Cambridge Bookbindings : A simple blind-tooled Cambridge binding, ca.1620

Aristotle., Goulston, Theodore approximately 1575-1632

Cambridge Bookbindings

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>Many bindings were made in Cambridge during the first few decades of the seventeenth century simply decorated with a few runs of a narrow blind roll round the perimeters, like this. They were often covered in a mottled or heavily sprinkled dark brown calfskin. At this time smooth spines, achieved by recessing the sewing supports into grooves sawn into the back of the textblock, became fashionable, and are likely to be found on bindings of all grades of quality. These are straightforward, workaday bindings, which would have been found on the shelves of many academics of the time.</p><p>Pasteboards, covered with neavily sprinkled brown calfskin, blind-tooled. Smooth spine, with recessed supports, simply blind-tooled; red sprinkled leaf edges; plain paper flyleaves and stubs, with separate plain paper pastedowns.</p><p>Dr David Pearson</p></p>