The bibliophile's glossary
Half binding
A binding in which the spine and part of the boards, generally the corners, are covered with a more refined or more durable material, while the remainder of the boards is covered with another material, often paper or cloth.
The half binding appeared in the eighteenth century as an economical binding: leather, a scarce material, was reserved for the spine and sometimes the corners, while the boards were covered in marbled paper, and later in cloth or cloth (percaline). In the nineteenth century it became the standard binding of middle-class libraries and study collections, in half roan, half calf or half shagreen, while the half binding with morocco corners, signed by a workshop, established itself as the bibliophile's binding par excellence for modern first editions, preserved with their original wrappers.
A distinction is made between the half binding proper, where only the spine is in leather, the half binding with corners, where the corners of the boards receive the same leather, and the half binding with bands or Bradel binding. The bookseller describes the material and colour of the spine, the presence and width of the corners, the paper of the boards, the titling, the raised bands or smooth spine, and the state of the original wrappers. The value of a half binding depends on its period, its signature, the quality of its execution and the harmony between binding and book: a contemporary half binding on a romantic first edition is a sought-after state.
The half binding is often confused with case binding, or a publisher's half-cloth binding is mistaken for a workshop binding. The term half binding with corners is sometimes used for corners so narrow that they amount to no more than a thread of leather. The description "contemporary binding" must be consistent with the date of the book: a nineteenth-century half roan binding on an eighteenth-century book is a later binding, and should be described as such.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a half binding?
This is a binding in which the spine, and usually the corners, are covered in a fine or durable material, leather or vellum, while the rest of the boards is covered in paper or cloth.
What is a half-binding with corners?
This is a half binding in which the corners of the boards are protected by the same material as the spine, often in a pointed shape; without corners, it is simply called a half binding, or a quarter binding when only the spine is covered.
Is a half binding worth less than a full binding?
Generally speaking, for a given binder and period, yes; but a half binding signed by a great workshop, or a contemporary half binding that preserves the original wrappers, can be highly sought-after on a modern book.