Centuries of Treasure Bindings: Books Adorned With Beauty

Centuries of Treasure Bindings: Books Adorned With Beauty
Detail of "Berthold Sacramentary," 1215–1217. The Morgan Library and Musuem, New York City. Public Domain
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“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a popular adage that can be compellingly applied to many situations. However, its wisdom misses the mark in the context of treasure bindings.

Treasure bindings, also known as jeweled bindings, are a type of bookbinding where covers are adorned with lavish materials which can include gems, silver, gold, ivory, and enamel. This style emerged during the Middle Ages and typically heralded that the book’s interior contained important and precious text along with beautiful miniature illustrations. Thus, the exterior adornment was appropriate veneration. These books were meant to be displayed not by their spines, but by their covers.

With the invention of the printing press, treasure bindings became less popular although the practice did continue through the centuries. Notable bindings were fashioned for the Versailles court and elaborate bejeweled examples were revived in the 20th-century, particularly by the English firm Sangorski & Sutcliffe.

‘Berthold Sacramentary’

Front cover of the "Berthold Sacramentary," 1215–1217, by unknown German artist. Gilt silver and jeweled book cover attached to compartmented wooden board; 11.5 inches by 8 inches. The Morgan Library and Museum, New York City. (Public Domain)
Front cover of the "Berthold Sacramentary," 1215–1217, by unknown German artist. Gilt silver and jeweled book cover attached to compartmented wooden board; 11.5 inches by 8 inches. The Morgan Library and Museum, New York City. Public Domain

In the Middle Ages, treasure bindings were status symbols representing an owner’s wealth—even plain books were a luxury. In this period, every part of the laborious bookmaking process was done by hand, from creating the vellum pages to copying the text to making the binding. Many medieval manuscripts—intrinsically fragile—have not survived to the present day. Extant treasure bindings are an even greater rarity, since historically their precious materials were often plundered and repurposed.

The 13th-century “Berthold Sacramentary,” part of The Morgan Library & Museum’s renowned collection of medieval illuminated manuscripts, is the most luxurious surviving German manuscript of its period and is considered one of Romanesque art’s masterpieces. It features the texts used for the celebrant of high Mass and is named for the cleric who commissioned it: Berthold, the abbot of Weingarten.

During his tenure, Berthold focused on the production of exceptional cultural objects to reinforce his abbey’s reputation as an internationally renowned religious institution. A devastating fire in 1215 reinforced Berthold’s determination, and he commissioned a new set of illuminated liturgical books, which include what is now called the “Berthold Sacramentary.”

(L) Book from the collection of Mme. de Pompadour, circa 1584, engraved by Girolamo Porro. (R) Memoir from Marie-Antoinette's library, 1777, published by Clousier. Gift of Jayne Wrightsman, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. (Public Domain)
(L) Book from the collection of Mme. de Pompadour, circa 1584, engraved by Girolamo Porro. (R) Memoir from Marie-Antoinette's library, 1777, published by Clousier. Gift of Jayne Wrightsman, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Public Domain

The practice of creating gold-tooled Moroccan leather bindings (the technique of applying gold leaf to vegetable-tanned goatskin leather) for printed volumes flourished at the 18th-century court of Versailles. Although these bindings are not bejeweled like their medieval predecessors, they continued to be viewed as status symbols and are reflective of their owner’s excellent aesthetic taste. Exceptional and important examples that were created for royals and those of their closest circle are prized today.

One of the greatest modern-day collectors of 18th-century French art was the late philanthropist Jayne Wrightsman. As Christie’s specialist William Strafford explained on The AD Aesthete podcast, “Very often, as for so many collectors of the 18th century, it’s the fascination with provenance, who was it commissioned for. … I think her book collecting was another way to enter those worlds that she was collecting through her paintings and furniture. … They were miniature pieces of history.”

An interest in and pursuit of significant and rare examples formed a critical part of her distinguished collection, which is a testament to the artistic and historical importance of bookbindings. Wrightsman donated a large portion of this subcollection to museums, with The Metropolitan Museum of Art being a notable beneficiary.

Manuscript formerly belonging to the library of King Louis XV, circa 1740, bound by Padeloup. Contemporary red Morocco, gold-tooled binding; 9 13/16 inches. Gift of Jayne Wrightsman, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. (Public Domain)
Manuscript formerly belonging to the library of King Louis XV, circa 1740, bound by Padeloup. Contemporary red Morocco, gold-tooled binding; 9 13/16 inches. Gift of Jayne Wrightsman, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Public Domain

Among the books gifted to The Met are ones formerly in the libraries of King Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour, and Marie Antoinette. A King Louis XV example is bound in red Moroccan leather with gold-tooled decorative elements. The borders contain fleurons, stylized flower or leaf motifs, which in this case are acanthus leaves and olive branches. The corner pieces, decorative designs at the corners of a binding, show fleurs-de-lis, a symbol of the French monarchy.

