De Institutione Oratoria Libri Duodecim

1720

Shoults Lc 1720 Q

[Leiden: Johannes du Vivié]

In simple terms, the process of preparing vellum or parchment for use in binding is that the hide is soaked in lime, scraped clean of hair and flesh and then stretched to dry on a frame. Although vellum and parchment are used interchangeably, there is a difference: the former was made from calfskin while the latter was made from sheepskin that had been split. This 1720 edition of Quintilian has a vellum cover, and in order to get a good impression, the double fillets that form the inner and outer frames, the centre-piece, and the corner ornaments of acorns and flowers were probably applied when the vellum was wet. Heat and pressure were also necessary. The covers are very thick and have warped. The fore-edge ties that may have prevented this happening have gone; only green stubs remain.