An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
d. 24-], is, also, in the Museum. A third, similar, but more beautiful design, of a very I talianate
character, the Histories of Sallust, Venice, 1546, was exhibited by Mr. Huth at the Exhibition of
the Burlington Fine Arts Club, and is reproduced in their catalogue, [Case F. No. 21.]. In other
examples of a more simple kind, the border entirely consists in gilt and blind lines, the cartouche
in the centre of the panel alone being ornamented j as on a copy of the first volume of the
collections, Delle Navigationi, et Viaggi, by sundry writers, Venice, 1550 [C. 46. i.]. On another
binding, that of a copy of the Symbolicae Quaestiones, of Achilles Bocchius, Bologna, 1555, the
border fillet is itself returned, so as to form the cartouche [C. 27. f. 9.]. On the lower board of this
book occurs the enigmatical legend, 'INIMICI MEI MEA MICHl NON ME MICHl' ; of which the
probable interpretation is, 'Possunt inimici mei mea mihi eripere, non me mihi '; 'My enemies are
able to take mine from me, not me from myself': below, on the border fillet, the name of the
possessor is stamped at length, 'THO MAE MAIOLI ET AMICORVM.' The leather, in which both of
these latter books are covered, is brown morocco, marbled with black, the grain of the skin being
curiously filled in with gold; a peculiarity which I have not observed elsewhere.
The design upon certain other books, bearing Maiolus' name, consists in an interlaced fillet, the
interstices of which are filled with scroll-work, ornamented with azured tools; as upon some of
the later bindings executed for Grolier; but with this difference, that the character of the
interlaced fillet is less architectural, while the scroll-work becomes a principal part of the
ornament. A copy of the Roman Histories of Florus, Paris, 1539, in the Grenville Library, is tooled
in this manner [G. 9138.]: the back is richly ornamented, without bands; and the cypher of
Maiolus is stamped on the lower board. . This florid kind of design is very characteristic of the
binding executed for this collector. On the other hand, the copy of the Noctes Atticae of Aulus
Gellius, Venice, 1515, in the Spencer Library, which was exhibited at the Burlington Fine Arts
Club, and which is reproduced in their catalogue [Case F, No. 17.], bears a cartouche of a
severely architectural' character, designed with great simplicity: and in marked contrast to that of
the Florus in the Grenville Library.