Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Books    3. Conservation and restoration    4. Crafts & Hobbies    5. Crafts / Hobbies    6. Handbooks, manuals, etc    7. Hobbies/Crafts    8. Crafts & Hobbies / Bookbinding    9. Handicrafts   

Reviews (8)

Fabulous book and indispensable resource!
I loved this book! I used it for a graduate course on Illuminated Manuscripts, and it was one of the main textbooks we used, but I used it often after the course as well. I really enjoyed reading it, and found that it was unlike most of the typical text books I had formerly used. For any art history student, it is an outstanding resource. For anyone who loves illuminated manuscripts, book arts, or the Medieval period in general, this is a wonderful resource. It is a book that I consider an indispensable resource in my personal library. It is very well written and easily accessible for anyone. Although some of the terminology may be unfamiliar, it isn't so esoteric that it is beyond the scope of general understanding. It is clearly one of the best resources on the subject that I have ever come across!

Frrom someone who should know...
Chris DeHamel works researching books for Sotheby's. That is all he does, and his numerous books on the subject show his mastery and command of the subject. Everyday he goes to work, he is getting time to research, free of teaching committments that fetter the ability of other scholars to pursue their writing. His research and ability shows in this beatiful and well-written book, which is an excellent introduction to the history of the book and to the processes and culture surrounding the book as an object. His book progresses, chapter-by-chapter, through the different groups that books were designed for, describing where and why they were made, and the special challenges of each. Chock-full of photographs of lavish manuscript writing and art, this volume is not only an extremely suitable textbook for art history and history classes dealing with the book or commodity-culture, but also is a great personal or coffeetable volume, and supremely reasonable at the price it is provided at, considering the cost of so many art texts.

Spectacular teaching tool
This is the first illumination book I encourage my students to purchase (with Drogin's history of calligraphy).This is an entirely reasonable price with abundant color and b&w pictures.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Books & Reading    3. Design - Book    4. History - General    5. History - General History    6. Techniques - Calligraphy    7. World - General    8. Antiques & collectables: books, manuscripts, ephemera & printed matter    9. Art / Design / Decorative    10. Bookbinding    11. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    12. Illustration    13. Lettering & calligraphy   

Reviews (1)

ABC of Bookbinding : A Unique Glossary
There are several sections in this book including a glossary, an evolution of bookbinding styles, descriptions of historical bookbinding (time and place) and information about actual bookbinders through history.Read more

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Dictionaries    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Publishing    6. Reference    7. Antiques & collectables: books, manuscripts, ephemera & printed matter    8. Library & Information Sciences    9. Reference / Handbooks & Manuals    10. Reference works   

Reviews (1)

The British Library Guide to Bookbinding: History and Techniques (British Library Guides)
exceptional in every way ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Bookbinding    3. Europe, Western    4. History    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Publishing    7. Reference    8. Crafts & Hobbies / General   

Reviews (2)

An incredible resource
There is no way to improve upon this book; the information is invaluable! The text is well-written yet easy to understand, the illustrations match the text and show the reader the tools and plans needed to set up a bookbinding and repair lab, and the information is clearly organized. This incredibly comprehensive guide to both binding and repairing books as well as setting up a lab is a wonderful resource for librarians and book lovers.It will make an excellent gift for a book lover, as well as a practical guide for the new (and experienced!) book binder.

I've Been Waiting for This Book to Come Along!
There are books out there on this topic, but none quite like this. I've been looking for something like this for a long time. The step by step instructions give you the confidence to set up your own book-bindery and repair lab and then this manual goes on to show you how to rebind a book. It even includes some basic book repair procedures. It's so well organized and easy to use. It's well-written and easy to follow and the illustrations are amazingly helpful. It doesn't assume that you know anything! THANK YOU! Our library staff has been using it every day since we received our copy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Books    3. Conservation and restoration    4. Education    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Home Schooling    7. Library & Information Science    8. Library materials    9. Reference    10. Repairing    11. Special Education - General    12. Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science    13. Library & Information Sciences   

Reviews (3)

Beautiful Photos, Wonderful Explanantions
I bought this book a few weeks ago, and I am dreaming of making almost every project in this book. The photographs are beautiful. The explanantions and directions are very good. Very inspiring.

