The Girdle Book

This is the girdle book, made from a historical model. See the hemp cord tied around the end bottom gathering of leather. That's the part that monks would tie around their girdle/belt/waist so that an important book could be referenced rather easily like this:


Here is another view of the opened book:


This sort of feature (commonly called a "yap") is essential in a girdle book. It protects the pages from dirt/dust/spillage. This is a view of the top edge that would hang toward the ground:


I really didn't take a very good photo of the back side of the book. Here is the best one I have that shows the fore edge and the cross of thorns lightly burned into the back cover:


The girdle book must have its own cover besides the outer leather. Here is a view of the leather covering the boards of the book before it is then attached to the outer covering:


A view of the endband. I am a bit disappointed with myself that I did not take the time to sew a more historically accurate headband.