Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Bookbinder
(823 words)

Bookbinding in the Middle Ages was primarily a monastic craft (see Crafts and trades) that established lasting values of cultural history with its richly decorated, large-format wood-bound folios, but from the 14th century, the trade increasingly passed into the hands of urban citizens. The apprenticeship of a bookbinder in Germany generally lasted between two and four years. However, before the journeymen could become a master, he had to complete a qualifying period of up to five years (Tramping, journeymen). Bookbinders were among the better traveled, better educated craftsman. …

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Elkar, Rainer S., “Bookbinder”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_017837>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160907



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