The other day, I came across a word I’d never seen before—spredges.
Merriam-Webster, Grammarly, and MS Word didn’t have a clue.
With some research, I learned that it’s a publishing trend making a comeback. Spredges are painted edges on hardback books. Get it—sprayed plus edges—spredges.
Some spredges include only solid colors, but others are full-on works of art. The fanciest kind is fore-edge painting, which reveals hidden images when pages are fanned out. Pretty cool.
Books with spredges are mostly limited editions and collector’s items, especially in genres like young adult, fantasy, or sci-fi. Memoirs? Not so much, though Britney Spears’ The Woman in Me has her first name printed in white on a black background.
You can even get custom designs done by Etsy sellers. If I did that, I’d pick my favorite book, The Glass Castle. But what would I have painted on the edges—a desert scene or the often-promised glass castle?
Have you heard of spredges before? Would you ever add them to your favorite book? What would be depicted on your spredges?
But whether you’re in to spredges or not, always remember, the only way to do this wrong is to not do it at all!
Until next time, happy writing, everybody!
I have not heard of the word, but I have seen books like these before. Most likely, I even have a few sitting on my library shelf. However, the value of the book lies in its pages, not its spredges. Granted, it makes a book pretty, but still, we do not buy books because they look pretty; we buy them because we want to discover what is inside. As for spredges, do you know if a Night Owl Journal counts? My son gave it to me. The edges are painted black, and the picture of an owl is breathtaking.
My daughter picked one up at a craft show with an orange Bronco – for the Denver Broncos. It was carved out like Judy’s. It is so interesting to look at.
Are they still readable books after they do all the cutting? It looks like some of the pages are glued together in Judy’s photo.
No, I do not think it is a readable book now, but I will ask her.
Here is an example of Spedges. A gentleman at a craft show in the villages makes these. They are incredible.
Wow, that’s taking spredges to a whole new level. Beautiful.
I had never heard of this before. I do have a King James Bible with golden spredges. Thanks for the enlightening anecdotes!
I was going to make the same offering. It goes back to the late sixties or early seventies.
Never heard the word before. I have seen decorated edges, some marbled, some gilded. I seem to agree with Terry: There is more value on the pages than on the edges for me. No, I would not pay to have anything I own sprayed in order to put it on the shelf backwards.
Never heard of the word but I wonder how the process is applied. Spray? I will share this with my ladies group when we meet for lunch in August. We worked together in the publishing world.
Good one, Dave! And thank you for teaching me something new, Patricia! I had never heard of spredges. The examples I found online seem mostly to represent the most valuable part of an otherwise unremarkable book. I guess if it’s well-loved, no book is unremarkable, but it seems a lot of effort expended when the true worth isn’t found on the edges but on the pages. I saw several photos in which the books were displayed on the shelf with the edges facing out, which was fun. I have one book with gilded edges, now mostly rubbed off: the bound-together… Read more »
I don’t think I need a spredge on the edge. I’d rather see something divine on the spine.
As Terry Deer said, Good one!
And David what divine piece of art would you like to see on your first book’s spine. I am breathless waiting for an answer. Jackie R
Atta boy. Witty reply.