The introduction of cloth cased bookbindings was perhaps the most significant development in the evolution of the book during the 19th century. Prior to the 19th century when books had a limited readership, only the privileged classes were literate, with leisure time for reading. During this period the majority of books were sold by the printer/bookseller in paper covered boards. The paper covered boards were intended as a temporary covering only, as it was the practice of the time for the buyer to take his purchase to his own bookbinder. The newly purchased book would be bound in leather in the style specified by its owner.
During the first quarter of the 19th century, there was a shift from the small-scale printer/bookseller to large publishing houses and large commercial bookbinding manufacturers. In America, publishing firms such as Cummings & Hilliard in Boston, J. & J. Harpers in New York and Mathew Carey and Son in Philadelphia formed. This shift, coupled with a growing literate populace with sufficient leisure time for reading, caused an increase in book production. A better means (i.e. cheaper and faster) needed to be established over the time-consuming and costly hand bookbinding methods of the past. Initial experimentation in paper covers proved unsatisfactory; it would remain for cloth to become the preferred covering material. Other techniques, such as case bindings, were introduced which would further reduce cost of production.
The use of cloth for bookbinding was first employed in England. It is generally accepted that publisher William Pickering used cloth on a production run of his Diamond Classic series in 1825. Prior to this, there was some experimentation with the use of cloth bindings, but the laurel goes to Pickering for introducing cloth or large-scale production in runs. The Diamond Classic Shakespeare was published in a run of 1,000, half bound in morocco and half in cloth. It was not until 1831 that the use of cloth as a book covering medium was established in the United States.
From the 1830’s to the present, cloth has maintained its position as the leading material for the covering of books. However, it was during the 19th century, more so than this century, that cloth book covers displayed the greatest amount of innovation.
The first cloths used in bookbinding were not specifically
intended for the covering of books. This would come at a later date. There
was great experimentation in types of cloth as well as in the sizing needed
to provide durability. From the 1830’s through the 1890’s, the cloth used
for book covering was usually first embossed before the fabric was applied
to the covers. The embossing process used special embossing presses, with
the book cloth being passed between rollers that would give the desired
effect. During the 1830’s it was the practice to emboss elaborate leaf
and vine motifs onto the cloth, but by the 1840’s and for the remainder
of the century, the embossing was more for the subtle patterns commonly
referred to as ribbon, grain, morocco, etc. Arguably the finest examples
of embossed book cloths were produced during the early period of the 1830’s.
The practice of stamping in gilt or blind on the
covers (both front and back) provides some of the greatest diversity of
style during the 19th century. Each decade provides styles and stamping
methods that are almost unique to it, thus providing a wonderful array
of design. The 1830’s provided a simple yet tasteful stamping of the book’s
title, the 1840’s used mostly stock cuts from the bookbinding manufacturer’s
inventory. By the 1850’s, special stamps were made for each title. The
1860’s onward show a departure from the standard frame and center to more
stylized covers using silver gilt and color inks to provide very ornate
designs. During the early period of cloth bindings, it was the bookbindery’s
craftsmen that established the design of the cover. It would not be until
later in the century that such professionals as Sarah Whitman and Margaret
Armstrong designed book covers. During the 19th century, book publishers
began to develop a specific style that became their hallmark.
In the cases that follow the viewer will be delighted
with the fanciful stamped covers. However, just as interesting are the
fabrics and binding styles used in their production.