Antiquarian Vellum Books

As far back as I can remember I have collected old, fine, and rare books, referred to as Antiquarian Books - an interest handed down by my late father and his love of old tomes. But it’s only in the last decade I’ve become increasingly interested in 15th-16th century books covered in a type of skin known as Vellum. Often calfskin, although goatskin is sometimes used. Other skins such as horse, squirrel and rabbit were also used.

In 1490, Johannes Trithemius preferred the older methods of using skin rather than paper, because "handwriting placed on skin will be able to endure a thousand years.” 

Testament to my own Vellum collection.

There are however in existence, examples of books wrapped in human skin. The practice of binding books in human skin, also known as anthropodermic bibliopegy, is not just the stuff of dark legends.  It was a real technique which, although frowned upon and considered ghastly by today’s standards, was officially practiced since the 17th century. The technique then regained considerable popularity during the French Revolution and among the upper classes in the 19th century.

One such example is, The Poetical Works of John Milton, dated 1852. This book is now kept at the Westcountry Studies Library in Exeter.