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| Exposed sewing |
As a book conservator, I am drawn to a book for the binding,
not the contents. I enjoy learning about different book structures and making
historic models in order to fully understand how a book is constructed. This
understanding is then useful for making any repairs that need to be done. Because
the structure of the book is generally covered, this can be challenging. For
this reason, the Margarita Philosophica (Basel,
1508) drew my attention. The spine is missing which means that the sewing is
exposed and can be studied. There is a remnant of the linen spine lining on the
inside of the wooden boards. The book is missing the metal fastenings that would
have kept it securely shut, but the boards are covered in brown calf and
blind-tooled with an image of a wanderer with a knapsack. For the Margarita Philosophica, the best conservation
decision was to do nothing, other than make a sturdy box. But for me, the
chance to study the book’s structure was enormously significant.
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| Cover, Margarita Philosophica, gift of Michael Zinman |
It turns out that the contents of the book are also interesting. The Margarita Philosophica, first published in 1503, was widely used as a textbook. Written in Latin by Gregor Reisch, this encyclopedia of twelve chapters is illustrated with many woodcuts, and has an index and printed marginalia. It remained in use by students for about fifty years as a comprehensive source of knowledge. Both the binding and the contents are beautiful and provide valuable information on 16th-century books and learning.
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| Woodcut Illustration |
Alice Austin
Conservator
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