. Historic bindings in the Bodleian Library, Oxford : with reproductions of twenty-four of the finest bindings. on of the present chief librarian. The use of distinctive colours* for binding different classes ofbooks has been abandoned in other departments of the library, butin the Oriental Room it has been introduced with great Oriental MSS. are in the form of rolls, or are written onpalm-leaves, and a special form of covering had to be devised for theirprotection. For this purpose boxes were made covered in cloth ofvarious colours, fully lettered, and provided with air-holes t
. Historic bindings in the Bodleian Library, Oxford : with reproductions of twenty-four of the finest bindings. on of the present chief librarian. The use of distinctive colours* for binding different classes ofbooks has been abandoned in other departments of the library, butin the Oriental Room it has been introduced with great Oriental MSS. are in the form of rolls, or are written onpalm-leaves, and a special form of covering had to be devised for theirprotection. For this purpose boxes were made covered in cloth ofvarious colours, fully lettered, and provided with air-holes to preventdamp. In one year about 200 palm-leaf MSS., chiefly Dravidian,Pali, Sanskrit, and Sinhalese, besides numerous rolls were boxedthus. They are stored in specially deep shelves with the narrow endsto the front. Cases or covers were likewise made for various beautiful bindings; many of these bindings are priceless worksof art. It was intended to include several representative specimensof Oriental bookbinding in this book ; indeed Mr. Nicholson justly * Distinctive colours are used for INTRODUCTION. xliii suggested that a work of this kind would not be complete withoutthem, but unfortunately owing to the difficulty in photographingthe gorgeous colours of some of the Indian and Persian book-covers,and the consequent complete failure of the negatives, this part ofthe work had to be abandoned. Among the Ouseley additional MSS. is one (No. 177) of theDiwan-i-Khakan, the Diwan of the royal Persian poet Khakan,that is Fath Alt Shah of Persia. The history of the MS. is curious:it was written c. 1810 and presented to the English Ambassador atthe Persian Court, and, perhaps as a mark of special favour to him,the artist who painted the cover placed in the centre of each side aminiature of the Holy Family, and above and below two medallionsrepresenting the heads of European ladies in 17th century rest of the ornament consists of flowers and birds bea
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidhi, booksubjectbookbinding
