Although the binding of books dates from the second century, the earliest surviving example of an English decorated leather binding is from the seventh century. Then, as now, the binding is begun by sewing the gathered pages together and trimming them square in the large trimming press with its sliding plough. The spine is shaped into a curve with the backing hammer, and then the covers are tied on.

Evenly trimmed leather is meticulously fitted and pasted on the covers. The decorations on the leather are then blinded in with heated rolls, pallets, creasers, fillets, and decorative stamps. The impressed blind design is then carefully brushed with a mixture of egg white in water, called glair, so it will adhere the gold leaf that is placed over it.

The heated tool is again placed on the design in the same position, thus setting the gold leafed design. Polishing irons are used to crush and smooth the grain of the leather, and the agate burnishers are for finishing the gold leaf. Click on the thumb nails to view the enlarged images.