Boutiette's Antiquarian Books - Rare Leather Bound Books and Private Collections

types of bindings

amorial binding

A binding adorned with the coat of arms, usually in gilt, of a previous owner (either the original or a subsequent owner). The term also includes bookplates incorporating the owner’s arms. It also describes armorial decorated books.

american binding

battershell designed binding

This is not about the binding but the historical significance of a letter or document tipped in and bound to a binding. It usually pertains to the author of the book or someone significant that owned it. This is not the same as something that was flat-signed inside of a binding.

bradel binding

A temporary binding with uncut edges. The spine is usually of linen or leather.

buckram binding

A hard-wearing waxed cloth binding.

brass and leather

brass and lined binding

binding with tipped in letter

binding with flat signature

This is a binding where the author, significant owner, publisher, or artist signed the actual pages of the book and not a loose paper that was tipped in later.

brass rimmed binding

An English style binding. Features two different colors of brown leather which are created by using an acid wash on the leather in order to leave a rectangular panel surrounded by a leather frame.

bronze and velvet binding

Books with an inset or a stamped cameo, coin, or artifact on the covers or inside covers.

bronze priest binding

Bindings decorated with cathedrals or Gothic architecture.

burl binding

cameo binding

Books with an inset or a stamped cameo, coin, or artifact on the covers or inside covers.

cathedral binding

Bindings decorated with cathedrals or Gothic architecture.

cambrdige binding

An English style binding. Features two different colors of brown leather which are created by using an acid wash on the leather in order to leave a rectangular panel surrounded by a leather frame.

cartouche binding

Book covers that are enameled. Designs were cut in thin sheets of gold or copper, and the area between these thin sheets and the wooden boards were filled with enamel. Made mostly in the thirteenth century, although copied in the 1800s.

champleve binding

cedric chivers relievo binding

calf binding

celluloid binding

cosway binding

Cosway bindings first appeared in the twentieth century. These bindings, usually made of Moroccan leather, were adorned with hand-painted ivory or porcelain miniatures inset on the book boards. The ivory could appear on the inside or outside of the boards and were protected by a sheet of glass covering the ivory. J. H. Stonehouse developed a series of designs and then commissioned the Riviere bindery to produce some fine bindings with these designs. In the early 1900s, C. B. Currie designed miniature paintings resembling the style and use of.

chariot binding

Boutiette's Antiquarian Books - Rarelibraries

cherub binding

coat of arms binding

contemporary binding

crushed levant binding

custom wood box to protect a binding

diced binding

ebony binding

emblematic binding

embroidered binding

Bindings covered with velvet, silk, or canvas that have designs which were done in gold or silver thread and colored silks. Sometimes they even had pearls or sequins. The earliest known English embroidered cover is from the thirteenth cen-tury. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, embroidered bindings became popular in England, especially bindings under the Tudors and Stuarts. They were also known as needlework bindings or textile bindings.

embossed binding

Covers of leather which before being attached to the book had a design impressed on the sides and the spine — a process called bas-relief. It was done with a heated dye and a counter dye. Many European publishers of Bibles and prayer books began using these bindings. Embossed bindings in Morocco became very popular.

etruscan binding

These were decorated with pat-terns of Etruscan vases and other classical ornaments, usually from calf skin. Panels on each cover are encased by borders of various classical designs. This was perfect-ed by William Edwards of Halifax in the 1700s. The method was to brush acid on the calf skin, thus burning the design into the leather.

enameled ebony & silver

etched binding

fan geometrical binding

flame stitch binding

fleur de lys binding

floral binding

folio sized binding

footed binding

full dyed binding

fore edge painting

The fore edge is the edge of the book, opposite the spine. A fore edge binding has a hand-painted painting or design drawn on this edge. They are extremely popular and quite expensive. These books have become very rare since there were not very many of them made. Original examples are hard to find, and there are thousands of reproductions that have flooded the market. Most of these fore edge reproductions are being produced on old books. Even these fore edge books have value. However, the older fore edge books are worth between $400 and $10,000 each. Under the book term section, please look at two definitions entitled “Edwards of Halifax” and “Fore Edge Paintings” for more information on fore edge books.

gauffered edge

geometrical binding

gilt ruled covers

gilt to death binding

hand painted pages

high relief binding

high relief embossed

highly gilt binding

highly gilt embossed

incunabula – before 1500

inlay and onlay binding

inlayed binding

inlayed dentelles

ivory binding

inserted map

ivory inset with jewels

ivory, brass, bronze binding

kelliegram binding

leather doublure

malachite style binding

moroccan binding

jeweled bindings

Examples of these bindings by Sangorski & Sutcliffe or Riviere are rare and command large prices. Some took an artist as long as 13 months to make and generally are “one of a kind.” They are original, as usually just one was commissioned or produced. Bindings sometimes were of gold, silver, or silver gilt that were encrusted with semi-precious stones, many times surrounded by an ivory plaque. They date back as far as the seventh century. These bindings became more available in the twentieth century. Binders such as Sangorski and Sutcliffe made jewel bindings where the jewels were set in metal cups with small base plates. The plates were pasted to the mill board, the bases being hidden by the leather of the cover which was cut so that only the jewel and the rim of its cup could be seen. Several examples of these twentieth century bindings are available online with www.abebooks.com, and are listed between $10,000 to 575,000.

mother of pearl tooled-in

mother of pearl bindings

mother of pearl & abalone

custom made bindings

onlay bindings

onlay miniature binding

padded binding

paneled binding

pictorially stamped binding

papier mache bindings

A grayish substance made from paper pulp. When hardened it could be used in forming boards for bookbinding. Even though it is a French sounding name, papier mache was not made in France until the mid seventeenth century. Papier mache actually originates from China. They used it to make helmets, which they toughened by many layers of lacquer. Papier mache is French for “chewed paper.” Famous English bookmaker John Baskerville, well known for his fine quality books, began to copy the lacquered pieces from Japan in 1740. His assistant, Henry Clay, invented a way to produce papier mache so strong that it was equally as durable as wood and began using it for bookbinding.

mottled “tiger paw” calf

mottled bindings

multi colored panels

porcelain hand painted & velvet

porcelain inset and jeweled

purple moroccan binding

prize bindings

publishers calf

relievo bindings

reticulated brass binding

riviere morocco onlay

signed binding

silk doublures

silk embroidered binding

silver and velvet binding

silver cornered binding

silver repousse

spattered tree calf

mixed snakeskin binding

python snakeskin binding

rattlesnake skin binding

speckled binding

spider web gilt design

steel engraving

style of thomas paine

suede binding

signed letter tipped in

fern sycamore wood

sycamore wood binding

sycamore hand painted

tartan binding

tear drop binding

terracotta medallions

tree calf bindings

A calf binding that has the boards stained by mixing copperas and pearl ash to a design of a tree or tree trunk. Used in books printed in the late 1700s, to resemble veneer of furniture or roots. Popular from 1840 to 1925.