Henri Pène du Bois

“ Grolier undoubtedly led the art of bookbinding, justifying the opinionated expression of the Comte de Laborde: “Bookbinding is an art all French.” It is a moot point with bibliographers as to the binding of Grolier’s volumes, whether they were executed at Paris or at Lyons. The relentless Mr. Fournier, inferring from an allusion in Bonaventure des Périer’s “Cymbalum Mundi,” that the best bindings were made in Paris, while the no less learned “bibliophile Jacob” (P. Lacroix) gives the palm to Lyons, the birth-place of Grolier, and the favorite city of Bonaventure des Périers. ”

“ The classic author of the “J. A. Thuani Historiarum sui temporis,” “that grand and faithful history,” says Bossuet, was destined to greater fame as a collector of books than as an enlightened jurist and historian. His predilection for fine books in superb covers was probably incited by his early admiration for the four books which Grolier presented to his father—Christophe De Thou—perhaps in recognition of valuable service as president of the commission in the suit for peculation, which resulted in Grolier’s acquittal and vindication. ”

“ The covers were originally of wood, ivory or metal, with a view to solidity only. It was a simple process, and yet there were then, as at present, good, bad and indifferent bookbinders, for, in one of his letters to Atticus, Cicero requested the assistance of two slaves, reputed skilled workmen (lignatores librorum) . At a time when the possession of a book was that of “a treasure for aye” it was natural that the art of its exterior decoration progressed as rapidly as the art of its interior decoration. ”

“ The manuscripts of the Abbey of Saint Victor, in 1308, were attached to desks; the books of Notre Dame of Paris, similarly arranged, were designated in numerical order in the first catalogues. The custom was probably abandoned shortly after the invention of printing, as the catenati of the church of St. Gratien of Tours were a curiosity to Lebrun Desmarettes in the reign of Louis XIV., and scarcer than an uncut Elsevier is in France, a book with the chain-mark of the original catenatus. ”

“ The history of modern bookbinding is not therefore to be identified with the name of a bookbinder previously to the year 1641, when flourished Le Gascon, to whom Jerome Pinchon has attributed the bindings of the library of De Thou’s sons. Le Gascon is only a surname, and the real name of the artist is as unknown as his history, but his binding of “La Guirlande de Julie” is ever to remain a model. ”

“ To De Thou’s folio copy of the “Historia Piscium” of Salvianus, purchased at the Edwards sale for the Fonthill collection, has been accorded the palm of superior merit of all books of that age now extant. De Thou’s binders had profited by the example of Grolier’s, and in their hands the art of binding in morocco seemed to have attained perfection. ”

“ A very interesting list might be made of noted manuscripts, the bindings of which have been stolen, and of stolen manuscripts the bindings of which are extant. The precious volumes which were jealously guarded “in the secret jewel-house,” with the awe-inspiring relics, were purloined as well as the cathenare, cathenizare or catenati, the chained volumes of the monasteries. ”

“ A book-a-bosom, valiant King, Mathias of Hungary, the prince of bibliophiles! but as there are few, if any, specimens extant of the bindings bearing the symbol suggested by the Roman etymon of his name: a crow with a ring in its mouth ”

“ Arthur Penn says justly that “it is well also not to begrudge money for a fine piece of work;” but how very few appreciate the fact who are otherwise prodigal in their admiration of the fine arts. It would be interesting to look into the comparative value of fine binding in different centuries. ”

“ An estimate of the weight of such a binding may be formed without reference to the volume of the Epistles of Cicero, now in the Florence Laurentian library; Petrarch’s autograph copy of the work, of such ponderous weight that it severely injured his left leg, on which it was habitually made to rest, until the threatened necessity of its amputation compelled his relinquishing the constant reading of his favorite author. ”

“ He was a member of the little academy which held its meetings at the learned printer’s house, apparently of a size to contain none but true friends, as a realization of the ideal of Socrates. There he met as colleagues Navagero, Marino Sanudo, the Greek Musurus, Giovanni Gioconde, Erasmus, poets, artists and savants. ”

“ Sernin. The custom of enclosing valuable bindings in valuable caskets was a prevailing one, but the caskets have been prizes for pillagers, and assuredly could not have been of greater interest to the book-lover than the “carved oak box (in book form) , with Milton’s initials on the side, manufactured from the old timber taken from the poet’s residence in Barbican when demolished in 1864, with a certificate of authcenticity, enclosing a work of Frischlini, with John Milton’s autograph initials on the title page,” of a recent English catalogue. ”

“ Bulletin du Bibliophile, Publié par J. Techener. Notably: Ch. Nodier, De la Reliure en France au dix-neuvième siècle. Tome I. (1834.) P. L. Jacob, Essai historique sur la Reliure en France depuis le seizième siècle. ”

“ They were copied by Italian bookbinders, but were not adopted until the sixteenth century. The precious books of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were confided to goldsmiths, enamellers and illuminators, as heretofore. ”

“ This desideratum is noticeably appreciated by the artists of the United States, wherefore the American bibliophiles entrust to them the work that they were wont to send to European bookbinders, in spite of the most vexatious delays. Assuredly, fostered and encouraged, American bookbinders are to attain the highest niche in the temple. ”

“ Artists found no occasion for reference to the compilation of “Messire Francisque, pelegrin de Florence,” composed of designs of foliage, interlacing ornaments and moresque patterns, nor for innovation or improvement in their work, because the book collectors suggested nothing. ”