Printers, Monks & Craftsmen: Bookmaking in the Age of Gutenberg September 5, 2012

This exhibition looks at the transitional period in hand press bookmaking through 14 Bibles printed between 1455 and 1525. Early printed books initially looked to manuscripts to inform page design, typeface, binding, and decorative embellishment. As the era progressed, printers and other craftsmen involved in the production of a printed volume began to experiment with the possibilities handpress production afforded to create innovative, elegant books. Focusing on Gothic bindings and the structure of a selection of books drawn from MOBIA's Rare Bible Collection, conservator Clare Manias explores regional differences in the volumes' styles, production, and form illustrating that printed books have stories to tell and are much more than what's between the covers.