Extremely Rare 16th Century Book Everyone Should See

By | May 9, 2016

What makes this small old book extremely special, aside from the fact that it's a 16th century relic, is that it's a marvelous example of sixfold dos-à-dos binding, a type of ancient binding in which six books are conjoined into a single publication. You can also read each book individually with the help of six perfectly placed clasps.

This 16th century book is housed at the National Library of Sweden.

Let’s take a closer look.

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National Library of Sweden

A closer look at the embellished page edges and clasps. Depending on which clasp is open, the book can be read several ways.

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National Library of Sweden

Intricately decorated leather cover.

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National Library of Sweden

With its dos-a-dos binding, which literally translates to "back-to-back," readers can read the book in six different ways. Opening different clasps will reveal different directions.

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