Cambridge Bookbindings : A simple, minimally-tooled Cambridge binding of ca.1752-55

Edwards, Timothy.

Cambridge Bookbindings

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>By the middle of the eighteenth century, straightforward leather-covered binding work was typically of very simple design, minimally tooled on the covers, but perhaps with a little decoration on the spine; the “Cambridge panel” design (see <a href='/view/PR-REL-F-00001-B-00011'>Rel.f.1b.11</a>) had largely fallen out of use by 1740. This was made for the University Library in 1755, by an unidentified local workshop.</p><p>Pasteboard, covered with mid-brown sprinkled calfskin, with no impressed decoration on the covers; the spine is simply gilt-tooled, with a contemporary goatskin title label. Red sprinkled leaf edges; narrow gilt roll round board edges; conjugate plain paper flyleaves and pastedowns.</p><p>Dr David Pearson</p></p>