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Harvard scientists confirm Arsene Houssaye book is bound in human skin
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/harvard-scientists-confirm-arsne-houssaye-book-is-bound-in-human-skin-9493448.html
Harvard scientists confirm Arsène Houssaye book is bound in human skin
Arsène Houssayes 'Des destinées de lame' is believed to have been bound in the skin of a female mental patient who died of a stroke
Heather Saul
Thursday 05 June 2014
Harvard scientists have confirmed a volume in one of its libraries is without a doubt bound in human skin after a series of tests conducted on the binding confirmed the origin of the material.
Scientists and conservators used several different methods to test the binding and are now 99.9 per cent sure the material covering the book, Arsène Houssayes Des destinées de lame, is of human origin.
<snip>
According to Heather Cole, Assistant Curator of Modern Books & Manuscripts a note detailing its origin inserted inside the book revealed the human skin used to bind the book was taken from the back of a female mental patient who had died of a stroke.
The note, from Dr. Ludovic Bouland, states: A book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering: I had kept this piece of human skin taken from the back of a woman."
<snip>
Harvard scientists confirm Arsène Houssaye book is bound in human skin
Arsène Houssayes 'Des destinées de lame' is believed to have been bound in the skin of a female mental patient who died of a stroke
Heather Saul
Thursday 05 June 2014
Harvard scientists have confirmed a volume in one of its libraries is without a doubt bound in human skin after a series of tests conducted on the binding confirmed the origin of the material.
Scientists and conservators used several different methods to test the binding and are now 99.9 per cent sure the material covering the book, Arsène Houssayes Des destinées de lame, is of human origin.
<snip>
According to Heather Cole, Assistant Curator of Modern Books & Manuscripts a note detailing its origin inserted inside the book revealed the human skin used to bind the book was taken from the back of a female mental patient who had died of a stroke.
The note, from Dr. Ludovic Bouland, states: A book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering: I had kept this piece of human skin taken from the back of a woman."
<snip>
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Harvard scientists confirm Arsene Houssaye book is bound in human skin (Original Post)
bananas
Jun 2014
OP
Shrike47
(6,913 posts)1. In Oregon we had a fellow that died and wanted to be skinned to bind volumes of his poetry.
The state Funeral Board objected and there was litigation about whether he could be skinned. During the litigation, his wife kept him in the family freezer. After awhile, freezer burn made the issue moot, as his skin was no longer suitable for tanning.
This case was one of the highlights of my early days working for the Oregon Department of Justice.
Prophet 451
(9,796 posts)2. Fuck me, Lovecraft was right!`
It's the Necronomicon! That's both horrific and badass.
intaglio
(8,170 posts)3. An interesting article about this type of binding
Books of Human Flesh: The History behind Anthropodermic Bibliopegy
And one about a condemned man whose skin was used as a binding Book bound in human skin goes on display in Devon
And one about a condemned man whose skin was used as a binding Book bound in human skin goes on display in Devon
bananas
(27,509 posts)4. "Anthropodermic Bibliopegy"
Never in a million years would I have guessed what that meant.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)5. Cue scary music.
(Warning: graphic!)