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Rare and Antiquarian Books

Fine Bindings

Part of what makes antiquarian books so collectible are their fine and delicate bindings, and the tradition of book binding has come a long way since the clay tablets and palm fronds of the ancient world. After binders moved from clay and palm leaves, they began binding sheets of vellum, or calf skin. The sheets were bound with wooden boards and then connected with strips of leather. As the art of bookbinding became much more accepted, certain binders began to attach precious gemstones and metals in the bindings themselves. Although many of these books were destroyed because looters wanted to steal the gems, there are still a few books that remain with these rare and unique bindings. Of course, there are other types of fine bindings as well. Long-stitch bookbinding can still be found today in many types of journals. Long-stitch bindings feature the sewing together of sections of a book. It originated in Germany in the medieval era and has been used ever since. Similarly, Ethiopian bookbinding features a chain-stitch sewing method that uses two needles. Interestingly, though the covers were the typical wooden boards, they were left uncovered and often unadorned. Books with fine bindings are themselves works of art, and they bring added value and color to any collection. Whether book collectors choose to focus on one type of binding or whether they wish to embrace the wide diversity of bindings, any of these books would greatly enhance their collection.

Results 1 - 15 of 1088
THE WAVERLEY NOVELS (48 VOLUMES: COMPLETE)
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THE WAVERLEY NOVELS (48 VOLUMES: COMPLETE)

by Scott, Sir Walter

  • Used
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
Richmond, Missouri
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$1,800.00
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Westminster (London): Archibald Constable and Company, 1895. Forty-eight volumes, 16mo., uniformly bound in quarter-vellum over olive green boards. The vellum spines are elaborately tooled in gilt with the Scottish lion surrounded by a handsome Art Nouveau design. Top edges gilt. Each volume with engraved frontispiece and title page. This set is fairly common in cloth but quite rare in the deluxe bindings of half-vellum. Aside from some minor soiling and wear, this is a fine treasure of a set, boldly handsome when seen side by side in the library. There are few things more satisfying in book collecting than the mellow warmth and rich glow of smooth vellum adorned with deep, old gilt..and this set certainly illustrates the point!
Item Price
$1,800.00
$5.00 shipping to US
La tete contre les Murs. (Signed Presentation Copy in 6-color inlaid leather)
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La tete contre les Murs. (Signed Presentation Copy in 6-color inlaid leather)

by Bazin, Herve; Jacques Blanchet (binder)

  • Used
  • Fine
  • Hardcover
  • Signed
  • first
Condition
Used - Fine
Edition
1st
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
Granville, New York
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This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$5,475.00
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Paris: Aux Editions Eliane Norberg, 1951. First edition thus. Signed, De Luxe limited edition. Sumptuous, full leather Artesian binding by Jacques Blanchet. From an edition of 202, number 72 of 180 printed on Velin d' Arches. Published Paris: Editions Eliane Norberg, 1951. Folio, 10 1/2" x 13 1/4" x 2 7/8" thick, 302pp., illustrated with full page engraved plates and fine textual engravings from copper - all with tissue guards, and two leather engravings (cover and verso) in 6 colors by Robert Fonta. Full dark blue satin morocco over 1/4" thick boards with chamfered corners and leather inner hinges attached to thick, duplex flyleaves and gray leather pastedowns. Gilt block paneled titles on spine, top edges tinted blue with gilt embossed edge design stamped into the page block. Front cover and verso decorated with unique, six-color leather inset engravings by Fonta, Signed on the half title by the Bazin: "Hommage amical / de l'auteur / Herve Bazin." Presentation… Read More
Item Price
$5,475.00
$5.99 shipping to US
La Chasse de Kaa
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La Chasse de Kaa

by KIPLING, Rudyard

  • Used
Condition
Used
Edition
Limited Edition
Seller
Sydney, New South Wales
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Item Price
$5,215.54
$19.50 shipping to US

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Paris: Javal and Bordeaux, 1930. Limited Edition. JOUVE, Paul. Illustrated by one of the leading painters in France, this superb work brings Kipling's classic Jungle Book story into the realm of fine 20th century French publishing. Limited edition of 125 copies, bound in snakeskin-style folding case, protected by matching slipcase (some wear), 340 mm x 265 mm, 130 unbound pages as issued, 21 plates, printed on imperial Japan paper, an excellent copy.
Item Price
$5,215.54
$19.50 shipping to US
THE NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY BIBLE THE HOLY BIBLE
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THE NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY BIBLE THE HOLY BIBLE

by John Eadie

  • Used
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
Foligno (PG), Italy
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This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$324.90
$30.00 shipping to US

