Cutaway model showing Armenian and Greek binding structures.

Gary Frost.

Cutaway model showing Armenian and Greek binding structures.

Made using stamping tools and metal fittings produced by Shanna Leino,

2001.

Book conservator Gary Frost created this binding model, whose upper half demonstrates features of 17th-century Armenian bindings while the lower half exhibits features of 13th-century Greek bindings. Although centuries separate the two binding styles, they both feature unsupported sewing, sewn-on wooden boards, and blind tooling. Greek bindings are characterized by projecting endbands, boards cut to the same size as the text blocks, and grooves cut into the edges of the boards. One of the distinguishing features of Armenian bindings are the thin, vertical filets tooled on the spine leather.

From the collection of Rare Book School