What is Bookbinding?
I would like some information on bookbinding. What is it? I love old books but never thought about bookbinding.Bookbinding consists of many different types of work, particularly in North America where it can be difficult to specialize and make a living. Most people in the field do a variety of work, including restoration and repair, as well as constructing special format gift books (such as guest books and albums), and book enclosures. Many binders now are using one or more the book arts (hand binding, fine printing, calligraphy, box making, paper decorating, papermaking, artists books) as an art form.
Are there jobs in this field or is it more of hobby?
There are not a great many binders in Canada working full time and earning their entire income from bookbinding but there are some. Many earn a substantial portion of their income from binding. There are practically no institutional or commercial jobs in hand bookbinding, but neither is it solely a hobby; for many it is something done for pleasure and often in conjunction with other art fields, such as calligraphy.
Binders in Canada have to set up for themselves and find work for themselves. They have to, in effect, become a small business and some in various parts of the country have successfully done so.
CBBAG is often asked about bookbinding apprenticeships. There is no formal apprenticeship programme in bookbinding in Canada. Generally most binders cannot afford the time to train anyone nor the money to hire anyone.
Recommended Reading List
Manuals
- Burdett, Eric. The Craft of Bookbinding: a Practical Guide. Vancouver: David and Charles, 1977.
- Johnson, Arthur, The Thames and Hudson Manual of Bookbinding. London: Thames and Hudson 1981.
History
- Middleton, Bernard C., A History of English Craft Bookbinding Techniques. London: The Holland Press, 1978.
- Szirmai, J.A., The Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding. Ashgate: Aldershot, England 1999.
Terminology
- Greenfield, Jane, ABC of Bookbinding. Delaware: Oak Knoll Press/New York:The Lyons Press, 1998
- Robert, Matt T., and Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books, a Descriptive Terminology. Washington: Library of Congress,1982.
Boxes
- Brown, Margaret R., with Don Etherington and Linda K. Ogden, Boxes for the Protection of Rare Books, their Design and Construction. Washington: Library of Congress, 1982.
- Zeier, Franz, Books, Boxes and Portfolios. Design Press/Tab Books/McGraw Hill, 1990.
Brief List of Suppliers
Books
- John Neal Bookseller 1833 Spring Garden St., First Floor, Greensboro NC 2740
johnnealbooks.com - Oak Knoll Books 310 Delaware St., New Castle, DE 19720
oakknoll.com
- Geo.Hill & Co., Milton ON
georgehillco.com - BookMakers 8601 Rhode Island Ave, College Park MD USA 20740
bookmakerscatalog.com - Talas 330 Morgan Ave. Brooklyn NY USA 11211
talasonline.com - J Hewit's & Sons, 12 Nettlehill Road, Houstoun Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 5DL, Scotland
hewit.com
Wheat Starch Paste
- (most of the above)
- grocery stores
- wallpaper stores
Papers
- The Japanese Paper Place Toronto (Etobicoke) ON
By appointment only: 416-538-9669
japanesepaperplace.com - La Papeterie St. Armand 3700 rue #01 St Patrick, Montreal QC H4E 1A2
www.st-armand.com - AuPapier Japonais 24 Fairmount Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, H2T 2M1
Tel: 514-276-6863 - The Paper Place 887 Queen St. West, Toronto ON M6J 1G5
shop.thepaperplace.ca
- local art supply stores
Davey board, bookcloth, bookbinding supplies
- Columbia Finishing Mills 135 Boundary Rd. Box 546, Cornwall, Ont., K6H 6H7
columbiafinishingmills.com
- Harmatan and Oakridge Leathers Westfields Ave., Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England NN10 8AX
harmatan.co.uk - J Hewit's & Sons, 12 Nettlehill Road, Houstoun Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 5DL, Scotland
hewit.com
- Illtyd Perkins Woodworking, British Columbia
illtydperkinswoodworking.ca
- Don Taylor 222 Islington Ave, Unit 224, Toronto ON M8V 3W7
416-591-8801
Horton press, finishing press, lying press, backing tool
- Rose Newlove & Eugene Fedorenko 76 Durie St., Toronto ON M6S 3E8
416-762-6312