“Dentelle du Louvre” or “Louvre lace” is a term used to describe a delicate and intricate gilded leather book design and border, associated with quality French bookbindings, particularly from the 1700s-1800s.
The term is linked to the Louvre Museum, as this style of decoration was often used in bindings for important works. Dentelle is French for lace- Dentelle du Louvre mimics the elegance of lace on leather.
“Red Morocco binding with roulette border” refers to leather binding, often made from red Morocco leather, which is known for its softness and durability. “Roulette border” refers to a decorative tool used in bookbinding that creates a repeating, patterned border design along the edges of the binding.
The “spine with ribs” is raised and decorated which was a common technique in traditional bookbinding to add structure and visual appeal. The ribs are typically decorated with “casters” (small decorative pieces) and or an “iron with the king’s figure,” which suggests that the binding was associated with royalty or a specific monarch.
I have a thing about books. Well, yeah, most of us have a thing about books.
Books are more than just pages filled with words; they become friends, companions that stay with us- repeating phrases, their essences to us. Our bookshelves, tell a story of our interest, stories that have guided us.
And then, there’s the category of books that are not necessarily for reading, but are eye candy – the coffee table books, the ones that add character to the space, and somehow make the room feel more alive, inviting us to flip through the pages.
For me, the older the book, the better they look – the more beaten-up, the more character they possess.
Recently a client noticed a vast collection of books in an antique shop we visited. She asked, “How much would all of these books cost?” Without missing a page in a script, I replied, “In France, the price of the book, depends more about the titles. Then the look.”
In France, if a book has an interesting title, it’s a reflection of its soul. But, for most of my clients it doesn’t matter if they can’t read French- the beauty lies in how they look on the shelf.
And when it comes to buying books, I’ve learned a trick: it’s better to buy them all at once as a collection, rather than one by one. Otherwise, the dealer will look at each title, and the price will have a reflection of that outcome. I asked the dealer, “How much for all those books – you know my client doesn’t read it’s just for the look?” suddenly all those books were hers. “Done!”
My temptation, every time I go to a Brocante is that my mind tells me, “Don’t look at the books. You don’t need any more books.” But my eyes? They wander back to them. It’s an addiction, and I can’t resist. “I won’t buy books today,” I tell myself, but then, my French Husband smiles knowingly, asking, “Are we buying books-going to the gym?” I shake my head, roll my eyes, and try to act indifferent, pfff – but within moments, he’s carrying two full bags of books developing those biceps. “Mais non!” I mutter, but my heart is already racing to the next stand.
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