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Saw a museum display of a 17th century binding and the materials were a total shock
I was at the British Library last month looking at their rare books exhibit. They had a French devotional text from the 1690s open to show the binding. The cover was made with what looked like thin, tanned animal skin over wooden boards, but the real surprise was the sewing supports. They used thick, hand-twisted cords that were clearly linen, not the hemp I expected for that period. The way they'd recessed them into the boards was so precise it made modern case bindings look sloppy. Has anyone else seen historical examples that changed how you think about your own technique?
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sullivan.abby16d ago
That bit about the sewing supports reminds me of a friend who saw something similar.
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