This page showcases a modern reconstruction of 9th-century Carolingian manuscripts. It is unique in that it marks my first project using ethically sourced leather from red deer. In the early Carolingian period, the skins of wild animals were more commonly used for bookbinding, as cattle hides were primarily reserved for parchment production. The result is a plain, undecorated binding sewn directly onto wooden boards, featuring thick sewing supports, prominent leather spine tabs, and simple, functional endbands.

Construction of this Carolingian style bible

The manuscript is bound using a Carolingian sewing structure, which employs a link-stitch over double-cord sewing supports. These supports are first attached to the front board prior to sewing—a feature thought to reflect the fact that this binding style predates the use of a sewing frame. The textblock is then sewn onto the cords, with the final quire secured using a double kettle stitch. Once sewing is complete, the supports are passed through the rear board and pegged in place to ensure structural stability.

After sewing, the endbands are added and the whole book is covered in natural, undyed deer leather. Allthough historically paste would’ve been used, I affixed them with PVA glue. The binding possesses distinctive “ears” at the top and bottom of the binding, which are leather spine tabs distinctive of Carolingian bindings. These may have served both as structural reinforcements and practical handles for removing the book from storage chests or shelves.

The images above show the front and back of the book. Slightly raised areas are visible—these are the gutters through which the sewing supports pass into the boards. They stand out clearly thanks to the sharp angle of the lighting.

Endband

The endbands were sewn by hand using a simple Coptic-style stitch, which I interpreted as something that might have been more common in early Carolingian binding structures. That said, this is entirely hypothetical and not based on any direct historical evidence.

This type of endband is very easy to construct. A great advantage is that, since it lacks a core, it bends inward with the spine quite easily as the book opens. The image above shows the endband while the book is lying fully open and flat.

Fastening

The book includes a single leather strap and clasp system meant to keep it closed when not in use. However, the implementation turned out to be suboptimal: the strap was poorly attached, and the deer leather stretched easily, which quickly slackened it. As a result, it doesn’t hold enough tension to keep the book shut securely. This issue will be addressed in a future project.

The clasp used in this project is a brass casting made by a medievalist bronze caster. It’s a reproduction of one found on the 12th- or 13th-century manuscript Benediktinerinnenkloster Cod. membr. 20.