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GILPIN & COMPANY . Bella edizione di fine ottocento di questa Bibbia familiare molto in voga in Inghilterra durante l'epoca Vittoriana. <BR><BR>Edizione curata dal Reverendo John Eadie.<BR><BR>Testo inglese con commento di Scott ed Henry contenente numerose note esplicative e critiche selezionate dai grandi autori.<BR><BR>Nella prima parte numerose pagine (mai compilate) con il registro della famiglia, matrimoni, nomi dei figli, morti, galleria dei ritratti di famiglia.<BR><BR>Frontespizio figurato coperto da velina e 25 planches coperte da velina incise da Laplante, Pisan su disegno di Gustave Dore e planches colorate.<BR><BR>Copertina in piena pelle con disegni a rilievo e decorazioni in oro. Borchie di metallo agli angoli e fermagli di chiusura. <BR><BR>In buone condizioni.<BR>Copertina in piena pelle a quattro nervi con titolo in oro al dorso in discrete condizioni generali con lievi usure ai margini e dorso.… Read More
Item Price
$324.90
$30.00 shipping to US
A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES.
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A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES.

by STEVENSON. ROBERT LOUIS

  • Used
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Used
Edition
First edition.
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
London, Greater London
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$1,138.72
$18.00 shipping to US

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Longmans, Green, and Co. London. 1885. FIRST EDITION. 1st printing. Small 8vo. (6.5 x 4.5 inches). One small area of loss (finger nail sized) to the bottom inner margin of one page, well away from the printed text, and a few finger marks but otherwise a very good copy. Finely bound in recent full dark blue morocco leather. Spine with raised bands. Compartments ruled and decorated in gilt. Twin red labels, gilt. Single gilt ruled border to both boards. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed. An attractive copy of this charming book.
Item Price
$1,138.72
$18.00 shipping to US
Theologia naturalis; sive, Liber creaturarum specialiter de homine et de natura ejus in quantum...
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Theologia naturalis; sive, Liber creaturarum specialiter de homine et de natura ejus in quantum homo: et de his que sunt ei necessaria ad cognoscendum seipsum et Deum, et omne debitum ad quod homo tenetur et obligatur tam Deo quam proximo.

by De Sabunde, Raymundus (Raimundus Sabundus, Raymond of Sebonde or Ramon Sibiuda, Catalan scholar, c.1385-1436)

  • Used
  • Fine
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Fine
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
Worcester, United Kingdom
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$5,140.53
$17.95 shipping to US

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Strasbourg: Argentinae: Ex officina Martini Flach junioris, 1501. Half leather. Fine. Folio, printed in Strassburg by Martin Flach, 7 February 1501; 161 unnumbered leaves. BINDING: new Gothic hand-sewn oak binding by Arthur Green of Malvern; tawed quarter leather over quarter-sawn oak boards, quires hand-sewn on four double-cords creating four raised spine bands, board leather blind-tooled with period style rosettes and fleurs-de-lys within panel of diagonal blind triple fillets, hand-sewn Gothic double headbands of alternate hand-dyed indigo and undyed linen thread, hand-made brass hasps and clasps ornamented in period style; an exceptionally attractive recreation of a Gothic hand-sewn binding employing medieval techniques contemporaneous with the date the book was printed. COLLATION: [pi]6, a2-8, b-y6, z8, zeta6, antisigma8; leaf a1 excised and subsequent first few lines of a2[recto] redacted in black ink in the sixteenth century by the inquisitor for its heretical content (see below). TEXT: Double… Read More
Item Price
$5,140.53
$17.95 shipping to US
Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, (Complete). From the Twelfth London Edition....
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Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, (Complete). From the Twelfth London Edition. Illustrated

by Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

  • Used
  • near fine
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Used - Near Fine
Edition
First Edition Thus
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
Bloomington, Indiana
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$250.00
FREE shipping to US

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Description:
Troy, New York: NIms and Knight, 1887. Book. Near Fine. Hardcover. First Edition Thus. Tall 8vo. Uncommon edition, and SCARCE in such lovely condition. In publisher's original marigold cloth with intricate floral embossed background surrounding author's name on gilt field and her portrait, gilt spine. sweet floral end papers, all edges gilt. vi, 520 pages. Near Fine, lovely period gift inscription front end page, light rubs at spine ends, title page evenly browned due to tissue guard. A gorgeous copy indeed..
Item Price
$250.00
FREE shipping to US
PETER AND WENDY.
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PETER AND WENDY.

by BARRIE. J. M; BEDFORD. F. D. Illustrates

  • Used
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
London, Greater London
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$780.84
$18.00 shipping to US

