bibliopoesy

English

Etymology

From biblio- (“book”), from Ancient Greek βῐβλῐ́ον (biblíon), and ποίησις (poíēsis, “creation, production”; compare the suffix -poiesis, -poesis).

Noun

bibliopoesy (uncountable)

1. (literary, rare) The making of books.
   • 1882, James Anthony Froude, “A.D. 1832. Æt. 37.”, in Thomas Carlyle: A History of the First Forty Years of His Life, 1795–1835 […], volume II, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 310:

     Bibliopoly, bibliopoesy, in all their branches, are sick, sick, hastening to death and new genesis.

   • 1893 November, E. C. Richardson, “Summaries of Papers Read Before Scientific Societies. Library Science and Other Sciences.”, in The Princeton College Bulletin: A Quarterly Record Edited by the President and Members of the Faculty, volume V, number 4, Princeton, N.J.: […] the Princeton Press, page 86:

     The book sciences (Bibliology) may be divided into: 1. Bibliography, or book description; 2. Bibliopoesy, or making of books; 3. Bibliopoly, or distribution of books; 4. Bibliochresis, or the theory of book use; 5. Bibliothecology, or the gathering of books into libraries and their public use. Library science, or Bibliothecology, is the climax of the book sciences. The book sciences, in turn, are among the anthropological sciences, and their place may be indicated as follows: I. Theology. II. Anthropology. 1. “Metaphysical sciences” (?) (1) Philosophical sciences. (2) Literary sciences. A. Language and literature. B. Bibliology. a. Bibliography b. Bibliopoesy. c. Bibliopoly. d. Bibliochresis. e. Bibliothecology.

   • 1903 March 25, “Books of the Day; A Biography of William Ellery Channing; More Stories of the Day—The Anatomy of Cheerfulness—Sally Wister’s Journal—The Art of Gardening—New Stories by Zangwill—Under the Rose—Miscellaneous”, in Boston Evening Transcript, section “Lovers in Motley: Under the Rose. By Frederic S. Isham, Author of The Strollers. With Illustrations by Howard Chandler Christy. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company.”, page 18:

     The illustrations, in Mr. [Howard Chandler] Christy’s well-known style, are in colors, and add not a little to the merits of the volume as a fine example of bibliopoesy.

   • 1909 July 15, “Bets Taken Amid Church Volumes; Religious “Book Store” Cloak for Poolroom for Those Who “Play Ponies.” Booklover Has Shock; Request for “Pilgrim’s Progress” Met With News He Broke Down.”, in The San Francisco Examiner, volume XCI, number 15, San Francisco, Calif., section “Shouts to “Headquarters.””, page 1:

     It is all extremely crude, yet it furnishes evidence that the faithful are endeavoring to prevent bibliopoesy from becoming an obsolete art in San Francisco.

   • 2010, Pradeep Sebastian, “The Browser’s Ecstasy”, in The Groaning Shelf and Other Instances of Book Love, Hachette India, published 2011, →ISBN, section “For the Cover Alone”:

     This has led me to a new appreciation of bibliopoesy, the making of books, and bibliopegy, bookbinding as a fine art.