Women at court were important book collectors, too, and are well-represented in The Met’s Wrightsman gifts. Madame de Pompadour had over 35,000 volumes in her library. Both—the example here from her collection, which is decorated with floral borders, and the one from Marie Antoinette’s, displaying royal fleurs-de-lis—are dominated by an armorial centerpiece, a heraldic decoration that showcases the book’s owner.
Front cover of "Le Calendrier de la Cour," 1784, printed by Chez La Veuve Hérissant and written by Jacques Collombat. Contemporary red Morocco, elaborate gild border with gilt balloons; 4 5/16 inches. Gift of Jayne Wrightsman, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. (Public Domain)
Front cover of "Le Calendrier de la Cour," 1784, printed by Chez La Veuve Hérissant and written by Jacques Collombat. Contemporary red Morocco, elaborate gild border with gilt balloons; 4 5/16 inches. Gift of Jayne Wrightsman, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Public Domain
Bookbinding decorative motifs of this period also reflect contemporaneous trends and innovations. In the 1780s, the French Montgolfier brothers were trailblazers in the development of the hot-air balloon and performed the first-ever untethered flight at Versailles, delighting the king and his court. The balloon motif thus became a popular decorative motif, as can be seen in this charming book with a gilt balloon on its cover.

Sangorski & Sutcliffe

"Fine Binding, Wine, Women, and Song," 1907, designed by Sangorski & Sutcliffe and written by John Addington Symonds. Tooled green levant Moroccan leather with gold stipple and embedded amethysts; 6 3/4 inches by 4 1/2 inches. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York City. (Public Domain)
"Fine Binding, Wine, Women, and Song," 1907, designed by Sangorski & Sutcliffe and written by John Addington Symonds. Tooled green levant Moroccan leather with gold stipple and embedded amethysts; 6 3/4 inches by 4 1/2 inches. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York City. Public Domain

Bindings akin to medieval examples encrusted with jewels experienced a revival during the Arts and Crafts movement. This artistic movement looked to the Middle Ages for inspiration and rejected cheap mass manufacturing and printing. One standout bookbinding firm that adhered to these principles of craftsmanship, beauty, and creativity was Sangorski & Sutcliffe, founded in London in 1901 and still in business today.

Sangorski & Sutcliffe’s treasure bindings, like their historic predecessors, are collected today by prominent institutions and private collectors. A binding now part of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library of the text “Wine, Women, and Song” is a rare example of the firm’s early output. It features Moroccan leather with gold stipple (a surface marked with numerous small dots), intricate foliate motifs, and embedded amethysts that represent grapes, befitting the book’s subject matter.

Sangorski & Sutcliffe’s most famous creation began its life in 1909, when the firm was commissioned to create a unique binding of the “Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám,” a famous book of English translated Persian poetry. This binding, known as “The Great Omar,” took two years to complete. The front cover was decorated with three gilded peacocks complete with jeweled feathers set within tooled borders of vines. In total, the entire book showcased 1,050 gems, including topazes, emeralds, and rubies and abundant amounts of gold leaf. It magnificently lived up to the designer’s and patron’s intention that it be the finest modern bookbinding.

Colorized black and white photograph of the original "The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám," 1909–1911, bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. (Public Domain)
Colorized black and white photograph of the original "The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám," 1909–1911, bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Public Domain

Alas, this copy is only known from photographs. In April 1912, it was on its way to America and just missed its intended passage. Instead, it boarded a subsequent vessel, the Titanic. The book seemingly went down with the ship and is presumed to lie within its wreckage. In the 1930s, a second version of the binding was made by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. At the start of World War II, it was placed in a London vault for safekeeping during the Blitz. However, its location was heavily bombed and the book, despite its protective coverings, was greatly damaged: its leather melted and its pages burnt. In 1945, a third version was begun by the firm, utilizing a number of intact jewels from the ruined second version, and this work continued into the 1980s. This copy now resides in the British Library. Access is highly restricted and, hopefully, it will remain safe evermore.

The aesthetic experience of paging through paperback or hardcover, or especially a digital book, pales in comparison to these treasure bindings. Unfortunately, it would be difficult today to recreate these objects as the craftsmanship required has become endangered. The reverence, labor, and funds lavished on these magnificent bindings, however, continue to emphasize for the modern viewer the power and importance of the written word.

Michelle Plastrik
Michelle Plastrik
Author
Michelle Plastrik is an art adviser living in New York City. She writes on a range of topics, including art history, the art market, museums, art fairs, and special exhibitions.
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