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Hodder and Stoughton Ltd. London. No Date. circa 1922. EARLY EDITION, with extra colour plate. 8vo. (7.5 x 6 inches). Complete, and with one more illustration than the original 1911 edition. Full colour illustrated frontispiece mounted onto grey art paper and with a tissue guard, decorative mono title page and twelve full page mono plates by Bedford. Internally this is a very good, bright and clean copy, in an attractive early half leather binding by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, of London, for E. P. Dutton & Company, New York. Half dark green calf. Spine with raised bands, each with gilt piping. Compartments fully decorated and ruled in gilt. Twin burgundy labels, ruled, decorated and lettered in gilt. Marbled paper on boards. Top edge gilt. Marbled endpapers. Off white silk bookmark. Rubbing to the outer layer of the leather on the binding edges, particularly the hinge on the lower board, but both hinges still firm and strong and still an attractive binding. A good looking copy of this classic title,… Read More
Item Price
$780.84
$18.00 shipping to US
THE FRANKLIN MINT FAMILY BIBLE / THE HOLY BIBLE: Containing the Old and New Testaments.
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THE FRANKLIN MINT FAMILY BIBLE / THE HOLY BIBLE: Containing the Old and New Testaments.: King James Version

by ( Bible in English ). Queen Mary Psalter, Holy Bible KJV

  • Used
  • Fine
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Used - Fine
Edition
First Edition
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
Chicago, Illinois
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$1,200.00
$7.00 shipping to US

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Franklin Center, PA: The Franklin Mint, 1974, 1975. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine. Quarto, 1480 pages, sculpted sterling silver covers, in velvet chemise, in publisher's clamshell paper box (scuffed), with its quarto Prospectus, octavo Supplementary Notes, typed letter from the Mint, Suggestions for the Care of Your Franklin Mint Family Bible, and a special leather bookmark (but lacking the silver polishing cloth). Calligrapher's inked name for the original purchaser in the Family Records preceding the Bible. Note: WorldCat cites only one copy of this. This is the very special, deluxe edition of the King James Version of the Bible in English, in a very special binding containing 12 ounces of sterling silver, with a cross on top and bottom, on the top are the sculpted images of the Four Evangelists: Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. The design was done by Barcelona silversmith, Oriol Sunyer. The illustrations are reproduced - for the first time in a printed book - from the priceless original… Read More
Item Price
$1,200.00
$7.00 shipping to US
L'ingegnoso cittadino Don Chisciotte della Mancia. […] Hora nuovamente tradotto con fedeltà e...
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L'ingegnoso cittadino Don Chisciotte della Mancia. […] Hora nuovamente tradotto con fedeltà e chiarezza di spagnuolo in italiano. Da Lorenzo Franciosini fiorentino. Opera gustosissima e di grandissimo trattenimento

by Cervantes Saavedra Miguel de (Alcalá de Henares, 1547 – Madrid, 1616)

  • Used
  • first
Condition
Used - Very Good+
Seller
Milan, Italy
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$48,735.00
$25.00 shipping to US

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8°; cc. (12), pp. 669, (3). Elegante legatura novecentesca firmata da Brugalla in marocchino decorato in oro, con astuccio. Bellissimo esemplare.
Exceedingly rare first edition of the Italian translation of the Primiera parte of Quijote.
Rius, 780; Suñé, 819 ("La version esta hecha con bastante fidelidad, tomada de la edición de Bruselas de 1607"); Palau, 53135. Sul traduttore, cfr. P. Scapecchi, Venezia e Firenze unite dalla prima traduzione italiana di 'Don Chisciotte', in Quixote/Chisciotte mdcv-2005. Edizioni rare e di pregio, traduzioni italiane e straniere conservate nelle biblioteche veneziane, Venezia, Sale Monumentali della Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Libreria Sansoviniana, 18 novembre 2005 – 2 gennaio 2006, Mostra a c. di D. Ferro, Catalogo a c. di A. Scarsella, Venezia 2006, pp. 33-37; S. Trovato, Andrea Baba stampatore veneziano, in Quixote/Chisciotte MDCV-2005…, pp. 39-52.
La traduzione del Franciosini sarebbe stata ripubblicata solo tre anni più tardi, nel 1625,… Read More
Item Price
$48,735.00
$25.00 shipping to US
REBECCA.
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REBECCA.

by DU MAURIER. DAPHNE

  • Used
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Used
Edition
First edition.
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
London, Greater London
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$1,138.72
$18.00 shipping to US

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Victor Gollancz Limited. London. 1938. FIRST EDITION. 1st printing. 8vo. (7.9 x 5.4 inches). Some very minor browning to the page edges, as is common with the cheap paper used in this book, and a couple of pages with a crease to the outer corner of the page, otherwise a very good copy finely bound in recent full black morocco, spine with five raised bands, the compartments lettered, ruled and decorated in gilt. Top edge gilt.
Item Price
$1,138.72
$18.00 shipping to US
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. Carefully Revised and Occasionally Corrected From Arabic. To...
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THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. Carefully Revised and Occasionally Corrected From Arabic. To which is added, a Selection of New Tales, now first translated from the Arabic originals. Also, an Introduction and Notes, illustrative of the Religion, Manners and Customs, of the Mahummedans. With engravings from paintings by Smirke

by SCOTT. JONATHAN. Edits. --- SMIRKE. ROBERT, Illustrates

  • Used
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Used
Edition
First edition.
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
London, Greater London
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$2,342.52
$18.00 shipping to US

