Books in Chains and other Bibliographical Pieces (1892, first edition)

Quarter leather binding, a collection of writings from William Blades, printer and bibliographer

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

First edition. Hardback, quarter leather. Gilt titling to spine and gilt top edge, fore-edge untrimmed. 18.5 × 11cm, xxxviii + 232pp.

A collection of writings by the late William Blades, a printer and bibliographer. The main piece is a survey of the medieval and Renaissance practice of securing valuable books to desks or shelves with iron chains, such as the chained library at Hereford, and followed by essays on incunabula and printing technology including signatures in books (early collating methods and how hand-written or stamped signatures evolved into printed sheet markers for binders), De Ortu Typographiae and early typography.

Condition

A good copy. There is some age-toning to the pages and light bumping to the covers. There is a bit of a musty whiff but not too bad and the book remains in strong readable condition.