“Filigree” is the delicate metalwork technique reproduced on this cover. With this design originating on a German hymnal binding from the early 1800s, the antique silver pattern stands out against our vibrant purple background.

While the Paperblanks library of cover designs draws from diverse sources of visual art, antique book bindings in particular have long provided us with an abundance of inspiration. Many such book covers were originally made of leather but in the case of our Silver Filigree Collection, the focus is instead on the splendour of bindings decorated with filigree metalwork.

This manner of adorning books was particularly favoured in the 17th and 18th centuries, with nearly all bindings of this type manufactured in Holland, Switzerland, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. Over the years, craftsmen experimented with different methods of coaxing metal into ornaments of tender and elegant beauty.

One such design is the binding recreated on our Aubergine cover. Originally crafted for a book of religious hymns, a simple metal plate was used as a base for the ornament whose fancy curlicues were formed with metal wire and tiny beads. Dating to the early 1800s, the cover was made in Swabia, the southwestern part of Germany. At that time, Empire-style, as seen in this design, was the leading style in European decorative arts. The grandeur of the cover’s ornament reflects the period’s idealization of Imperial Rome and Ancient Egypt.

With its regal and ceremonial connotations, we found this vibrant purple hue to be a harmonious accompaniment to the rich style of the original ornament, and so we created this Aubergine design for our Silver Filigree Collection.

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