Wednesday, June 4th, 2014...1:19 pm
The science of anthropodermic binding
Tests have revealed that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de l’ame (FC8.H8177.879dc) is without a doubt bound in human skin.
Harvard conservators and scientists tested the binding using several different methods. According to Senior Rare Book Conservator Alan Puglia, they are 99% confident that the binding is of human origin.
Microscopic samples were taken from various locations on the binding, and were analyzed by peptide mass fingerprinting, which identifies proteins to create a “peptide mass fingerprint” (PMF) allowing analysts to identify the source.
Bill Lane, the director of the Harvard Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Resource Laboratory, and Daniel Kirby of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies described the results:
“The PMF from Des destinées de l’ame matched the human reference, and clearly eliminated other common parchment sources, such as sheep, cattle and goat. However, although the PMF was consistent with human, other closely related primates, such as the great apes and gibbons, could not be eliminated because of the lack of necessary references.”
Although unlikely that the binding was made from a primate source, the samples were further analyzed using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LCMSMS) to determine the order of amino acids, the building blocks of each peptide, which can be different in each species.
“The analytical data, taken together with the provenance of Des destinées de l’ame, make it very unlikely that the source could be other than human,” said Lane.
Houghton’s book is now the only known book at Harvard bound in human skin. Similar testing done on books thought to be bound in human skin at the Harvard Law School Library and the Harvard Medical School’s Countway Library revealed that both were actually bound in sheepskin.
Houghton’s book contains a very specific note from the late 19th century detailing the binding’s origin. This was not the gruesome pastime of just one individual; there are many accounts of similar occurrences in the 19th century, in which the bodies of executed criminals were donated to science, and the skins given to tanners and bookbinders.
The book has been a part of Harvard Library’s collections for eighty years; it was deposited at the library by John B. Stetson, Jr. in 1934, and presented as a gift by Stetson’s widow twenty years later. While the unusual and grotesque provenance have made the book a popular object of curiosity, particularly to undergraduates, it serves as a reminder that such practices were at one time considered acceptable.
Thanks to Heather Cole, Assistant Curator of Modern Books and Manuscripts, for contributing this post.
73 Comments
June 4th, 2014 at 6:20 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:21 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:26 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was published […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:27 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was published […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:30 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:38 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:41 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:46 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was […]
June 4th, 2014 at 6:51 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was published […]
June 4th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
This is so rad.
June 4th, 2014 at 9:18 pm
[…] a blog post published on Wednesday, the university announced that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s “Des […]
June 4th, 2014 at 9:26 pm
[…] a blog post published on Wednesday, the university announced that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s “Des […]
June 4th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
[…] owns a book that's bound in human skin. It's sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of The Soul), which was published […]
June 4th, 2014 at 10:25 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of the soul), which was published […]
June 4th, 2014 at 10:34 pm
[…] a blog post published on Wednesday, the university announced that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s “Des […]
June 4th, 2014 at 10:39 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of The Soul), which was […]
June 4th, 2014 at 11:09 pm
[…] note aside, it was not easy to prove that his claims. The librarians at Harvard finally put it to modern science. First, they used a technique called “mass peptide fingerprinting” to identify proteins […]
June 4th, 2014 at 11:23 pm
[…] note aside, it was not easy to prove that his claims. The librarians at Harvard finally put it to modern science. First, they used a technique called “mass peptide fingerprinting” to identify proteins […]
June 5th, 2014 at 12:16 am
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of The Soul), which was published […]
June 5th, 2014 at 12:46 am
[…] a blog post published on Wednesday, the university announced that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s “Des […]
June 5th, 2014 at 12:54 am
[…] CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Tests have confirmed that a book at Harvard University’s Houghton Library is bound in human skin, the library’s blog said Wednesday. […]
June 5th, 2014 at 1:41 am
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of The Soul), which […]
June 5th, 2014 at 2:53 am
[…] a blog post published on Wednesday, the university announced that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s "Des […]
June 5th, 2014 at 6:42 am
[…] meende dat er drie van deze boeken in de bibliotheek van de universiteit waren, maar bij het onderzoek naar proteïnes in de omslagen bleek dat twee daarvan gemaakt waren van varkenshuid. Alleen het […]
June 5th, 2014 at 7:35 am
[…] Harvard’s Houghton Library is “without a doubt bound in human skin,” according to a post on the library’s blog. Scientists tested particles from the binding of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de […]