Useful book
I thought this book was very useful for Bookbinding is only one part of book arts
For a well-photographed example of one bookbinder's personal work, this book serves its purpose. For helpful background material and detailed explanations of variations on particular binding styles and book sensibilities, you won't find it here. This is more of a coffee table book and highlights one binder's style of working rather than serving as a helpful "how-to" manual. Other books on the market, e.g. Shereen LaPlantz's "Cover To Cover," are a more expansive guide (for beginners through scholars) since they focus on the process of what books are about as a contextual framework, not just how one person binds books. For those of us who teach book arts not just for fun but also in fine art academic settings, this book adds little information to the body of knowledge. It focuses solely on binding at the expense of content, which sells the intelligence of bookmakers & book arts advocates short. Binding for binding's sake is only one component of what comprisesbooks as books, not to mention books as an art form. What the handmade book is about content-wise is important to explore in relation to binding variations - this book does not enhance our knowledge of how these aspects relate to one another. It's a pretty book, but more about highlighting the binder than highlighting book arts as an artform or truly educating learners. If you just want to copy what one binder has done, this may be the book for you. If you want to explore books, bindings, approaches to structure, contexts for paper, text, images, etc, you'll be disappointed with this book, as I was. I wouldn't recommend it to my students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Crafts & Hobbies / Bookbinding    6. Paper crafts    7. SPORTS - NAUTICAL TRD HC   

Editorial Review

Any bookworm will admit it: you Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. 20th century    3. Art    4. Bookbinding    5. Great Britain    6. History    7. Illustration Of Books    8. Juvenile Literature    9. Language Arts & Disciplines    10. Publishing    11. United States    12. Illustration    13. Photography / General    14. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (1)

Great book on Marbling
What keeps this from five-stars is that I have not seen any other book as comprehensive as this one.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Bookbinding    3. Marbled papers    4. Marbling (Bookbinding)    5. Papermaking by hand   

Reviews (8)

Pleasant, but very light
This was a strange read, because the author continually expresses her surprise for certain techniques and methods of the book conservators craft as she discovers them during her early learning and apprenticeship.I find this odd, as I've done a bit of self-taught bookbinding, and have encountered most of this knowledge through reading, and that the author purports to be a reader and decent student.
accessible, delicate, honest
Wilcox artfully narrates her experience as an apprentice for Bill Anthony, a famous book binder and conservator.She artfully interspeses observations about books she is restoring with phases of her life as an apprentice and other texts.She evokes the spirit of craftmanship, of taking many years, much time, and much patience to develop mastery of her craft.Great for book art students, art students, or those considering an apprenticeship of any kind.Of particular interest to those who've made books before, because they will understand vividly the technical descriptions of her project (thought these are accessible to the lay person as well).

Illuminations
Someone who knew that I was in the Interdisciplinary Book and Paper MFA program at Columbia College Chicago gave this memoir to me. It's a really nice read---especially since the bookbinding world is a small one, and everyone in it knows everyone else, as people travel around the country giving workshops. Always interesting to read about people who you've had as teachers. I found it very well written, an evocative and accurate depiction of an obscure art/craft/lifestyle choice, an illuminated window into a small, specialized world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1926-1989    2. Anthony, William,    3. Apprenticeship programs    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Bookbinding    8. Books    9. Conservation and restoration    10. Educators    11. Historical - U.S.    12. Iowa    13. Iowa City    14. Multicultural Education    15. Preservation Of Library Materials    16. Wilcox, Annie Tremmel    17. Women    18. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Books    3. Conservation and restoration    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. General    7. Handbooks, manuals, etc    8. Library & Information Science    9. Library resources    10. Preservation Of Library Materials    11. Conservation, restoration & care of artworks    12. Library & Information Sciences   

Reviews (2)

A Bit Dated
Don't let the 1990 date fool you; this book was originally published in 1963, and the 1990 reprint made only minor updates to two pages of supply source listings.While the basic concepts in the book are pretty much timeless (book stitching, basic cover creation, etc.), the "creative" portion of the book -- suggested artwork techniques for book covers -- is distinctly '60s.This covers about 1/3rd of the book's contents.If you are interested in the "creativity" side of book cover art, I would suggest looking for a newer book on bookbinding.Better yet, leave the cover plain, buy Print Shop, and whip up a dust jacket for the artwork ;-)

