STILT® Cradle

Our Cradle is our core product here at STILT. Why? Because we were tired of seeing books pressed flat against the table. Not only do our Cradles support the fragile spines and hinges of your books, they also present your book in the shape it was designed for. The shape it takes when it is cradled comfortably in the human hand.

Once your book is placed on a STILT Cradle, you can slide the Cradle along the table to position it where you want it. This way, you handle the Cradle and minimize unnecessary handling of your book.

How it works

Features of our Cradles

Core Material

All of our cradles are made of conservation-grade core framing material, compliant with EN ISO 9706.

Cradle Angles

Our cradles come in 4 standard opening angles. Please enquire should you require a bespoke opening angle not featured as standard.

Cradle Sizes

Our cradles come in 8 standard sizes which conform to standard book sizes, ranging from 32mo to Atlas.

Collapsible

Away with those unwieldy perspex cradles and cumbersome pillows. All of our cradles fold flat when not in use.

Anti-slip surface

All of our cradles come with an anti-slip surface to keep your book from sliding when tilted forwards on the STILT® Lectern.

Lectern add-on

Our standard Cradles can be used on their own, flat against the table or they can attach to a STILT® Lectern of the same size.

Weight add-ons

All of our Cradles come ready to attach our STILT® Weights which can be adjusted to accommodate most any book.

Sleeve add-on

Accessorize with our acid-free, buffered Sleeve, made with materials compliant with EN ISO 9706 for safe storage on your bookshelf.

Choosing the right angle.

For a binding with stable spine and board flexibility, choose for a wider angle such as 110º or 120º. For a binding with limited flexibility, choose for a smaller angle such as 90º or 100º. A good rule of thumb is: the smaller the book, the tighter the opening angle. We can make bespoke angles upon request.

The choice of angle will determine the overall height and width of your book on its STILT. If you have limited shelf height, ask us to help you calculate the final dimensions of your display.

Things to know about our Cradle Sizes

Our cradles are purposefully designed to be slightly smaller and set in against the boards of your book. This way, all the attention goes to the book and not to the Cradle.

For oblong books, we advise you to choose a cradle that is one size larger than the size of your book. If you have an unusually thick book, you may also want to consider upsizing. Please feel free to contact us if you need help choosing your sizes.

Standard Book Sizes

32mo: 9x14cm (5 1/2” x 3 1/2”)
16mo: 10x17cm (4” x 6 3/4”)
12mo: 13x19cm (5” x 7 1/2”)
Octavo: 15x23cm (6” x 9”)
Quarto: 24x30cm (9 1/2” x 11 3/4”)
Folio: 30x43cm (11 3/4” x 17”)
Elephant: 37x54cm (14 1/2” x 21 1/4”)
Atlas: 44x64cm (17” x 25”)

Surface Choice.

Our regular anti-slip surface is perfect for pop-up display in open spaces. It is compatible for short term contact with all secure organic book covering materials such as paper, book cloth, leather and parchment in well ventilated conditions.

For books with precious metal furniture, silk, embroidered surfaces as well as for longer term exhibition, please contact us so that we can help you choose the right surface for your particular context and custom fit it to your cradle.

Open Pages

Though our cradles are designed to accommodate our STILT® Weights, they are also compatible with melinex tapes. Just draw the melinex tape from head to tail across your book and secure it underneath the cradle surface. You can also use snake weights with our Cradles.

The advantage of our Weights design is that text is only minimally obscured at the margins. Our Weights are easy to lift and replace with minimal handling as you turn the pages of your book.

Want to know more?

If you have any questions about our products or would like to an obligation-free quotation, please click here to get in touch with us. We will be happy to include all applicable discounts to your quotation and advise you on compatible and optimal product choice for your specific requirements.

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