Schuyler Leather Bindings

Schuyler binds their Bibles in the finest natural grain leathers that have not been embossed to hide imperfections. (The vast majority of leather Bibles are embossed.) These may include neck wrinkles, natural fat stripes, minor scars and scratches, small natural dark spots, and other natural markings revealing the life of the animal. The descriptions below are intended to capture the general look and feel of the different leathers, but leather colors and textures can vary from batch to batch, and even within bindings. We do our best to provide accurate photos of our variety of leathers, but these photos are representative and may not exactly match your particular Bible. Each cover is truly unique!

It is generally accepted that Goatskin and Calfskin are the best leathers for bookbinding. Many other leathers can be used for bookbinding but normally do not produce the suppleness and durability of these two leathers.

Goatskin
A beautiful and very durable top-quality, tactile, natural grain leather. Strong yet supple, it is a well-loved choice for fine bindings due to its dense weave of fibers. Schuyler’s Goatskin is sourced from India and usually has a tight, pebbly grain with a lot of texture. Goatskin sourced in Europe is too stiff due to the colder climate.

Calfskin
A traditional high-quality leather used in fine bindings. Its surface is generally softer to the touch than Goatskin, but it may be just a bit stiffer straight out of the box. It is long-lasting, and its suppleness increases with use.

Aniline Calfskin, sourced from Italy and used for the Tuscany, Siena, Verona and Saddle Brown Bibles, is a robust, smooth, vegetable tanned leather that reveals the life of the animal in the natural grain with the unique surface characteristics of the hide remaining visible. This beautiful leather will show marks and stains over time and develop a rich patina with use.

Desert Camel, Sandstone, Chestnut, Marbled Sapphire, Marbled Crimson, Bronze, and Olive Calfskins from Italy are aniline dyed and already have an antique character when new, created by a special treatment which gives the leather an aged look. The skins are selected for their unique natural characteristics, such as neck wrinkles and natural fat stripes. All this gives the leather a distinctive texture with a long and deep grain.