Sinai: Treasures of the Monastery of Saint Catherine. ANDREAS GANIARIS BINDING

Ekdotike Athenon, 1990. ~Creatively rebound in full tan calf over slightly bevelled boards, with large inset panel of black, gold, and burgundy mosaic-style decor to centre front board, built up of individual pieces of leather, with inset burgundy-gilt title label and framed in burgundy and gold. Attractive slight texturing to gilt 'tiles'. Some dust caught in gaps between tiles, which are intentionally imperfectly aligned. Gilt lettering and small burgundy square motif to spine. Spine slightly faded. Hinges sound. Replacement decorated endpapers, the paper printed with parchment-style pattern. Without publisher's dustwrapper, but with solid slipcase in Very Good condition, matching binding, with tan calf to top and bottom and parchment-style paper to sides and spine. Some scuffing to slipcase and a couple of minor dents to slipcase spine edges. Binding is signed in gilt to rear turn-in: 'AAA. GANIAREZ ATHENA'; the binding made by Andreas Ganiaris, as confirmed by his still-practising Athens-based binder daughter Frosso Ganiari, of Ganiari Bookbinding / Reliures Ganiari. An unusual and ambitious binding, appropriate for a volume on the Monastery of Saint Catherine, where the Church of the Transfiguration contains 'a mosaic which ranks among the most important works of Byzantine mosaic art' (p. 35). Profusely illustrated in colour. No ownership marks. ~Robust packaging. Overseas tracking available on request.. Hardback. Fine. 399pp. 25 x 32.5cm. Binding sound, text unmarked.