While researching book bindings for a project, I’ve been coming across these gorgeous embroidered book covers and bindings from the 16th and 17th century. Thought I’d make a blog post out of these exquisite works of art.. The original scans for the books are scattered throughout The British Library Database of Bookbindings. I’ve just selected, cropped, and optimized them. The larger size originals are in a flickr set so that all the amazing details can be seen and are worth clicking through and taking a good look at.
Embroidered satin book with floral motif. The Whole Booke of Psalmes (London, 1639)
Embroidered velvet book with scroll and floral pattern. Orationis Dominic: explicatio (Geneva, 1583)
17th century embroidered satin book with pictorial angel and trees. The Whole Booke of Davids Psalmes (London, 1634)
Embroidered Canvas book, pictorial angel and floral motif with two red ribbons. The Booke of Common Prayer (London, 1611)
17th century embroidered velvet book cover. A Comfortable Treatise, for the reliefe of such as are afflicted in Conscience: revised the third time, … interlaced, and enlarged in many places. (London, 1620)
Front and back covers of an embroidered satin book with two sets of metal clasps. The Whole Booke of Davids Psalmes (Edinburgh, 1644)
Embroidered satin book cover with silver threads. Good Newes from Heaven. (London, 1631)
Embroidered book cover with sequins. The Holy Bible (London, 1642)
Satin embroidered book cover with threads of coloured silk ‘woven’ across upper and lower covers. The Whole Booke of Psalmes (London, 1627)
