Monday, December 10, 2012 Click on the four-way arrow in the
bottom right-hand corner of the slideshow to convert into full-
screen mode. Jeweled bindings, which use metalwork, jewels,
ivory, and rich fabrics to decorate a book, date back at least
to the Middle Ages, but the form was revived around the turn of
the twentieth century by the English binders Sangorski &
Sutcliffe. Francis Sangorski and George Sutcliffe met in evening
bookbinding classes in 1896. After a few years teaching
bookbinding at Camberwell College of Art, they opened their own
shop in a rented attic in Bloomsbury despite the difficult
economic climate. Then on October 1, 1901, they founded
Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Quickly, they became known for their
sumptuous multi-colored leather book bindings complete with gold
inlay and precious jewels. Their designs were intricate, bold,
and creative. These early years were the golden age of the
company. During this time Sangorski & Sutcliffe created dozens
of fine bindings and grew in both popularity a