Moroccan Leather (With a Little M)

A clever inlay for Einstein’s ‘The Meaning of Relativity’Well, since I am actually in Morocco right now, it seems appropriate to talk about moroccan books. That little ‘m’ there is deliberate. But more on that in a moment.

Tennyson’s ‘In Memoriam’ Leather has for centuries been the traditional material used in bookbinding: it’s easy to work with – stretching and cutting easily; it absorbs dye; and is beautiful in its own right, adding to the aesthetic appeal of the book as an object.

Although there are inherent problems to using this material – susceptibility to extreme temperatures, moisture, humidity, light – leather is today still often the binder’s choice for fine jobs. (Late last year I saw a fascinating exhibition of modern leather-bound books at the Queensland State Library.)

Rosas: Roses Real and Imaginary. With Poems. By Susan AllixThe most traditional leather bindings are sheep, roan (a thinner, cheaper sheep leather), calf and goat. It is goat leather specifically that is called ‘morocco’.  

Inlaid leather is a style of binding decoration that often resembles a mosaic or quilt. Pieces of pre-cut leather are inserted into an existing leather binding to create a pattern or design; nature scenes; floral decorations; and even portraits of people. Some of these bookbindings are so intricate it is a fine testament to the skill, steady hand and patience of their craftsmen.

Perhaps I will look for some in the souqs of Fez today, although from the fact that the rare books pictured here cost thousands of dollars, I think I could only afford a tattered vintage volume!

‘Innocence in Extremis’, by John Hawkes‘Wrenching Times. Poems from Drum-Taps’ by Walt Whitman