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About the Exhibit

Bound for Luxury highlights the rise of the codex —or what we tend to think of as a “book”—from the beginning of the first millennia through a selection of “luxury” bindings across our varied holdings.

Though structurally similar, these codices reflect the unique circumstances and cultural conditions in which they were produced and received across 500 years of global book production. They exemplify an artifact’s ability to convey its own history through the lens of materiality. Consider how “luxury” was defined in different times and places and enjoy the opportunity to judge a book by its cover!

Have questions about the exhibit or want to learn more about primary sources at UCLA Library? Contact Library Special Collections at AskLSC@library.ucla.edu(opens in a new tab).

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Image: display of Middle Eastern bindings, Library Special Collections