Fun fact: The two black goatskins on this binding were tanned using aluminum triformate. At the time, this chemical was used to improve the durability of leather. Unfortunately, when Wilcox purchased it he did not realize (nor did many others) that gold does not adhere to it well. Hence, his gold tooling is restricted to the onlays, while the black is tooled in blind.

Fun fact: Almost all of the buildings depicted in the skyline are based on structures in New York City. The gateway to the Emerald City is Manhattan Bridge; the ornamentation above the gate is from the roof of City Hall. Also visible are the New York City Service Tower, the Empire State Building, and the Chrysler Building. The Wizard’s Palace is based on the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.

Fun fact: This is one of six copies commissioned by Andrea Bronfman, the others to be given as gifts. The color schemes are different on each. The design is an abstraction of the menorah and the maple leaf. The clusters of rectangular tooling are bunches of grapes.

Fun fact: The bee, the flower and leaves of the pomegranate, the “eye” of the peacock feathers, and the small triangle used to make the peacock’s crest, were made with tools created specifically for this binding.

Fun fact: The binding depicts how Dracula can discern at a great distance the existence of a potential victim, “…his strange power can infect the particles of dust in the moonbeams and can inhabit wild animals…”