On my post on Cook's Voyage, my friend and colleague, Mihai from Romania, left a brief, yet commissarial comment about a daily dilemma that "common" bookbinders have to face, which prompted me to write this post. The following is his comment, (copy-pasted);
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Very very beautiful! In my experience, I m faced with a dilemma: doing the best restoration job I can or listening to what the client wants. I ve often volunteered to sew a book on my own time when the client just wanted it glued, so it would cost less, because the book was worth it. I feel bad doing a cheap job, but I realize not every client affords intricate and laborious solutions. That s why now I tend to be less critical of poor bindings I see from older binders, because I realize that even if they wanted and knew how to do better, the clients would have refused and stuck with the cheap versions. Thank you for sharing!
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This matter is so close to home to me as a "common-public-serving" restorer that I wanted to fly to Romania on the first flight available just to be able to put my hand on his shoulder, and say "I hear you, man..". (haha...)
We, the common binders, serve mostly for the ordinary folks often with limited funds, so we have to balance and find a solution as to what's best for the client and what's best for the book. Like Mihai, although my clients wouldn't know this, I often end up doing way more than I'm paid for because I can't possibly do less of a work just because the money's not enough. Money, after all, is a mere object. My dignity as a craftswoman and the destiny of books I handle, aren't.
This, rather old fashioned sentiment of mine sometimes can't really apply when the uncompromisable required labor exceeds well beyond the client's budget, resulting the client to lean towards an "option" that totally undermines the quality of work. In a rare case like this, my answer always is and has been and will be; I could not possibly put my name on a kind of job that you are asking me to do. Take my word or leave it.
A situation like this is rare yet has happened before, but clients always understood where I came from and chose to go with my direction though I, of course, spent extra labors each time. The bottom line is, I always take any job regardless if my belief and sincerity are received, and do the best and right thing for the book despite my labor, every time.
Remember, "You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you." Again, money is a mere object, guys. ;-)
I think 'balance' is really important!Unless you were born in a rich family that you don't need to worry about making a living:)I am doing my best to make bookbinding not as commercial as just selling handmade journals.My common bookbinding days is like that:morning:dealing with local bussiness on selling handmade journals,afternoon :designing and making books I like ,not considering money issues. I do custom-made journals for some customers without extra money,because it make me happy ,it made me feel like a real bookbinder. I wish one day I could have enough money to support bookbinding,to make books while don't need to considering money.I believe that real bookbinders don't bind only for money,but for the love and respect to this craft.
ReplyDeletehuhu
Ahh! Don't we just wish not to worry about money and wish that we could just bind book as we please! And you are so right. We aren't in this trade just to make a living. We chose this career because we love and respect this craft. Extra labor I spend always pays off when I see what I accomplished and see the happy face of my clients. ;-)
DeleteGreat post for such an important topic.
ReplyDeleteThere have been times I denied a commission because I knew what was asked of me would destroy the book. It's not unusual for inconsiderate book dealers or an uninformed client to come up with a book that needs 2weeks work and say "what can you do with 30euros?". Well, I can give give it a buff with a rag, maybe...
We are here to serve our craft in the highest way possible, no question about it. But there is a detail/factor that can also affect the quality of work, similar to the one Mihai mentioned;
You've written many times in your posts about books waiting for months until their time comes for the bench. That is truly great and admirable because it shows excellent work, leading to a trusting and steady clientele. However in my country having numerous books waiting their turn for months is science fiction. Many of my colleagues, seasoned and skilled crafts(wo)men, can be waiting for a client to walk in for days, and of course many have closed shop. In a situation like this it's an unaffordable luxury to deny a client because he is on a budget. Hell, all of them are on a budget nowadays!
My point is, sometimes there might not be much of a dilemma, you just have to survive, it doesn't have to do with what the client wants. Morality or unemployment? That's what it (unfortunately) boils down to often.
As you or Mihai I too end up doing much more than what I was asked or payed to, afterall the books we handle will outlive us. Had I a family to take care of or a loan heavy on my back (or both) I don't know if I could afford to do the same, although I'd like to believe I would.
Just thoughts on this complex and crucial matter. It would make for a great afterwork discussion among colleagues, perhaps with some cabernet sauvignon...hehe!
Hi Dimitris,
DeleteHahaha! A buff with a rag! hahaha! You got me!! hahaha!
I really don't mean disrespect to booksellers and dealers, but it's true that many of them keep their wallets very tight. So a lot of those "patch-up-jobs" are asked by them. They have to resell the books and make as much money as possible out of them, so it's totally understandable. But, when I know what they are asking me to do would result in totally negative consequences for the book in the future, I sometimes suggest them to leave the book alone, and refer us to the person who purchases it so that the book gets restored correctly and we get paid I full. ;-)
Both times when I had to use the "ultimate words" that I mentioned in this post, I was successful at convincing the clients to do it right and negotiating the prices that wouldn't be too unreasonable to them or me. So, I've, so far, been lucky. ;-) I never turn down a job just because the money's not enough for executing the job right. I can't afford that! That's why I often end up spending extra labors well beyond what I'm paid for and haven't saved up enough money to travel to Australia to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef yet! <---- One of my bucket list wish. :-p
My way of operating in this trade, or should I say my firm belief or motto that I wrote about in this post, might have sounded too self-righteous. But the fact is, I'm only able to keep up with this philosophy of mine particularly because I live in the United States, where majority of the population still can afford some luxury beyond bread and butter, have a strong and beautiful tendency to consider heritage to be one of the most important matters, and has a generally understanding and respectful curious nature towards an old-world-craft like bookbinding. That's why most of them are willing to spend money on things like restoration of their library collections or grandma's recipe book, and are willing to wait the kind of time we require to do a good work. The bottom line is, I'm just being lucky to be in a situation that I've been blessed to be in. So, I'm not putting down, let alone "condemning", my fellow binders for being unable to perform the best and right every time. We all have different circumstances and we all have to survive.
So, the sad saga of binder's dilemma. To make everyone happy, my solution has been to sacrifice my labor. By doing so, my client can afford a quality work, the book gets the right treatment, and my stubborn motto of keeping my dignity is sustained. ;-) It'll be a long way to go till I get to the shore of Australia, though. Ha!
This whole subject, indeed is important and rather complicated. Discussing matters as personal as this over wine sounds soooo tempting!
money isn't important....it certainly speaks of the money of others!
ReplyDeletemy client don't pay ? I don't work and i cry for the book...i'm sorry.
When the client can't afford the kind of restoration that needs to be done, and if the restoration procedure isn't so complicated, I do the work for him/her with whatever the money they can pay me. I can't let those poor books un-restored.. It would make me cry, too.
DeleteItalians clients are not sincere and they knows my love for the books so i 'm very determined. I'm sorry for my bad english, your work is very good.
ReplyDeleteGiorgia Bononia (Bologna).
Ah! Italians I've met over the years are all sincere to me though. Well, as long as your passion for bookbinding is strong, that's all it matters. :-)
DeleteThis was such an inspiring post. As an amateur book artist who has only done a few commissions, I empathize with this! Thanks for your great blog.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, and thank you for being a regular visitor of my blog. ;-)
DeleteWow, M, thank you! Breathless :D So glad you took this up so publicly, it s a pressing issue. And I m quite honored by you doing so
ReplyDeleteI feel better having known now that I'm not the only one who's been going through this! Unlike many other binders out there, I never join in any sort of clubs or associations related to this trade in neither real life nor social media, so I was in the dark about it. Thanks for bringing up this subject. ;-)
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