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Charles M. Adams American Trade Binding Collection - Development of Publishers' Bindings

Development of Publishers' Bindings - Part One

The ancestor of the book as we know it today was the ancient manuscript scroll made of either rolled-up parchment skins or strips of papyrus glued or sewn side by side. The later form of "book", the codex, developed during the early Christian era. The folded an sewn leaves of parchment that made up the codex were usually preserved between wooden boards. The method of folding and sewing spread to Medieval Europe to be imitated and refined by the early binders.Since all books were highly prized during this period, protecting them was of outmost importance. Precious volumes were wrapped in leather skins or placed between plain or leather-covered boards. These sturdy, unadorned bindings were strictly utilitarian in nature.

For roughly fifteen centuries following the development of the codex, bookbinding was a completely independent craft. Printers issued their work in sheets or folded gatherings of sheets wrapped in plain paper or covered with stiff paper boards for protection. It was up to the buyers of these printed sheets to engage a bookbinder. This situation remained unchanged until the 18th century. Following the Industrial Revolution dramatic changes came about in the bookmaking industry; altering forever the manner in which books were printed, marketed, and bound.

Part Two of Five

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Text for this article is from the 1987-1988 Report of the Secretary for the Friends of the Library Report published by Walter Clinton Jackson Library, University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

This material may not be reproduced/republished in any format without the expressed permission of Walter Clinton Jackson Library of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

This page maintained by Carolyn Shankle.

Updated October 4, 2002.