For Love of the Binding: Studies in Bookbinding History Presented to Mirjam Foot (review)

For Love of the Binding is comprised of twenty-six essays written on the subject of bookbinding history. Each author covers a specific part of bookbinding history, but this is by no means a textbook. Each essay is very detailed and narrow, thus allowing the information to be intimate and revealing.

The topics cover the full spectrum of bookbinding history. While each essay is specific in its purpose, there is no apparent theme in the selection of the essays other than as contributions to the development of binding studies. The essays range from studies of certain books to studies of certain binders and printers. These essays highlight the ability of bindings, as artifacts and pieces of art, to give scholars a better understanding of binding and printing practices of past centuries. Each essay is different, and so numerous is the collection that it would be unfair to single out one or two for analysis here. However, some of the specific topics include Romanesque blind-stamped bindings, manuscript fragments found in later bindings, the advent of gold tooling in English binding, fore-edge paintings, tacketed bindings, paper bindings, plain and ornate bindings, as well as the bindings of certain craftsmen and artists and the bindings of certain printers and libraries.

Also included is a tribute to Mirjam Foot. As an introduction to this text, Robin Myers wrote a minibiography of Foot to allow readers to understand her importance to the study of bookbinding history. The editor presents all these essays to her. Many of the authors mention her warmly in their essays as an influence or resource in their study. Indeed, this book is graciously devoted to her and the studies she helped enhance with her professional work. A bibliography of Mirjam Foot's writings is inserted at the end.

Each author has a wonderful enthusiasm about this topic, which is far from mainstream. The practical importance of the subject of bookbinding history is apparent in each essay. However, these essays are not for the casual reader. Because of the nature of these essays, they are serious academic works whose instruction is enlivened by a passion for their subjects. Previous knowledge in the area of rare books and medieval bindings is not required but would be helpful to readers.

These essays do not provide an overall history of bookbinding but further the knowledge and study of it. The editor, David Pearson, assembled essays from many accomplished and renowned scholars from differing professions, including librarians, collectors, conservators, sellers, and teachers. Their diversity comes through in the essays regarding the approach and topic of bookbinding with different perspectives. For readers studying the history of the book and bookbinding, this group of essays will be a serious aid to understanding the many facets of bookbinding history that a scholar encounters. The collection's strength is its variety, for that gives a greater understanding of the enormity of this field and the directions in which it can go.