Skip to main content
The Walters Art Museum

Online Collection

Explore the Art Collection keyboard_arrow_down close
  • Explore By...
  • Category
  • Date
  • Medium
  • Creator
  • Places
  • Museum Locations
The Walters Art Museum walters-logo-white
  • Calendar
  • Art
  • Shop
  • Give Now
  • Visit
    • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours
    • Directions & Parking
    • Food, Drink, & Shop
    • Free Admission
    • Tours
    • Accessibility
    • Visitor Promise
  • Experience
    • Virtual Museum
    • Exhibitions & Installations
    • Programs & Events
    • Collections
    • Buildings
    • Baltimore
  • Support
    • Support the Walters
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Institutional Funders
    • Evening at the Walters
    • Volunteers
  • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Leadership
    • Strategic Plan
    • Land Acknowledgment
    • Research
    • Policies
Image for Philobiblon
tooltip-icon Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Zero

Download Image Zoom
Image for Philobiblon
tooltip-icon Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Zero

Download Image Zoom
Image for Philobiblon
tooltip-icon Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Zero

Download Image Zoom
  • arrow_forward_ios
  • arrow_forward_ios
Philobiblon Thumbnail
Philobiblon Thumbnail
Philobiblon Thumbnail
Philobiblon Thumbnail
Philobiblon Thumbnail
Philobiblon Thumbnail

Philobiblon

Richard de Bury (United Kingdom, 1287 - 1345) (Author)
Léon Gruel (French, 1841-1923) (Binder)
The Grolier Club (Publisher)
1889
ink on paper bound between boards covered with goatskin, gold, and patterned silk
(Manuscripts and Rare Books)

In 1889, the Grolier Club of New York City published this three-volume edition of Richard de Bury's Philobiblon (The Love of Books), essays on librarianship composed in 1344. Founded in 1884, the Grolier Club is one of the most influential bibliographic societies, and Henry Walters was a member. Léon Gruel included the club's insignia in the binding, which he gave to Walters as a token of his admiration. Triple back-to-back bindings are extremely rare; Gruel explains in his dedication that this is the only one he had ever made.

Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Acquired by Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1901; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Exhibitions

2013-2014 Bookbindings from the Gilded Age. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.
Share
  • social-item
  • social-item
  • social-item

Geographies

USA, New York, New York (Place of Origin) ((not assigned))

Measurements

H: 7 5/8 × W: 6 1/2 in. (19.37 × 16.51 cm)

Credit Line

Acquired by Henry Walters, 1901

Location in Museum

Not on view

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

92.1220

Do you have additional information?

Notify the curator

Hours

  • Wednesday—Sunday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m.
  • Thursday: 1–8 p.m.
  • Monday—Tuesday: Closed

Location

600 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD
21201

Phone

410-547-9000

  • Visit
  • Experience
  • What's On
  • About
  • Shop
  • Support The Walters
copyright

The Walters Art Museum

  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy/Terms of Use
  • Copyright Info
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • twitter
modal close
Image for
tooltip-icon Creative Commons License

Tooltip description to define this term for visitors to the website.

zoom-btn zoom-btn preview-download
Image for
tooltip-icon Creative Commons License

Tooltip description to define this term for visitors to the website.

zoom-btn zoom-btn preview-download
Image for
tooltip-icon Creative Commons License

Tooltip description to define this term for visitors to the website.

zoom-btn zoom-btn preview-download
  • arrow_forward_ios
  • arrow_forward_ios