17th-century English embroidered binding (Y.a.1617.1(1))
17th-century English embroidered binding with scenes of King David with a harp on the front cover, and Time with a scythe and an hourglass on the rear cover. The spine is decorated florally, and the edges of the textblock are decorated with gilding, gauffering and painting. From (London, 1617).
17th-century English marbled vellum, with gold-tooling (Oo.8.28)
17th-century English vellum, marbled with green and brown, and tooled in gilt. From a presentation copy of Peter Gunning's (London, 1662).
17th-century painted and gilt binding (Cambridge) (Bb.6.20)
17th-century English (Cambridge) limp vellum binding with decoration in gilt and hand-colouring (see G.D. Hobson Bindings in Cambridge libraries, p.116). From (Cambridge, 1623).
16th-century printed vellum fragment used as binding (Mm.14.2)
Limp vellum covers consisting of a fragment of a liturgical work printed in red and black. From Luis Mercado's (Basel, 1594).
16th-century vellum wrapper with clasp (Ff.16.10)
16th-century vellum wrapper with a brass clasp. From Paulus Soncinas' (1522).
From the Library of .
16th-century German blind-stamped pigskin (L.4.8)
16th-century German blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards. The binding is from a multi-volume edition of (1564-70). Although each volume bears a similar binding, this, the first also has the initials M.H.V.K. stamped upon it. The central panels depict Martin Luther on the front cover, and Philip Melanchthon on the rear.
Early 16th-century Italian gold-tooled calfskin, with knotwork design & gauffering (Ii.1.26)
A northern Italian gold-tooled calfskin binding of c.1525-35, with differing central decoration in knotwork on each cover, and gauffering on the edges of the textblock (above). Knotwork decoration was a typical feature of Mudejar bindings produced by Moors still resident in Spain after the Reconquista, but also appears, as here, on Italian bindings of the period, where it may also indicate an Islamic influence.
17th-century Cambridge blind-tooled calf (Tt.1.16)
This binding, from the (Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1523-4), is typical of many to be found in St John's College Library. It is one of several such bindings produced by Philip Scarlet and Henry Moody in 1627/8, as recorded in the College accounts:
16th-century Salamanca blind-stamped calf (O.2.16)
16th-century Spanish blind-stamped binding over wooden boards produced in Salamanca. From a volume containing Pedro de Ledesma's (Salamanca, 1599). The second image shows the decorated fore-edge incorporating the author's name and title.
16th-century German or Danish blind-stamped calf binding (T.3.16)
16th-century German or Danish blind-stamped calf over wooden boards for the first (1584). The central panels (details below) depict four virtues each: on the front - Justice, Prudence, Fortitude and Temperance, with the black-inked initials I.D. just above; on the back - Faith, Hope, Charity and Patience.