Cambridge Bookbindings : An elaborate gilt-tooled binding from the workshop of Thomas Dawson the younger, ca.1713

Castiglione, Baldassarre conte 1478-1529, Clerke, Bartholomew.

Cambridge Bookbindings

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>The Dawson bindery (see <a href='/view/PR-BURY-00026-00009'>Bury.26.9</a>) continued to be a leading Cambridge workshop into the early decades of the eighteenth century, run after the death of the elder Thomas Dawson in 1708 by his son, also Thomas. This is an example of its best quality work, made for presentation by its author to Thomas Wentworth, a recent graduate of St John’s College who was also the very wealthy heir to a Yorkshire estate (Wentworth Woodhouse), and who went on to become the Marquess of Rockingham. The tool used at the corners of the outer panel is the same one as was used on the rather simpler binding on <a href='/view/PR-BURY-00026-00009'>Bury.26.9</a>.</p><p>Pasteboards, covered with red goatskin, elaborately gilt-tooled on the covers and spine, with a contemporary black goatskin title label. Gilt leaf edges; narrow gilt roll round board edges; marbled paper flyleaves and pastedowns.</p><p>Dr David Pearson</p></p>