Sunday, December 2, 2007

Now that's what I call a rare book

The BBC has details of a book coming up at auction - nothing unusual there, obviously. Except this 1605 book "
A True and Perfect Relation of The Whole Proceedings against the Late most barbarous Traitors, Garnet a Jesuit and his Confederats" is thought to be bound in human skin - specifically the skin of Henry Garnet, a Jesuit priest caught up in the Gunpowder Plot (although he was widely held not be an actual part of it, wanting nothing to do with such a violent act). Even more macabre, the wrinkles on the cover allegedly give the impression of a human face, a human face with large eyes, just like Henry was said to possess... Cue Twilight Zone music! Man, I've sold a lot of very specially bound editions over the years in the trade (and have a few myself) but that's taking it a bit too far... I wonder if some anti-aging cosmetic cream companies will consider it for their next beauty books...

1 comment:

  1. I think I will wait for the paper back edition.

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