Look up an image:
Explore by theme
bound book
Book whose signatures are sewn together and bound inside a rigid cover made of leather, fabric or paper.
tail edge
Surface forming the bottom side of a book’s signatures; it is occasionally gilded.
fore edge
Surface forming the open side of a book’s signatures; it is occasionally gilded.
back board
Board constituting the rear face of the cover.
corner
Corner angle of a board covered with skin or fabric whose color differs from that of the board.
flyleaf
Sheet of endpaper that is not glued to the inside of the board.
top edge
Surface forming the top side of a book’s signatures; it is occasionally gilded.
square
Part of the boards that overhangs the edges.
front board
Board that makes up the front of the cover.
raised band
Horizontal projection on the spine of the binding; it is molded to a strip of leather or board.
spine
Part of the binding that connects the boards and is opposite the fore edge.
joint
The hinge of the cover between the spine and boards of a binding.
headcap
Part of the covering material folded over at the top and bottom of the spine.
headband
Decorative embroidery that reinforces the book at the top and bottom of the spine.