Bindings and Binders

Armorial Bindings |  Signed Bindings |  Binding Designers |  Binding Styles

Introduction

The Beinecke Library makes notes and tracings for armorial bindings, "signed" bindings, binding designers, binding styles, dated bindings, and other binding characteristics such as printed or manuscript waste. See the binding terms section of the form and genre page for a complete list of binding related terms that are always traced. In general Beinecke only records significant examples of binding styles, but certain types such as blind-tooled pigskin bindings are always recorded. Local notes and tracings are made as appropriate. In other situations Beinecke Technical Services will provide instruction when to make notes and/or tracings for bindings.

Armorial bindings

Armorial bindings are bindings embossed with armorial seals or plaques, frequently in a panel, or embroidered bindings in which the arms were raised in relief and worked in thread (cf. Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology).

Notes

Make a local note if a book has an armorial binding. Include the owner's name if known. If the owner's name is unknown, make the general note: unidentified armorial binding. Record a motto if there is one.

Access points

If the name associated with an armorial binding can be identified, make the following tracings:

If the individual can not be identified, then only make the genre/form tracing. Add ‡5 CtY-BR to a 655 field if it relates only to the Beinecke copy.

Examples

"Signed" bindings (including binders' tickets and stamps)

"Signed" bindings are bookbindings that have a name associated with them based on either physical evidence or external evidence of the name of the binder. Several forms of "signatures" have been used over the years, including:

• the initials, cypher, or name of the binder tooled on the outer surface of one of the covers
• a stamped name, mainly on the inside edge of the front cover, but also inside of the back cover, and in modern times, in ink at the edge of one of the endpapers
• binder's ticket
• external evidence such as a note inserted in the book, description of the work in a reference book, correspondence, or a famous style -- Edgar Mansfield, Paul Bonet, etc.

See: Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology.

Notes

Make a 500 or 590 note describing who signed the binding.

Access points

Make a 7XX tracing with the relator term "binder" for the name of the binder. If the signature is either a binder's ticket or a stamp also make the appropriate genre tracing. Add ‡5 CtY-BR to the 7XX and 655 fields if the tracing relates only to the Beinecke copy.

Examples

Binding designers

Make a 500 note and 7XX tracing if the designer of a binding is known. Add the relator term "binding designer" to the end of the 7XX field.

Examples

Binding styles, dated bindings, and other binding characteristics

See the binding terms list for a complete list of binding terms for which notes and tracings are regularly made. Among the most common are notes and tracings for printed or manuscript waste, and both plain and blind-tooled pigskin bindings.

Notes

Make either a local note or a 500 note that describes in more detail the binding style or charcteristic that is being traced.

Access points

Make the appropriate genre tracing with a ‡5 CtY-BR if the tracing relates only to the Beinecke copy.

Examples

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