BINDING & SIZE

The binding of this book is bound in a cloth covered case binding. Within this binding there are 14 signatures that make up the book. This book has a green cloth, with gold stamping on the cover and spine, as was discussed previously. The decoration on this book’s cover is very minimalistic. However, there is a slight embossing of the fabric that outlines the edges of the book on the cover. The gold patterned around the title and author name are very small, measuring only 1 ½ inch in height. On the spine of the book at the top and bottom edges, there is an additional stamping of the same pattern that surrounds the title and author name.
Case binding was introduced in the 19th century as a way to reduce cost. Cloth was first applied to book cover in the United States in the 1830s. Cloth types and sizing had to be tested to ensure durability. It has been said that, “it was during the 19th century, more so than this century, that cloth book covers displayed the greatest amount of innovation.” Stamping also became popular in the 19th century. Stamping allowed for style diversity from book to book (Simone).


This particular copy of Little Women is an undersized book measuring 4 ¾ inches x 6 ½ inches. The book is in fairly good condition. There is a slight ripe in the page that holds the image of Jo skating. It has been mended with tape. There is also a brown discoloring on several pages throughout the book. Other than the occasional brown spot, the book is in fairly good condition. The pages are all present, and the binding seems to be holding up well.