June 5th, 2014 at 7:52 am
[…] Harvard’s Houghton Library is “without a doubt bound in human skin,” according to a post on the library’s blog. Scientists tested particles from the binding of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de […]
June 5th, 2014 at 7:56 am
[…] meende dat er drie van deze boeken in de bibliotheek van de universiteit waren, maar bij het onderzoek naar proteïnes in de omslagen bleek dat twee daarvan gemaakt waren van varkenshuid. Alleen het […]
June 5th, 2014 at 9:09 am
[…] Book Cover Made of Human Skin Heather Cole: Good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs, and cannibals alike: tests have revealed that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de l’ame (FC8.H8177.879dc) is without a doubt bound in human skin. Harvard conservators and scientists tested the binding using several different methods. According to Senior Rare Book Conservator Alan Puglia, they are 99.9 percent confident that the binding is of human origin. (Houghton Library Blog) […]
June 5th, 2014 at 9:11 am
[…] hat sein Kannibalen-Buch getestet und es ist in der Tat ein Kannibalen-Buch: „Good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs and cannibals alike: tests have […]
June 5th, 2014 at 9:40 am
[…] Harvard’s Houghton Library is “without a doubt bound in human skin,” according to a post on the library’s blog. Scientists tested particles from the binding of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de […]
June 5th, 2014 at 9:54 am
[…] Harvard’s Houghton Library is “without a doubt bound in human skin,” according to a post on the library’s blog. Scientists tested particles from the binding of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de […]
June 5th, 2014 at 10:34 am
[…] “Good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs and cannibals alike: tests have revealed that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de l’ame (FC8.H8177.879dc) is without a doubt bound in human skin. Harvard conservators and scientists tested the binding using several different methods. According to Senior Rare Book Conservator Alan Puglia, they are 99% confident that the binding is of human origin. Microscopic samples were taken from various locations on the binding, and were analyzed by peptide mass fingerprinting, which identifies proteins to create a “peptide mass fingerprint” (PMF) allowing analysts to identify the source.” (via Houghton Library Blog) […]
June 5th, 2014 at 10:34 am
Right cover for the right book.
June 5th, 2014 at 11:02 am
[…] Houghton Library is Harvard’s repository for rare books, and they have an important announcement to […]
June 5th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
[…] is more about the tests from the Harvard blog: “Microscopic samples were taken from various locations on the binding, and were analyzed […]
June 5th, 2014 at 2:39 pm
[…] note aside, it was not easy to prove that his claims. The librarians at Harvard finally put it to modern science. First, they used a technique called “mass peptide fingerprinting” to identify proteins […]
June 5th, 2014 at 5:55 pm
Really? The book was bound on Wednesday? That’s what the first article I read said. I understand that was the day the announcement was made.
June 5th, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Get rid of it quickly!!
June 5th, 2014 at 8:59 pm
[…] book bound in human skin sits in one of Harvard University’s libraries, experts at the school said this week. Scientists tested the 19th-century book Des destineés de l’ame and concluded that they were […]
June 5th, 2014 at 10:33 pm
She had behavioral health disabilities. She was an unclaimed body, a “mental patient,” who died of a stroke. Maybe we MindFreedom & Mad Pride people need to dedicate a memorial to her? This is such a sad legacy. Rest in power, sister.
June 5th, 2014 at 11:03 pm
[…] June 4th 2014, Weissman’s verdict was announced via the Houghton blog: Houssaye’s The Destiny of the Soul is bound in genuine human […]
June 6th, 2014 at 3:05 am
[…] when we first heard Harvard’s Houghton Library boasts copy of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de l’ame, bou…? Then, of course, it was reported to be a bit over the top–animal skin, perhaps, certainly […]
June 6th, 2014 at 4:04 am
[…] book bound in human skin sits in one of Harvard University’s libraries, experts at the school said this week. Scientists tested the 19th-century book Des destineés de l’ame and concluded that they were […]
June 6th, 2014 at 6:42 am
[…] The Harvard Library a été à l’origine d’un cliché insolite et surtout d’une information assez atypique. Des scientifiques ont eu l’occasion d’examiner un livre qui appartenait au Dr Ludovic Boulland qui a vécu de 1839 à 1932. Lors de ces recherches, ils ont fait une découverte assez insolite en lisant les notes de ce praticien. Ce dernier a précisé dans une lettre qu’une femme atteinte d’une maladie mentale était décédée d’une crise cardiaque. Il a ensuite utilisé la peau de cette dernière prélevée dans son dos pour concevoir ce livre et il donne quelques informations assez sordides. […]
June 6th, 2014 at 7:03 am
[…] his tuimphant joy at such a find, Heather Cole, assistant curator of modern books and manuscripts immediately blogged his delight and wrote: “Good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs and cannibals alike: tests […]
June 6th, 2014 at 7:28 am
[…] The scientists confirm that the skin is human in origin by using a technique called peptide mass fingerprinting. Daniel Kirby of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies described the results: […]
June 6th, 2014 at 10:06 am
[…] but then, a new article produced a full report that did, in fact, prove that Houghton Library owned a book bound in human epidermis. And, well, that got me thinking. Why is it that I, and so many other people, are interested in all […]
June 6th, 2014 at 10:21 am
The light tone of the opening and the detachment of the rest of this article is disturbing. The binding is a macabre disgrace from a time when the human dignity of the mentally ill and others was readily discounted. Got any vintage WWII lampshades, Harvard?
