Tudor Binding
This is a family history which I bound in full leather on oak boards with heavy raised bands, and blind tooled in the style of a binding of around 1500. The pages of the book are folded sections of manuscript vellom which I sewed onto heavy cords in a sewing frame. I had brass clasps made for this job as it was going to be filled with gilt illuminations, and would therefore benefit from being held clamped shut. I kept a record of some of the processes involved in the binding.
Click on an image below to see a bigger version.
Folded sections sewn on frame.
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Folded sections sewn on frame.
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Double headbands sewn.
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Heavy raised cords.
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Oak boards roughly cut to size.
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Boards shaped, groove cut to locate cords.
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Detail of corner of board, shaped.
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Tudor Binding 8
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Spined lined between thinned cords
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Boards attached to book and pegged
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Detail of oak pegs
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Clamped in position while drying
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After drying.
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Detail showing pegs and cords cut flush with board
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Leather stained and edge pared
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Leather thined with spokeshave.
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Raised bands bound with cord while leather drys
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Raised bands bound with cord while leather dries
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Endpapers ready to be laid down open.
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Endpapers ready to be laid down open.
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Handmade brass clasps.
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Handmade brass clasp
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Brass clasps being made.
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Blind tooling of spine.
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Spine after blind tooling.
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Front of finished book, tooled in blind in style of 16th century binding.
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Back of finished book, tooled in blind in style of 16th century binding.
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Front of finished book, tooled
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