Cambridge Bookbindings : Nicholas Spierinck binding, ca.1520

Ravisius Textor, Joannes approximately 1480-1524

Cambridge Bookbindings

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>Nicholas Spierinck (d.1545) was, like Garret Godfrey, a Dutch immigrant who came to Cambridge soon after 1500 and became established as one of the leading stationers there, running a successful business selling and binding books. Like Godfrey, he was one of the first generation of University Stationers, appointed in 1534. He too had a small group of rolls which were regularly used in varying combinations on books from his bindery, some of them incorporating his initials NS (as seen here). The diaper/criss-cross roll also used on this binding is very similar to the one used by Godfrey. This is very typical of many large-format bindings produced by Spierinck’s bindery in the 1510s and 20s; the layout of the rolls, with vertical strips within the frame, was a pattern often used in Cambridge.</p><p>Wooden boards covered with mid-brown calfskin, blind-tooled with rolls Oldham AN.f(2) and DI.a(2). Spine repaired, retaining some original leather and the fragments of medieval manuscript used as pastedowns; remains of clasps.</p><p>Dr David Pearson</p></p>