June 6th, 2014 at 10:34 am
Well, thats interesting
June 6th, 2014 at 10:57 am
[…] une lettre ouverte aux lecteurs publiée sur le site de la Houghton Library le 4 juin dernier, l’Université […]
June 6th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
[…] “Houghton’s book is now the only known book at Harvard bound in human skin. Similar testing done on books thought to be bound in human skin at the Harvard Law School […]
June 6th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
[…] Tests confirmed that Harvard has a book bound in human skin, Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de l’ame Houghton Library Blog […]
June 6th, 2014 at 5:35 pm
[…] Houghton bibliothèque est bel et bien recouverte de chair humaine, indique le site The Verge. Les tests sont formels, assure le conservateur de la bibliothèque. C’est sûr à […]
June 6th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
[…] “The PMF from ‘Des destinées de l’ame’ matched the human reference, and clearly eliminated other common parchment sources, such as sheep, cattle and goat,” Bill Lane, the director of the Harvard Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Resource Laboratory, and Daniel Kirby, of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, told the Houghton Library Blog. […]
June 7th, 2014 at 9:04 am
[…] Des conservateurs d’Harvard et des scientifiques ont fait des tests sur la reliure avec plusieurs méthodes, sur la base de particules microscopiques récupérées en différents endroits. Ils ont ainsi exclu la possibilité d’une peau de chèvre, de mouton, ou autre bétail. « Ils sont sûrs à 99% que la reliure est d’origine humaine », a précisé le conservateur des livres rares Alan Puglia, sur le blog de la bibliothèque Houghton, […]
June 7th, 2014 at 9:50 am
[…] info: The Guardian Harvard Harvards bibliotek om […]
June 7th, 2014 at 10:05 am
[…] book bound in human skin sits in one of Harvard University’s libraries, experts at the school said this week. Scientists tested the 19th-century book Des destineés de l’ame and concluded that they were […]
June 7th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
[…] http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/houghton/2014/06/04/caveat-lecter/ […]
June 7th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
[…] of modern books and manuscripts, who obviously took gleeful joy in breaking this news, wrote on Harvard’s Houghton Library’s blog: “Good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs and cannibals alike: tests have […]
June 8th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
[…] owns a book that’s bound in human skin. It’s sure of it, too. One of its curators announced today that tests on a book titled Des destinées de l’ame (Destinies of The Soul), which was published […]
June 8th, 2014 at 3:03 pm
This book should be buried as a sign of respect for the poor patient whose body was profaned by a crazy doctor!
June 8th, 2014 at 3:59 pm
the (very) odd connotation of bindings in human skin is that the Nazis had made such bindings as well with the skin of their victims; not immediately to be a fan of!!!
June 10th, 2014 at 11:50 pm
[…] o The Verge, na semana passada, um dos curadores da pesquisa de Harvard anunciou que foram realizadas diversas análises em um livro intitulado Des Destinées de […]
June 11th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
[…] “Caveat Lecter” — Houghton Library Blog [HT Harvard Library] […]
June 12th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
[…] “ewww” news, testing confirms that a book in Harvard’s Law Library is, in fact, bound in human skin. Now there’s a story waiting to be […]
June 22nd, 2014 at 1:25 am
[…] by researchers required that microscopic samples be taken from various locations on the binding, the Houghton Library blog reports. The technique, which identifies proteins by identifying the masses of their peptides and then […]
June 23rd, 2014 at 7:50 pm
[…] a technique known as peptide mass fingerprinting, Harvard’s expert said recently they were 99.9% certain the binding is human and not parchment made from sheep, cattle, […]
June 26th, 2014 at 12:30 am
[…] études viennent de prouver que l’auteur disait vrai. On sait maintenant que le Docteur Ludovic Bouland […]
June 29th, 2014 at 6:11 am
[…] University’s Houghton Library officials announced in a blog post on Wednesday that one of the books in its collection is bound with human […]
July 6th, 2014 at 11:04 am
[…] The book is Des destinées de lame (“On the Destiny of the Soul”) by Arsène Houssaye. It contains a manuscript note claiming that the book was bound in skin taken from the back of a woman, since “a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering.” The true source of the book’s binding stirred some controversy after other books at Harvard thought to be bound in human skin (see this) were proven to be covered in sheepskin. But analysis of microscopic samples conducted using peptide mass fingerprinting by the Harvard Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Resource Laboratory demonstrated with 99% confidence that the binding is of human origin. Further details are available here. […]
August 6th, 2014 at 6:36 am
[…] is the premise of boxes made from the parts of human bodies that horrifying? In this article, researchers from Harvard discuss the creation of a book from human skin. In fact, the concept of […]
August 21st, 2014 at 10:39 am
[…] the binding’s origin. Harvard’s blogs contain details of the book and a discussion of the testing. They say “While books bound in human skin are now objects of fascination and revulsion, the […]
November 11th, 2014 at 9:04 pm
[…] From Harvard’s Houghton Library Blog: […]