A Book Arts Classic
A must-have for your collection of books about bookbinding. In these pages you will be introduced to the parts of a book, materials, tools, and working procedures. Then the meat and potatoes of a variety of book formswell illustrated with photos covering simple pamphlets and note pads towood covers, accordians, and binding with leather. There is a wonderfulchapter on designing and creating your own unique papers using a variety ofprinting methods, stencils, marbling, paste, painting, 3D appliques, andmore. There's even a section on book restoration. One of the pleasures ofthis book was the discussion of the tools and how to use them, especiallybook presses, adhesives, sewing frames, and cradles. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. General    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Crafts & Hobbies / General   

Subjects:  1. Book design    2. Book ornamentation    3. Bookbinding    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Textile Arts   

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Handbooks, manuals, etc    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Leather bindings (Bookbinding)   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Bookbinding    4. Clip Art    5. Design    6. Graphic Arts - Use of Ornament    7. Pictorial    8. Printers' ornaments    9. Specimens    10. Type and type-founding    11. Type ornaments    12. Art / Clip Art    13. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Art    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Design - Decorative    5. General    6. Marbling (Bookbinding)    7. Paper finishing   

Editorial Review

Jean Kropper's Read more

Reviews (5)

Clear, concise and clever
Over the last six months I have taught myself simple bookbinding and Kropper's Handmade Books & Cards has been one of my best resources.The diagrams for stitching bindings are excellent--clear and complete--and really have been useful to me as a novice bookbinder.If you're looking for well articulated techniques, as well as great ideas, this is a book for you.

Artistic, Not Functional
Kropper offers an interesting take on books and cards.Her Freida paperdoll is beautiful and interesting, and would make a beautiful gift.Kropper offers lots of techniques including sewn bindings, scrolls and concertinas with a good preface on the history of the book.However, I found that most of the books used for illustration were not functional but simply artistic.Some of the photoraphs show large books permanently open with curling pages, bark covers, etc.I prefer books I can actually write it after completion.

unique projects, step-by-step instructions, for everyone
This book starts out with a brief history and then goes on discusses materials, tools, typography, & printing methods. Instructions for making patterned papers & adding extra decorative touches are alsoincluded.Read more

Subjects:  1. Book design    2. Bookbinding    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Greeting cards    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Papercrafts    8. BG-JUVENILE PROP - BG-JUVY ACTIVITY    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Papercrafts    10. Handicrafts   

Reviews (1)

Anna and the string
You can write a children's picture book about almost anything these days, but this was the first bookbinding item I'd yet seen.In this simple tale, Anna is the daughter of a bookbinder.Her father is slowly loosing his business to the new competitive binderies, and her mother is pregnant with their second child.When the unexpected birth coincides poorly with an urgent binding order, it's up to Anna to practice the family art and save the day.Read more

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Books and reading    3. Business, Careers, Occupations    4. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    5. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    6. Children: Grades 2-3    7. Children: Kindergarten    8. Family - General    9. Fathers and daughters    10. Fiction    11. Juvenile Fiction    12. Preschool Picture Story Books   

Reviews (2)

A "Must Have" Book for the Serious Bookbinder
Of the many popular books in print today on bookbinding, this one is by far the most comprehensive. It reads like a graduate level textbook and must be studied carefully; it isn't conducive to casual reading. Many of the sentences are difficult to understand and must be thought about for awhile to figure out. Nevertheless, I wouldn't want to undertake a new step in the binding process without first reading what this book has to say. I strongly recommend it for the serious student of bookbinding.

A very good instruction manual
This book describes in clear detail how to properly bind a book for maximum durability.It includes details on case bindings (the easiest and weakest), library bindings (one of the strongest), flexible and sunk-cord bindings (traditional), and limp bindings.Although the author makes much about having the right tools, his descriptions are clear enough that one can improvise.With this book, I was able to make a book from paper, boards, and leather that came out quite well on my first try. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bookbinding    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Dakota Indians    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. General    7. Handbooks, manuals, etc    8. Little Big Horn, Battle of the, 1876    9. Wars