Dos-à-dos Binding

Definition

Dos-à-dos binding is a way of binding a book in which "two codices are bound with a back cover in common." This makes the pages of one book go north, while the other goes south. Once "one volume is read, it is "turned over to reveal the cover of the other." These two books can be separate books, but they are most likely used for duologies.

History

Dos-á-dos binding was believed to have originated in 16th century Europe during the Renaissance period. During this period, the arts and science flourished along with the need of written knowledge, so binding books back to back was the answer. This method of binding was popular in England, France, and Germany.

A dos-à-dos binded book from the Medieval Era

The term "dos-á-dos" translates to "back-to-back" in French. This type of binding was usually used to stitch together two related texts, such as a prayer book and a hymnal or two volumes of the same series. This design allowed readers to two books at once, making it a practical way for a lot of information to be carried at one time. This type of binding also had a symbolic use, in which the binding represented the union between the two texts. The rare binding of these books also made them an object of worth for the wealthy and noble.

In the 18th century, dos-à-dos binding began to decrease bookbinding techniques evolved and new forms of binding came into existence, like the codex. The industrialization of book production also decreased the use of dos-à-dos binding because they were very meticulous to craft. However, during the Arts and Crafts movement, traditional bookbinding was brought back and authors began to commission their books in this style of binding, being sold as special, rare editions.

Tête-Bêche vs Dos-à-dos Binding

A modern example of the same book but in different languages binded in the tête-bêche-style binding

Tête-bêche binding is very similar but different to dos-à-dos binding. Tête-bêche binding is described as having two beginnings plus two ends that meet in the middle. The translation for tête-bêche from French to English is "head-to-toe." Each side of the cover of the books shows two books, and to read the different texts, the book must be rotated 180 degrees. Like dos-à-dos binding, the two books sewn together may be by the same author or be completely different texts by different authors. Another way tête-bêche binding is used is for the same book but in a different language.

Tête-bêche bindings were founded in the 19th century, specifically by the series Ace Doubles. Ace Doubles had their books binded this way that paired two fantasy, scif-fi, or western novellas by different authors together. The excitement of having two books in one them made them a popular choice in the golden age of fiction.

The difference between the two types of binding is that while tête-bêche binding share the same middle, dos-à-dos binded books only share a back cover.

Effect on Publishing

The creation of dos-à-dos binding not only brought a new perspective to the publishing industry, but also expanded the limits on how a book could be binded. This type of binding was revolutionary for those who couldn't carry more than one book at a time or couldn't afford the price of two books instead of one. It also helped religious texts get into the hands of more people and increase literacy.