Hand Bookbinding: A Manual of Instruction

Before the advent of modern mass-production methods, books were bound by hand to remarkably high standards of quality. Beautiful and durable, they appealed to book lovers who appreciated not only a book’s content but also the quality and craftsmanship of its binding. Unfortunately, the introduction of machine-binding methods, while making books widely available at reasonable prices, also largely curtailed the art and craft of making fine books by hand. This expert guide offers a solution. In its pages, craftspeople can learn the traditional methods of bookbinding and produce high-quality hand-bound books themselves. Thorough, detailed instructions, with over 270 helpful illustrations by the author, cover materials, tools, and equipment (including making your own), fundamental procedures and technical methods, rebinding an old book, making a slipcase, and other essentials. Also included are well-illustrated, step-by-step directions for eight binding projects: dust jacket, blank book, single signature, folio, blank book, four signatures, manuscript binding, music binding, and two more. Clearly written and easy to follow, this manual will be indispensable to those wishing to create high-quality handcrafted bindings themselves, it will also serve as a valuable reference for students and professionals in publishing and its allied trades.