I actually cased-in this book (basically finished) on the 30th, but I
took a couple of days off after that, so I didn't see it till today.
Well, it came out alright. As you see on the pictures, I inlaid the
original graphic on the new front cover on the exactly the same position
as original, repaired paper and put the insignia back onto the
endpaper. For your information regarding the "inlay", I create an
indented "window" on the board for the graphic to rest flat or slightly
lower on the surface, so that the fingers won't touch and peel the edges
off when being handled - we don't just stick it on the surface. We use
the same approach on the spine inlay, as well. Anyway, I hope the
client's gonna be happy when she sees it. Oh, yeah, a day (or two?
depends on where YOU live) late, but,,, A happy new year to you all!!
(あけましておめでとう!! Bonne Année! Buon anno! Feliz Año Nuevo! Καλή χρονιά!
Gutes Neues Jahr! С Новым Годом
! สวัสดีปีใหม่! ) It's been only about a month since I started this
blog, but it seems that there are people ( you, maybe!?) who come here
regularly. (though I don't advertise it much.. How did you find my
blog?) I'm basically just writing about books which I restore, so I
really didn't think anyone would be interested in reading such a boring
stuff. But, I guess I was wrong. Thanks for your interest. Bookbinding
is considered a dead art. It has been getting very popular amongst
hobbyists and book-artists in recent years, but still, sadly, the real
bookbinding trade seems to be an obscure craft. Since I've figured there
are people who are truly interested in this "dead art", I think I'll
try to write more tips and techniques of bookbinding, and create
tutorial videos more often. I have no way of knowing who visits my blog
except for the two "followers", (it's nice to know, for real, someone's
reading my blog..) so I really don't know what I write has any benefit
to anyone. It feels like dealing with ghosts, really. But I just gonna
keep hoping this blog will help keeping my traditional profession alive for the future.
Whoever comes here and has questions regarding bookbinding, (however basic or deep it is) let me know
via comment or if you don't wanna be in the "public eye", e-mail - bookbinderschronicle@gmail.com. I'd be happy to answer (anonymously). The thing is, I don't know what people wanna know about bookbinding.. You gotta have to tell me what.. seriously...// For before pictures of this book, go to my former post: Ching Li and the Dragons by Alice Woodbury Howard
I love books, and I have done some bookbinding some years ago, it is lovely to see the transformation you operate I enjoy your videos
ReplyDeleteDear MHR:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your blog and videos. As one of the ghosts who only just discovered you today because of your YouTube videos and from that found your blog, your videos stood out because they are clear and don't have the "noise" so many of the others do. I was searching on YouTube for how to make a hardbacked binding for 2 sketch pads that are to big to use as is. I only know how to do some repairs, turn paperbacks into hardbacks, sorta, and do glued binding. A glued binding for a sketchbook wouldn't last. Your video on "Sewing with Cloth Tape" was the first I watched but now I think I prefer the Medieval style better. I think it will lay flat where the cloth tape won't. My Mom used to run our church library and would bring books home to repair so I became her spare hands and learned some that way. We even did simple repairs to Bibles but sent all others out to a bookbinder such as yourself. Later I even was blessed to be able to work on a family cookbook which pushed the limits of my knowledge at a time when there was no YouTube or Google to reference. You are so right about family cookbooks, Bibles and children's books. When people give them to you to repair it is like being given a very intimate part of them. It's always a honor and a blessing. Anymore I have only been doing repairs on my own books which thankfully are simple. At least I don't see the dreaded Scotch Tape anymore. Thank you for your blog and videos and for sharing your art with us ghosts. Have a happy Halloween.
Hi BJT-2
DeleteI'm glad that my humble videos became to be useful for you. Yes, books sewn with cords lay flatter than ones with tapes. Paperbacks (glue binding?) are evil! We gotta have to stay awaaaay from them!
Wow, what a wonderful childhood you had! Mom running a church library and you helping her repair Bibles! Delightful! You are the first person who actually mentioned the same "passion" for repairing Bibles and cookbooks and children's books as me! It's a blessing, really. I get a high out of handling a book like autographed first edition Twain or some such, but I get a better high out of someone's great grandma's cookbook with secret recipes scribbled all over the blank spaces, or a Family Bible with a lock of baby hair carefully wrapped with a must-have-been-a vivid red ribbon 200 years ago.
You blog is great, i´ve just seen some titorials
ReplyDeletethank you so much
Would it to much ask when it was that your passion for books came alive?
Hi DadaDede,
DeleteWell, I've always liked books. I read books a lot since childhood. But getting involved in this trade of bookbinding is more to do with my strong love, appreciation and fascination for "old things, old ways" in general and my given gift of being good at any sort of works by hand, and more importantly, because of a strange fact of life in terms of how your path is directed towards what it's supposed to be without your being conscious of it. It probably didn't have to be bookbinding that I had to choose as my career, but I just happened to stumble upon an opportunity to be involved in this, and have been doing this ever since. It's just a coincident that this art happened to be perfectly suited with my nature in every way, and that naturally contributes to my passion for what I do. I've never heard of such a craft as bookbinding before I came across the bookbindery I work for, so it's really not like I always wanted to be a bookbinder, or even a craftswoman. (In fact, I wanted to be in the field of environmental science when I started my apprenticeship at this bindery, and also, I continued to explore my potential by getting a degree in Industrial Design while working as a bookbinder here, later on.) But, I guess, bookbinding is just as perfect of a career as I can possibly have, so I'm just letting my life as it guides me.