Bookbindings: An Illustrated History—Book Talk by David Pearson, 16 June 2026

About the event

David Pearson gives an illustrated talk based on his new book, Bookbindings: an Illustrated History, showcasing the Bodleian’s outstanding bookbinding collections and exploring their interest and value.

Bindings have always been essential for making books work, and beyond that they have sometimes been striking works of craftsmanship. They are also integral to the histories of the individual books they cover, and there is much to explore beyond mere beauty. Bindings have been made of all kinds of materials – leather, parchment, vellum, ivory, precious metals – to satisfy the needs of owners from students to monarchs. The ways they were made and decorated have evolved steadily over time, and many countries have their own distinctive traditions. 

Speaker

David Pearson is a leading authority on the history of books, after a lifetime spent working with them, writing about them and owning them. His books include Provenance Research in Book History (2019), Speaking Volumes: Books with Histories (2022) and now Bookbindings: an Illustrated History, all from Bodleian Library Publishing. He is Editor of The Book Collector and a faculty member at Rare Book School.