The Technique of Islamic Bookbinding

Methods, Materials and Regional Varieties. Second Revised Edition
2. Auflage 2018
ISBN: 978-90-04-38548-1
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 8, 442 Seiten, Format (B × H): 163 mm x 242 mm, Gewicht: 1001 g

Reihe: Islamic Manuscripts and Books

The Technique of Islamic Bookbinding is the first monograph dedicated to the technical development of the bookbinding tradition in the Islamic world. Based on an assessment of the extensive oriental collections in the Leiden University Library, the various sewing techniques, constructions and the application of covering materials are described in great detail. A comparative analysis of the historic treatises on bookbinding provides further insight into the actual making of the Islamic book. In addition, it is demonstrated that variations in time and place can be established with the help of distinctive material characteristics.

Karin Scheper’s work refutes the perception of Islamic bookbinding as a weak structure, which has generally but erroneously been typified as a case-binding. Instead, the author argues how diverse methods were used to create sound structures, thus fundamentally challenging our understanding of the Islamic bookbinding practice.

Karin Scheper has been awarded the De La Court Award 2016 by The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences for her study of the bookbinding tradition in the Islamic world.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Scheper, Karin

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Islam & Islamische Studien Geschichte des Islam
• Interdisziplinäres Bibliothekswesen, Informationswissenschaften Buchgeschichte, Bibliotheksgeschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Islam & Islamische Studien Islam: Literatur & Kunst

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface to the Second Edition

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1 Materiality Matters
A Detailed Sketch of the Current State of Knowledge and Outline of the Research

The Information Value of Binding Structures

The Present Situation of the Book Archaeology of Islamic Manuscripts

Obstacles in the Study of Islamic Bookmaking

Linking Physical Analysis, Catalogue Data, and Literature

Selection and Justification of the Corpus

2 The Anatomy of the Islamic Manuscript
A Detailed Overview of the Different Methods of Construction

Vocabulary and Images as Tools

Techniques Used to Construct the Textblock

Covering and Board Attachment

A Problematic Term: Case-binding

Other Characteristics

Meaning and Validity of the Diversity

3 A Comparative Study of the Historic Sources and Recent Literature on the Making of Islamic Manuscripts

Historic Sources

Secondary Sources: Related Studies and General Reference Works

Founders of our Knowledge on the Use of Structure and Materials in Islamic Bookmaking

Structure as a Starting Point

Structure as a Side Issue

Structure as a Conservation Issue

The Sum of the Parts

4 Multiplicity within the Tradition
n Account of the Methodology and Quantitative Results of the Survey

Methodology

Survey Results—Quantitative Analysis

5 Mapping the Variations in Time and Place
Datable and Localisable Features and a Further Interpretation of the Findings

Sewing

Spine-lining

Endbanding

Covering

Spine-endings

Interior Covering of the Boards

The Envelope and Fore-edge Flap

Miscellaneous Features

Southeast Asia as a Sub-category in the Islamic Tradition

Summary

6 Considerations and New Perspectives

Recapitulation

Development of the Tradition

Discussion

Conclusion

Appendices

1 Glossary

2 Corpus

3 Example of a Record of the Database

4 List of Manuscripts Used in Illustrations

Bibliography

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Karin Scheper, Ph.D. (Leiden, 2014), is conservation specialist at the Leiden University Library. She has published on various conservation topics, but concentrates on her conservation practice and study of Islamic manuscripts.