Beautiful Bindings

Law books are not known for their bindings, which can be intricate, delicate and beautiful. Often, and not very different from today, bindings on historical law books reflect the expectation of the trade for predictable uniformity, perhaps much like the aspirations of the law itself. Wealthy owners of law books might have their prized tools bound all in the same way, though sometimes did add monograms, family or personal arms, and other decorations to what was typically calfskin. More unusually, law book bindings can be highly decorated, as individual copies or as a set. The examples below, of styles employed in the early modern period, are unusual in our collection and well preserved.