Bookbindings in the British Library
The British Library contains a wide range of fine and historic bookbindings; however, books in the Library are organised primarily by subject rather than by binding so the Library has produced a guide to enable researchers to identity bindings of interest.[1] The collection includes the oldest intact Western bookbinding, the leather binding of the 7th century St Cuthbert Gospel.
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Some gifts by, or purchases from, collectors of bindings are registered and kept together.[2] A small number of bindings are always displayed in the Ritblat Gallery at the St Pancras site in London, and others can be examined in the reading rooms. There is also a display of the stamps and tools used for the books of George III near the entrance to the Conservation Centre.
See also
References
- Bookbindings in the British Library - Introduction British Library, 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
- BL page on the special collections
Further reading
- Marks, P.J.M. (2011) Beautiful bookbindings: a thousand years of the bookbinder's art. London: British Library. ISBN 978-0-7123-5823-1
- Marks, P.J.M. (1998) The British Library guide to bookbinding: history and techniques. London: British Library. ISBN 978-0-7123-4582-8