Terminology: wrappers, limp bindings

I have used the following definitions for the last few years:  LIMP
means that there is no stiffening under or within an otherwise flexible
material.  It is an adjective and needs to define a noun.  WRAPPER is
something which is wrapped around a book, usually in the handpress era
as a cover.  It may or may not be attached, and it may or may not be
stiff, depending on how it is made.  In theory, a stiff wrapper could be
a case, but we fortunately have the word case to cover that eventuality,
so we need not worry ourselves about it unduly.  The problem comes with
the SEMI-LIMP definition, where a flexible material is lined with
another flexible material.  I use this only to describe bindings in
which the covering material is wrapped around a piece of cartonnage or
other flexible material (I have seen parchment used to line parchment)
which is in itself wrapped around the textblock.  It does not (for me)
describe bindings which have two separate boards, even if these are
flexible -- they are still boards and are defined as such.

Nicholas Pickwoad
NP15 [at] cunixf__cc__columbia__edu

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 5:53
                 Distributed: Saturday, April 25, 1992
                        Message Id: cdl-5-53-004
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