Der Bucheinband: Seine Technik und seine Geschichte

This compact volume walks listeners through the craft of making a book from the ground up. It begins with the raw materials—parchment, vellum, early leather—and details each stage of construction, from folding and stitching the gatherings to trimming the block and preparing the cover. The editor has stayed true to the 1890 edition, preserving original spelling, historic typefaces and even the occasional typographic error, so the voice feels authentic to its time.

Beyond the hands‑on techniques, the work expands into a richly illustrated history of the book’s outer shell. Early diptychs, medieval monastic bindings, and the flamboyant gold‑studded covers of the Renaissance are described with clear explanations of the cultural forces that shaped them. A later section on restoring aged covers offers practical advice for conservators. With close to two hundred detailed illustrations, listeners gain both a practical guide and a vivid portrait of how bookbinding evolved into the art form we recognize today.