# REALLY fancy books--like wooden frames and metal corners and such **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 4, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324 "2009-03-04T21:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/1 "2009-03-04T21:13:03Z")
Where can I find some really fancy, Medieval-lookin’ books? Or at least pictures of the covers of same? Something you’d see in a Sword & Sorcery wizard’s library is what I’m hoping to find. ---
**Author:** ![Offkenter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@Offkenter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Offkenter)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/2 "2009-03-04T21:37:15Z")
I don’t know about buying them, but I just did a google image search for: medieval book covers. I got some really great looking results. This one is my favorite > **[Evolution of the Medieval Book](https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/medievalbook/intro.htm)** > > Fireworks Splice HTML ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/3 "2009-03-04T21:59:13Z")
- Do Google Image searches on: - The Kelmscott Chaucer - Medieval Books of Days - the JP Morgan library - or Oxford’s Library (currently phasing on the same - is it the Balliol or something like that?) - Custom Bookbinding… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/4 "2009-03-04T22:53:21Z")
The third edition D&D books had covers printed up to look like this… I was hoping that they would come out with special editions which really were bound in (faux) dragonhide with brass clasps and so on. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/5 "2009-03-04T23:47:00Z")
Check out the [Vienna Coronation Gospels](http://www.khm.at/en/treasury/the-holy-roman-empire/?aid=3&cHash=1d77539f17). The insides are just as pretty – gold ink on purple vellum. My wife actually held it, years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/6 "2009-03-04T23:49:46Z")
[http://www.abaxion.com/books11.htm](http://www.abaxion.com/books11.htm) [http://www.abaxion.com/books01.htm](http://www.abaxion.com/books01.htm) (note that this is the first page of three). Generally, if you search for “book of shadows” you’ll find various blank books for sale, and some of them are quite elaborate. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/7 "2009-03-06T22:01:22Z")
Altho’ mass produced books are wonderful–I couldn’t have the 100’s I do otherwise–we clearly don’t spend enough time making the covers attractive. The JP Morgan library was the ticket. I found: 1. [Paul Bonet cover](http://www.themorgan.org/collections/zoom.asp?id=115) Rockin! 2. [Embroidered binding](http://www.themorgan.org/collections/zoom.asp?id=121) Incredible! 3. [Portfolio binding](http://www.themorgan.org/collections/zoom.asp?id=363) Very cool! 4. [Book box](http://www.themorgan.org/collections/zoom.asp?id=348) Excellent! 5. [Exactly the one I’m looking for!](http://www.themorgan.org/collections/zoom.asp?id=354) Almost. I know where I’m going the next time I’m in NYC! Now if I can just figure out a way to have my favorite books covered like that at a price less than that of a small house… ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/8 "2009-03-08T15:39:35Z")
No metal corners, but you can buy some really fancy medieval-style leather books [here](http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5051762). The blank pages are ideal for inscribing spells 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-fancy-books-like-wooden-frames-and-metal-corners-and-such/488324/9 "2009-03-08T16:03:00Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > The JP Morgan library was the ticket. 😉 It is pretty amazing in person if you are a bibliophile - but bring a drool cup.