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Flyleaf (Endleaf)

The leaves added at the beginning or end of a book to protect the text in the event of worming or damage to the binding.

Flyleaves at the beginning or end of a book serve to protect the text in the event of worming or damage to the binding. They often carry pen trials and inscriptions concerning provenance. Flyleaves were sometimes used for trying out designs (see model book). See also endpapers and pastedown.

  • Armenian:
    պահպանակ
  • French:
    Gardes (une garde volante); Garde volante
  • German:
    Schutzblatt; fliegendes Vorsatzblatt; Vorsatz
  • Italian:
    Foglio di guardia; Guardia volante
  • Portuguese:
    volante (guardas)
  • Spanish:
    Guarda volante; Hoja volante

Michelle Brown, Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Malibu, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum in association with the British Library, c1994).