Leaves of a book, pressed tightly together, provided too tempting a space to be ignored, to say nothing of the usefulness of giving the name or title of the book, or the device of its owner, or even a decorative design. So on fine mediæval books and also on later books, following the earlier manner in their own way, we find all sorts of designs on book edges. It is not a subject which has attracted much attention as yet, but it probably will in time, and there is already enough known about it to show that much valuable knowledge is lying hidden up in it. For instance, if a book, otherwise likely, has the words “Rex in Æternum Vive” painted in gold on the edges, it is a positive sign that it issued from the workshop of Thomas Berthelet, printer and binder to Henry VIII.
Fig. 71.—Forage decoration in colour. Tenth century.
Edge decoration of some sort seems to have been done from the tenth century onwards; at first elementary or symbolical designs were simply painted upon the edges, and not counting the mere book titles or press marks, it may be said that since the fourteenth century heraldry has played a very important part in edge decoration. In England this form of adornment for a bound book has been largely followed from that time, and there are fine examples of it in books bound for Henry VII. and the other of our Tudor sovereigns, as well as for private persons of the same period. The edges are treated as panels and the painting done upon them when pressed firmly and solidly together. The edges are generally coloured some neutral colour as a groundwork and sometimes lettering in gold is done upon them.
Fig. 72.—Italian forage decoration in gold and colour (1560).
Henry VIII. often had the legend “Rex in Æternum Vive Nez” written in gold on the cream coloured edges of his books, and all that are so lettered are attributed to Thomas Berthelet as binder. The “Nez” is rather a puzzle, and it was suggested by Mr. J. L. Scott, of the British Museum, that it stands for the three initial letters of the phrase in the Book of Daniel, Ναβουχοδονὀσωρ Εσαει ζῆθι—a quite possible solution.
Fig. 73.—German forage decoration in gold and colour. The arms of Nuremberg (1566).
Queen Anne Boleyn’s copy of the New Testament has her name, “Anna Regina Angliæ,” written in red upon its gilt edges.