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In Comparative Diagram 1, shown above, I have reproduced a binding (number 362) from a 1921 Maggs Bros catalogue entitled: Book bindings : historical and decorative, compared with a 1766 Derome le jeune binding that we have examined previously (click here to see this page.) We can see, even from just the corner decorations that these dentelles are very similar, however before we start assessing the comparisons between these two bindings, I want to point out the price shown on the Maggs Bros. information for this book. This is more money than they were asking for folio blindstamped 1521 Francois Ier binding in good condition, number 44 in their catalogue, for only 105 pounds, this binding is so rare, that it's beyond me how they could even consider selling it (click here to see an examination of this binding). For 362 they are asking 150 pounds... how much money is that today? well you have to do some complex calculations to find out, fortunately there is a page on the internet that will do this for you (click here to see it) from this page we learn that, 150 UK pounds in the year of 1921 could buy 870.4 grams of gold. The price of 870.4 grams gold in year 2015 was around 32,464 US dollars and that price has gone up since then. In conclusion then we could say that 100 years ago people we prepared to pay the equivalent of about 35 thousand USD$ for a Derome dentelle à l'oiseau binding. The book itself although rare was for sale online in 2009 for £6,200.00 (click here to see it) say 12-15.000 USD$ today. Derome's binding alone must be worth about 20.000, if the total cost is going to be 35.000. However today bookbindings by famous binders are not appreciated to the extent that they were 100 or even 200 years ago, today we value junk that can shred itself after being sold to the tune of millions of dollars. You and I know that there are now only a limited number of Derome le jeune dentelles that can come to market, and each one is different, and rare and probably only produced by Derome himself in the years between 1760 and 1770. How many are already locked up in the Worlds Museums and National Libraries? What are they really worth? if we can now pay millions for junk then they are worth millions for sure. Someday these 18th century treasures will set new auction records.
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