A style of binding introduced in the early 20th century featuring a miniature painting inset in gold-tooled leather on the front cover. Historically the term refers to bindings commisioned by J.H. Stonehouse, manager of Henry Sotheran, a London bookseller, usually using the binding firm of Rivière and Son. The style is named after Richard Cosway (1742-1821), an English miniature painter who had nothing to do with the bindings themselves.
