Girdle book

In an environment of increasingly cheap printing it was simpler to replicate texts than spend time preserving individual manuscripts.

However, only 23 medieval girdle books have survived in their original binding, the oldest datable example being from Kastl, Germany (ca.

[8] At least part of the reason for the small number of surviving examples stems from the fact that the use of the girdle book was largely confined to a narrow area from the Netherlands to the Upper Rhine Valley.

[9] Girdle books were a variant on other forms of medieval book-binding in which the leather or cloth continued loose beyond the edges of the hard cover.

In addition, when reading, the book could be held from outside the cover, so that the clean inside surface of the leather, rather than the thumbs of the reader, touched the pages.

Many girdle books were unadorned; however, there are also many that have brass corner pieces, carvings, awl punctures, artisan clasps, and possibly a family crest or other mark on the front.

Additionally, ornate metal clasps and hinges were more durable than woven leather or cloth bindings that wore out more quickly from heavy use.

Finally, a fourth type of portable book was the vade mecum (go with me), consisting of a booklet or folded sheets that contained an almanac or medical information and could be suspended from a belt.

Despite their significant representation in art depicting medieval clergy, there is a scarcity of literature outside of small communities seeking to recreate them.

[13] However, being such a specialized technique, the girdle book lacks the attention given to more popular medieval binding methods in the enthusiast community Notable exceptions are the collaboration between Margit Smith of the University of San Diego and Jim Bloxam of Cambridge University Library and Smith's monograph.