Canterbury Tales 1400-1410. Facsimile

Description

TITLE:  CANTERBURY TALES
CREATOR:  CHAUCER, GEOFFREY, -1400
DATE: 1400-1410 AD
LANGUAGE: MIDDLE ENGLISH
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:   THE ELLESMERE CHAUCER IS A BEAUTIFUL AND ELABORATELY DECORATED MANUSCRIPT OF GEOFFREY CHAUCER’S CANTERBURY TALES. CREATED BETWEEN 1400 AND 1410, IT CONTAINS WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE A PORTRAIT OF CHAUCER AS WELL AS MINIATURE PAINTINGS OF TWENTY-TWO OF THE FICTIONAL PILGRIMS WHO TELL STORIES IN ORDER TO ENLIVEN THE JOURNEY FROM LONDON TO CANTERBURY. THE MANUSCRIPT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION PARTLY BECAUSE IT WAS UNDISTURBED FOR ABOUT THREE CENTURIES IN THE LIBRARY OF SIR THOMAS EGERTON (LATER BARON ELLESMERE) AND HIS FAMILY. THE BINDING DATES FROM 1995, WHEN THE MANUSCRIPT WAS CONSERVED AND REBOUND TO MEET MODERN STANDARDS OF PRESERVATION.
REPRODUCTION DETAILS: THE HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH TWO PIECES OF REAL WOOD ON THE INSIDE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NEW YORK STATE. THE GLUE WE USE TO ATTACH THE LEATHER TO THE WOOD IS MADE AT OUR FACILITY, AND IS A PERIOD CORRECT WHEAT GLUE. ALONG THE SPINE, WE USE A MODERN PERFECT BINDING, WITH MODERN GLUE, TO MAKE THE BINDING LAST LONGER. THEN WE EACH SIGNATURE IS SEWN INTO THE BOOK BLOCK.  WE ALSO ADD THREE LAYERS OF MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE PERFECT BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT.
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