From Table to Shelf: American Bookbinding Aesthetics of the Mid-18th Century

1662 Elliot Indian Bible

Lisa Zirbel

​American bookbinding traces its origin to the Eliot Indian Bible, a commissioned work by Englishman John Ratcliff in 1662 (Master 2). The Eliot Indian Biblewas a Holy Bible translated into Algonkian for propagation of the Gospel amongst the Indians of New England (Eliot Indian Bible, Digital Collections).

​The American bookbinding trade was small and highly specialized in its beginnings, comprised of artisans who had learned the craft before immigrating to America (Maser 2). The trade slowly spread until two hubs of production formed, Boston and Philadelphia; New York came in as a distant third (Maser 2). 
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Although Philadelphia and Boston were the largest and most productive locations for binders, other locations soon developed their own unique producers. In Annapolis and Williamsburg, William Parks was the dominant binder from 1726 through 1785 (Maser 4). Francis Skinner was the dominant binder in Newport from 1730 through 1785 (Maser 3-4). These binderies, single family operations, were unusual for being so highly skilled despite being removed from the concentration of binderies in the cities. This separation is obvious in the analysis of the books these binderies produced which, although crafted impeccably, were removed from the fashions and trends of the time and often reflected the personal aesthetic preferences of the binders (Maser 3-4). There was also a small bindery in Charleston, a satellite operation of Benjamin Franklin (Maser 5). 

The stylistic characteristics of early American bound books included sheepskin covers, tooled boards, and plain spines. It is important to note that this comparative plainness was not due to lack of skill but to the styles and trends of the time (Maser 4). An important stylistic characteristic was tooling, “any decorative work done with a tool, esp a design stamped onto a book cover,” says the Collins dictionary. “Blind” Tooling, or tooling with relief embossment and no color gave way to gold tooling. The first appearance of gold tool was in 1737 (Maser 6). The first tooled title appearance in Philadelphia in 1744 from binder Joseph Goodwin (Maser 3-4). 
 

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1787 Johnson's Works, Author: Samuel Johnson Printed for J. Buckland

In the mid 1700s, books became both more economical and more popular. This caused the movement of books from tables to shelves, upright, and with spines out (Maser 8). In the years between 1750 and 1760, a transition was made between books being a part of small libraries, often with few books stacked on tables, chests or shelves with their fore-edges (pages) visible, to large libraries, whose number of books necessitated the quick identification of a number of books (Maser 8). The trend was reflected in the bindings. 

1863 Big Game Hunting India Travel Expedition Native Wild Sport Bookplate

Prior to 1750, books displayed decorated boards and plain spines. After the transition, bindings were decorated on the spines and plain boards were hidden amongst its shelved companions. After this point, the Industrial Revolution makes the process faster and more economic, however, it removes a large portion of the handmade aspects (Maser 19). In the 19th century, books become highly decorated with such things as acid staining and “sprinkling” (Crane 47).  Techniques such as “rose paper doubleves” and “border gauffering” come into vogue (Maser 28). Colored, glossy and marble end papers soon follow. Mechanized stamping heralds intricate and complicated designs on the front and back covers (Maser 29-30). By 1850, experimental Victorian binding launches a style epitomize by highly decorated, highly unique and, often garish, bindings (Maser 19-32). 
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As is the case with many traditions, popularity, industrialization, and mass production reaches a wider audience but at the cost of personalized craftsmanship.  
 

Bibilography
 
Burdett, Eric. The Craft of Bookbinding: A Practical Handbook. Vancouver: David and Charles Limited, 1975. Print.
 
Crane, W.I.E. Bookbinding for Amateurs: Being Descriptions of the Various Tools and Appliances Required. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1903. Print.
 
E Walker et. AL, The Art of Book-Binding, Its Rise and Progress;A Descriptive Account of the New York Book-Bindery. New York: E. Walker and Sons, 1850. Print.
 
“Eliot Indian Bible.” Digital Collections at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, UIUC Rare Book & Special Collections Library, 18 Feb. 2002, digital.library.illinois.edu/items/d9031410-0d93-0135-23f6-0050569601ca-6#?cv=0&r=0&xywh=-473%2C1968%2C2393%2C1355.
 
How Its Made: Traditional Bookbinding. Narrator: Lynn Herzeg. Discovery Channel, 2013. Website Upload.
 
Marten, John: Director. Traditional Bookbinding Techniques of “A Reformed Druid Anthology.”Independently Filmed, 2013. Website Upload.
 
Maser, Frederick E. Book Binding in America: 1680-1910. Bryn Mawr: Bryn Mawn College Library, 1983. Print..