Bible Design and Binding

The Sincerest Form of Flattery: The New Imitation Leather

Q. You've written about how impressed you are with the new generation of imitation leathers. What is this stuff made of and what makes it so good?

A. Here's the deal with the new imitation leathers -- the stuff the publishers call TruTone, TuTone, NuTone and what have you. They overturn the traditional thinking. Used to be, imitation leathers were at the bottom of the value pyramid, followed in ascending order by bonded leather, genuine leather, various varieties of calfskin, and goatskin. These days, an imitation leather cover is more flexible out of the box than pretty much all the bonded and genuine leather options available. That means the most affordable cover is also the the most practical, especially at a time when the quality of affordable leather seems to be on a downward spiral. As a result of all this, I'm fond of saying that the best values in the Bible market are at the extremes: at the low end and the high end, you get your money's worth -- in the middle there are no guarantees.

Binding Types: Glued, Sewn, or Hybrid?

One of the reasons I started the Bible Design and Binding Blog was to serve as a clearing house for information. Over the years, I've corresponded with a lot of people who share my interests, and I've learned a lot from them. I hope this blog will become a community where that kind of information exchange thrives. A perfect example from over the weekend is Dave's comment on glued and sewn bindings, which states the differences much more clearly than I've managed to do. I want to reproduce it here as a guide to others, along with an invitation to add what you know in the comments:

I freely admit that I also don't know much about the sewing methods, but there are a few varieties that I've run across in my searchfor the "perfect" Bible. The first is the typical glue binding where the end of the signatures are cut flat (usually with some grooves cut into them transversly to help the glue hold), pressed together, and glued.

Storing Your Bible

Q. I now have quite a few Bibles, some of which are premium leather, what is the best way to store these? Flat? In a bookshelf? In their original box?

A. The old time preacher in me is saying, "Bibles are meant to be used, not stored!" But I know exactly what you mean. Tolstoy once asked, "How much land does a man need?" My wife has wondered the same thing about Bibles. Growing up, I had just one Bible -- a gift, no less -- and it never occurred to me until my early twenties that it was possible to buy another. Once I got the bug, though, I never stopped, and this site is a testament to that fact.

A Guide for Beginners

Q. I'm shopping for a new Bible, and I don't have a clue about binding or the different types of leather. What do I need to know to make a good choice?

A. To keep things simple, I'll break the answer down into six basic points. I invite readers to add their own insight in the comments, too. Here goes:

1. A binding can be either (a) sewn or (b) glued. Sewn bindings are better quality and will last longer, but glued bindings are cheaper. If you've ever had pages -- or whole sections -- fall out of your Bible after use, the odds are it had a glued binding. If you're looking for a Bible that will last, get one with a sewn binding. Having said that, if you're careful with a glued binding, it can last a good while, too.

Inside an Allan's Reference ESV

From time to time, I intend to post answers to some of the most frequently asked questions I receive. The biggest by far has to be this one:

Q. How does the interior of the Allan's Reference ESV differ from the one available from Crossway?

A. Not a lot. R. L. Allan's is essentially taking a text block printed by Collins, the UK publisher of the ESV, and binding it. Type style and size are the same. The biggest difference you will notice is that the UK edition does not put the words of Christ in red. Also absent are the book introductions familiar from the American version. You may run across the occasional Anglicized spelling, but if you're familiar with the Classic Reference edition published by Crossway, there will be no big shocks when you open the Allan's ESV. The difference is the binding and the art-gilt edges.