We’re sharing this terrifying (though beautifully stamped) seven-headed dragon as part of the June #FantasticBeastsintheLibrary challenge. We especially love the cluster of stars around the beast’s tail, maybe because it distracts us from all those teeth…

Gavin, Antonio, fl. 1726. The great red dragon ; or, The master-key to popery / by Anthony Gavin. Boston : Published by Samuel Jones, 1854. 408 p., [4] leaves of plates (incl. frontis.) :  ill. ;  20 cm. (12mo)

We present this gorgeous and well-defined ribbon-embossed cloth for #PublishersBindingThursday, found on our copy of Samuel Knapp’s Life of Timothy Dexter (1838).

Ribbon-embossed grain got its name from its original intention: as decoration for cloth ribbons. However, the rising popularity of grained and decorated book-cloth in the 1830s and 1840s led to the production of ribbon-embossed cloth for use as a book covering.

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more! 

Knapp, Samuel L. 1838, Life of Timothy Dexter Boston : G. N. Thomson 1838 9 cm x 16 cm x 1 cm

We are mesmerized by the rare and unusual printed-pattern cloth on our copy of The American Poultry Book (1861). Notice how the blind ornamental blocking on the front cover is barely visible due to the busy pattern of the cloth.

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more!

Bement, C. N. (Caleb N.) 1861, The American poultry book New York : Harper & Brothers. 1861. 10 cm x 16 cm x 1.5 cm

We love the Eastlake-inspired decorative gilt blocking on our copy of Beautiful Snow; and Other Poems (1869).

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more!

1869, Beautiful Snow; and Other Poems.  Philadelphia : T. B. Peterson & Brothers. 1869. 14 cm x 21 cm x 1.5 cm.

For Publishers’ Binding Thursday, we present this ribbon-embossed cloth bound book from 1840. This style of decorative cloth typically featured a floral or botanical pattern, though more abstract designs have been documented. Ribbon-embossed grain got its name from its original intention: as decoration for cloth ribbons. However, the rising popularity of grained and decorated book-cloth in the 1830s and 1840s led to the production of ribbon-embossed cloth for use as a book covering.

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more! 

Stephens, John Lloyd.  1840, Incidents of travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland.  New York : Harper & Brothers. 1840

We’re bringing a little divination to this Publishers’ Binding Thursday. The Ladies’ Diadem, or, Starry Oracles (1847) measures just 4.5 inches tall and contains the name of a star for each day of the year, accompanied by a “poetical prophecy”. The star for today, February 16, is Mebusta, from the constellation of Gemini, and the accompanying prophecy reads “There lives more life in one of thy fair eyes, / Than all the poets can in praise devise.” 

This little books features a lovely gold-stamped crown surrounded by gold stars and blind-stamped decoration on faded red cloth.

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more!

1847, The ladies’ diadem, or, Starry oracles; in which each day in the year is designated by a star and a poetical prophesy or description. Lowell : Milton Bonney.

An image so nice, they used it twice! Happy #Caturday

Aesop’s Fables: a new version, chiefly from original sources. Philadelphia : Geo. S. Appleton, 1851. 208, [8] p. :  ill. ;  16 cm.

We love the Eastlake-inspired decorative gilt blocking on our copy of Bella Zilfa Spencer’s Right and Wrong, or, She Told the Truth at Last, published by W.J. Holland & Co. in 1870. 

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more!

1870, Right and wrong : or, she told the truth at last. With other stories. Springfield, Mass. : W.J. Holland & Co. 1870 12 cm x 20 cm x 4 cm.  

Purple bookcloth is notorious for fading, as evidenced by our copy of John Smith Dye’s History of the Plots and Crimes of the Great Conspiracy to Overthrow Liberty in America, published in 1866. Exposure to light faded much of this bookcloth to its original ecru, but a shorter shelf-mate protected a portion of the front cover.

Browse the Library Company’s database of 19th-Century Cloth Bindings to see more! 

Dye, Deacon.   1866, History of the plots and crimes of the great conspiracy to overthrow liberty in America. : Complete in one volume. / By John Smith Dye.  New York : published by the author.  15 cm x 23 cm x 2.5 cm

We love the gilt design on this publisher’s binding from 1854, found on The Measure of the Circle by John Davis. 

Squaring the circle was proven to be impossible in 1882, twenty-eight years after the publication of this book.

Davis, John.  1854, The measure of the circle. : Perfected in January, 1845 Providence : published for author. 1854. 2 cm x 14 cm x cm.