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Description:
Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown. London. 1811. FIRST SCOTT EDITION. Six volumes. 8vo. (7.4 x 4.8 inches). Illustrated with six full page copper engraved frontipieces, after paintings by Robert Smirke, which were originally published in Edward Forster's translation of this work in 1802. The plates were specially re-engraved by J. Fittler, C. Warren, A. Raimbach (x2), A. Smith, and R. Golding for this new translation. Some foxing to the frontispiece illustrations and, very much lighter, to just the first couple of leaves of each volume otherwise a clean, bright set in fine early nineteenth century leather bindings of full burgundy straight grained Morocco. Spines with raised bands, each with gilt piping. Compartments ruled, lettered and decorated in gilt. Boards with triple ruled and elaborate decorative borders. Gilt floral roll on the turn-ins. Board edges with decorative gilt tooling to the corners. Plain brown endpapers. All edges gilt. Red silk page markers still present in each volume.… Read More
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$2,342.52
$18.00 shipping to US
THE RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM. The Astronomer Poet of Persia. Rendered into English Verse....
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THE RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM. The Astronomer Poet of Persia. Rendered into English Verse. (Translated by Edward Fitzgerald)

by OMAR KHAYYAM. ; FINE BINDING

  • Used
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
London, Greater London
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$976.05
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Macmillan and Co. Ltd. London. 1911. Reprint of the 1899 Golden Treasury edition. Small 8vo. (6.1 x 4.1 inches). Finely bound, by Riviere and Son, in beautiful early full dark green morocco, extra gilt. The spine with raised bands, dotted in gilt. Compartments ruled, decorated and lettered in gilt, including floral centre pieces. Elaborate floral centre design to boards with gilt tooling over beige leather onlays. Inner Dentelles with ruled and dotted border lines and decorated flowers in the corners, all in gilt surrounding green Moire silk centre pieces. Silk endpapers. All edges gilt. A couple of small dents to the spine and corners. Some creasing to the very edges of one of the blank paper endpapers but otherwise the pages are clean and bright throughout and this is a beautiful copy.
Item Price
$976.05
$18.00 shipping to US
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. And what Alice found there.
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THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. And what Alice found there.

by CARROLL. LEWIS. ; Tenniel. John. Illustrates

  • Used
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
London, Greater London
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$683.23
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Macmillan and Co. Limited. London. 1894. The Peoples edition. Twenty-third thousand. 8vo. (7.3 x 4.9 inches). Illustrated with fifty line illustrations by John Tenniel. Some foxing to the plain tissue paper guard over the frontispiece and a few minor spots throughout but overall a very clean and bright copy in a fine late 19th century leather binding. Full red calf, the spine with five raised bands, each with double rope design in gilt. Compartments ruled and fully decorated in gilt. Dark green morocco title label, gilt. Leaf and rose roll gilt borders on boards. Decorative gilt design on board edges. Decorative blind stamped inner dentelles. Marbled endpapers. All edges marbled. Red silk page marker bound in. Grantham School arms stamped on the front board in gilt. Previous owners neat name stamp to top of the first leaf after title page. Aside from a small area of loss to the leather on the front board and another on the lower spine hinge this is a very good copy in a fine quality leather binding.… Read More
Item Price
$683.23
$18.00 shipping to US
Les Miserables [5 VOLUMES] (With Illustrations From Designs by De Neuville, Bayard, Morin,...
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Les Miserables [5 VOLUMES] (With Illustrations From Designs by De Neuville, Bayard, Morin, Valnay, and Other Eminent French Artists)

by Hugo, Victor

  • Used
  • very good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Hardcover
Seller
Greensboro, North Carolina
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$450.00
$3.99 shipping to US

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Description:
New York and Chicago: George Routledge and Sons / McDonnell Brothers, 1886. Hardcover. Very Good/No Jacket. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. De Neuville, Bayard, Morin, Valnay, and Other Eminent French Artists. Quartos. Variously paginated. 5 VOLUME SET. Hardcovers nicely re-bound in 20th Century 3/4 red morocco with marbled paper covered boards. Five raised spine bands. Bindings are in very nice condition, showing only light wear. New endpapers. This the illustrated edition. Dated 1886 on the copyright page of each volume. Text is a little toned but generally clean. A few award cards from the early 20th century have been placed loosely within a couple of the volumes. An exceptional set with great shelf appeal.
Item Price
$450.00
$3.99 shipping to US