A Natural History (parchment over boards)

A Natural History of the most remarkable Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Serpents, Reptiles and Insects by Mrs. Mary Trimmer. Chiswick: C. and C. Whittingham, 1826. Volume 2 of 2

Collection of Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI

Bound in full Atlantic Salmon parchment processed by the binder. Binding based on Jen Lindsay’s “fundamental” or “simplified-simplified” binding structure: boards glued onto the flange of a separate spine piece that the cords (made by the binder) have been laced through. Caps and boards casually gilt with tacking iron and 23kt gold foil scraps. Paper label and additional tooling with pigment foil, sewn with matching colored thread. Ruscombe Mill endpapers. Bound 2020

13 x 8.5 x 2 cm
5.25 x 3.5 x .75”

I channeled much of my COVID restlessness into fish shopping; processing fish parchment; searching for small, fish-themed antiquarian books; and exploring modest, conservation-friendly structures to wed these activities. This was my first fish parchment binding.