The Book: Its History and DevelopmentDavenport, Cyril
History
The Book: Its History and Development
Davenport, Cyril
Bookbinding; Books; Books -- History; Printing -- History
It is probable that many of the richer bindings of the early
seventeenth century were the work of John and Abraham Bateman, the
king’s printers and binders, but, in spite of lists, this is again
only speculation. There is no doubt that about this time many bindings
were made which would now be called trade bindings as apart from
art bindings. Trade bindings often enough follow art bindings at a
respectable distance, and they are rarely made on original lines.
[Illustration: FIG. 110.--English binding by Thos. Berthelet, 1537,
with the title on the sides.]
[Illustration: FIG. 111.--English Jacobean corner stamp.]
Following the lead given by some of the later Elizabethan bindings,
we find from about 1603 to 1625 a considerable output of very showy
bindings, with elaborate semis or powderings of small stamps all over
the groundwork, very large and over-elaborated corner stamps and
centres of arabesque or heraldic motives.
Students of English royal bindings must note that with the coming
of James I. to the English throne, a great change was made in the
English coat-of-arms. The coat which had been used from the time of
Edward III., namely, France and England quarterly, was now used as
a quartering only, and shows in the first and fourth quarters. In
the second quarter we find the ancient coat of Scotland, or, a lion
rampant within a double tressure flory counterflory gu., and in the
third quarter comes the coat of Ireland, az., the harp of Apollo Grian,
stringed ar, _or_., given, it is supposed, by Henry VIII. as a mark of
admiration for the musical excellence of the Irish.
[Illustration: FIG. 112.--English gold-tooled binding made for James I.]
Also the late Tudor supporters of the lion and dragon give place to the
familiar lion and unicorn. The unicorn is one of the ancient supporters
of the Scottish coat. It is interesting to note in passing that the
present official coat of Scotland is, first and fourth Scotland, second
England, and third Ireland, with two unicorns as supporters. It appears
on Scottish official bindings. The interpretation of this is of course
that England and Ireland are appanages of Scotland.
But even if it is now correct to dissociate the arms of England and
Scotland, we must not forget the heraldic marriage between the two
countries which took place in 1706, on which auspicious occasion the
two coats were impaled as one. That is to say, they were treated in the
same way as the coats of married people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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