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.

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.