bound book

Book whose signatures are sewn together and bound inside a rigid cover made of leather, fabric or paper.

tail edge

Surface forming the bottom side of a book’s signatures; it is occasionally gilded.

fore edge

Surface forming the open side of a book’s signatures; it is occasionally gilded.

back board

Board constituting the rear face of the cover.

corner

Corner angle of a board covered with skin or fabric whose color differs from that of the board.

flyleaf

Sheet of endpaper that is not glued to the inside of the board.

top edge

Surface forming the top side of a book’s signatures; it is occasionally gilded.

square

Part of the boards that overhangs the edges.

front board

Board that makes up the front of the cover.

raised band

Horizontal projection on the spine of the binding; it is molded to a strip of leather or board.

spine

Part of the binding that connects the boards and is opposite the fore edge.

joint

The hinge of the cover between the spine and boards of a binding.

headcap

Part of the covering material folded over at the top and bottom of the spine.

headband

Decorative embroidery that reinforces the book at the top and bottom of the spine.