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn extravagantly illustrated history of the development of bookbindings, from antiquity to modern day.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Bindings have been an essential--and often beautiful--component of books since the codex form was invented 2,000 years ago. They make books work, but they also provide an opportunity for binders to display their skills. Until book trade processes were industrialized in the nineteenth century, every binding was a unique handcrafted object, no matter how simple or elaborate. Bindings have been made of all kinds of materials--calfskin, parchment, vellum, ivory, even silver--and embellished using many different techniques to satisfy the wishes of owners, ranging from students to kings. How they were produced and decorated has evolved, and many countries have their own distinctive traditions. Bindings may testify to the taste and social status of wealthy connoisseurs, or to the economic necessities of ordinary households. Because they can often be dated and localized, they also give us information about the histories of individual volumes. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e This lavishly illustrated book provides a fascinating history of the development of bookbindings from Roman times to the present day. Almost all the examples are chosen from the shelves of the Bodleian Library, showcasing the outstanding collection of historic bindings to be found there. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDavid Pearson\u003c\/b\u003e is a leading authority on the history of books. His previous books include \u003ci\u003eProvenance Research in Book History\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSpeaking Volumes: Books with Histories, \u003c\/i\u003eboth also published by Bodleian Library Publishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 240\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.1 x 10.2 x 9.7 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e June 02, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48630088040697,"sku":"9781851246458","price":121.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0789\/2782\/3097\/files\/cMnnN3zXGn9781851246458.webp?v=1783067124","url":"https:\/\/bookscloud.io\/products\/bookbindings-an-illustrated-history-hardcover","provider":"BooksCloud Book Dropshipping","version":"1.0","type":"link"}