In a Bind

The components that make up the binding of a book--namely the covers, spine, endpapers, and any decorative stamping on the cover--are often the most visually beautiful parts of a book. There is no exception when it comes to all of the editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland I have been looking at.


The first edition was bound in red cloth, with green-coated endpapers and gold gilt on the cover and top edge of the pages. The original copies werea bound by the James Burn and Company bindery. Some copies still exist with the original bindings, like this one and this one on AbeBooks.com. Some have been rebound using the original binding boards, endpapers, and spine. Repair work can be visible on these copies. Others have been completely rebound (this one in the 20th century) using materials similar to the originals. 

First edition


My personal copies of Alice have been commercially case bound. In the Penguin copy, the cover is a white cloth-like material stamped in dark pink. There is a fake red and white striped headband on the book, as well as a white ribbon bookmark. The endpapers are a similar pink to the stamping on the front.

Penguin Endpapers

Penguin faux headband and ribbon bookmark

In the Garcia-illustrated copy, a colorful dust jacket covers a black, more paper-like cover. It is smoother than the Penguin cover. The front and spine are stamped in a metallic pink. The black endpapers are dotted with lavender mushrooms, bottles, top hats, and butterflies. There is no faux headband on this, which I have actually never noticed before on a hardcover book. I think even a faux headband makes the books look nicer.

Garcia dust jacket

Garcia cover, sans dust jacket

Garcia endpapers

No headband