Bloody Bindings — Part Two
Anthropodermic bibliopegy using men’s skin: The Highwayman
Cases of women’s skin being used to make anthropodermic books will be covered in future posts.
The Man of Many Names
When choosing examples of anthropodermic bibliopegy using the skin of men, it stood out to me that books bound in men’s skin were often done so as part of punishments bestowed upon them after a criminal sentencing, such as I discussed in the case of William Corder.
Given the epithet of “highwayman” bestowed upon today’s example, one might be forgiven for assuming a similar scenario might be in store. One would be mistaken.
The Highwayman was but one of the names belonging to James Allen (1809–1837). When he dictated his confessional memoir in 1837, it was titled: “Narrative of the life of James Allen, alias George Walton, alias Jonas Pierce, alias James H. York, alias Burley Grove, The Highwayman. Being his death-bed confession, to the warden of the Massachusetts State Prison.”
