Gold tooling was introduced in Europe from the Middle East sometime during the mid-fifteenth century, as Islamic bookbinders travelled throughout the world. As practiced today, the technique of decorating bindings requires the use of a heated tool to press a design on the surface of the leather. The binder then covers the blindtooled area with glaire (made from egg white and vinegar), places gold leaf on the leather, and then retools the design with the heated tool to adhere the gold to the leather. Creative binders combine various ornamental tools to achieve numerous variations in book decoration. Bindings can be dated by the type of ornamentation used, with rococo ornaments common in the seventeenth century and classical Greek key borders popular for eighteenth century bindings. In some cases, individual binders or workshops are recognizable by their distinctive tools and craftsmanship.

Year: 1811
Reference: Richard Arnold (d. 1521). The Customs of London, otherwise called Arnold's Chronicle. London, Printed for F. C. and J. Rivington [etc.], 1811. 300 p. 31.5 x 25.5. cm.
Description: Bound in calf with gilt decorative roll and fillet borders on covers. Raised spine bands. Gilt ornaments on spine. Dark brown leather spine label with gilt lettering. Gilt decorative roll on turn-ins. All edges gilt.
Signed binding. Tooled in gilt: Bound by J. Mackenzie.
Binder: Mackenzie, J.
Gift: William T. Reich
Catalog Record: http://ibisweb.miami.edu/search/o?SEARCH=2114817|

Year: 1790
Reference: Antonio Julian (b. 1722). Trasformazione dell'America o sia Trionfo della S. Chiesa... In Roma, dal Casaletti nel Palazzo Massimi, 1790. 286 p. 19.5 x 12.5 cm.
Description: Bound in calf with a gilt decorative borders and corner ornaments on covers. Gilt decorations and ornaments on spine, green leather spine label with gilt lettering. All edges gilt.
Gift: Phanor J. Eder
Catalog Record: http://ibisweb.miami.edu/search/o?SEARCH=17836932|

Year: 1783
Reference: Thomas Davies (1712-1785). Dramatic Miscellanies: Consisting of Critical Observations on Several Plays of Shakespeare. London: Printed for the author..., 1783-1784. 508 p. 20 x 13 cm.
Description: Bound in calf with plain and marbled calf panels on covers. With gilt decorative roll borders and corner ornaments. Gilt decorations and ornaments on spine, and red leather spine labels with black inlays and gilt lettering. Gilt decorative roll on turn-ins.
Catalog Record: http://ibisweb.miami.edu/search/o?SEARCH=3335440|

Year: 1772
Reference: William Dugdale, 1605-1686. The History of Imbanking and Draining of Divers Fens and Marshes... London: Printed by W. Bowyer and J. Nichols, 1772. 469 p. 42 x 27 cm.
Description: Diced panelled calf with gilt and blindstamped decorative roll and fillet borders on covers. Raised spine bands. Gilt ornaments and title on spine. Gilt decorative roll on turn-ins. Marbled edges. Rebacked.
Catalog Record: http://ibisweb.miami.edu/search/o?SEARCH=4031186|