Lederen banden

Afbeelding

It is an ancient tradition to cover book bindings with leather or parchment. Leather book bindings were often decorated with both embossing and gold stamping. Embossing is a more discreet form of decoration, as the pattern is simply pressed into the leather. Gilding produces a much more striking result: there is a clear colour contrast with the leather, often a certain sheen, and gold leaf simply exudes luxury.  

Libretti with a solid binding are rather exceptional. This is not surprising, as Italian libretti were not printed to last forever, but were intended for a single series of performances during a single season. If such a libretto did receive an expensive binding, it was often attributable to the owner at the time. He considered the publication important enough to protect it properly.