Religatum de Pelle Humana - Jeremy Norman's HistoryofScience.com

146 Bibliologia Comica
Heffer, the well-known Cambridge dealer in oriental and
European books. Heffer advertized that the skin belonged
originally to the West Arab leader Bushiri ibn Salim who
revolted against his German partners, and he said that
the story had been authenticated by a Professor Wilson
of Cambridge.
The Newberry Library, like the Cleveland Public, also
possesses an anthropodermic binding of oriental provenance.
It came to the Newberry Library in 1919 as part of the bequest
of Mr. John M. Wing. A note on the front fly leaf reads:
"Found in the Palace of the King of Delhi Sept. 21st, 1857,
eleven days after the assault. James Wise MD. Bound in human
skin." Examination of the pore structure of the leather
by a Chicago dermatologist has confirmed the character of
the bincling. The late Ernest F. Detterer, custodian of the
Wing Foundation, states that the binding proper is smooth
and thin, almost like parchment, and that it has been dyed
a maroon color. The covers have gold stamped corner and
center pieces of oriental floral design (accordingly, certainly
not of Moslem origin). A letter to Dr. Wise attached to one
of the back fly leaves identifies the text of the manuscript
as «a narrative of events connected with the Dekkan comprising
biographies, deeds, genealogies, etc. of sundry notables
by a Nawab Wuzeer of Hyderabad." It was copied by Mir
Baki 'Alai, who completed it in the year of the Hegira 1226,:
that is, 1848, A.D.
In general, American libraries are exceptionally weIl stocked
with anthropodermic bindings, and many of these items are
traceable to some of our best known collectors. For example,
the Watkinson Library in Hartford, Conn., has an anthropodermic
binding from the collection of the late Samuel Putnam
Avery. Part of a collection of fine and unusual bindings bequeathed
by Mr. Avery to his nieces, the Misses WeI cher of
West Hartford, it is now on indefinite Ioan to the Watkin son
Library. Rather appropriately, the full title reads Le traicté
de peyne. Poëm allégorique dédié à Monseigneur et à
Madame de Lorraynne. Manuscrit inédit du xvr siècle