Friday, February 22, 2013

Treasures in the stacks--"tepee binding"

I love running across little gems when I am working in the stacks. Just like week, a patron came in to use Giles Jacob's Law Grammar (Savoy, 1754), and I was reminded of this fascinating book, donated to BC Law by the late Kitty Preyer. Notice how the leather was attached to the boards of the book by an eye-catching pattern of criss-crossing laces and copious loops and knots. It might not be the prettiest example of bookbinding, but it's certainly a fun one! Because of the noticeable triangular shape, the donor and curator at the time dubbed this 'tepee binding,' which I think perfectly describes the unique result.