Bookbinding - The Traditional Art

Considering the very many different styles of bookbinding practiced since the Egyptian scroll, the Industrial Revolution whittled them down to all but a few still practiced today, even computers have "done away" with the need for ......receipt books, guard books, account books, half extra, extra and super extra , vellum laced ledgers, 1/2 bound in Basil, Levant Morocco, Vellum, Rough Calf, Forel, and Roan, with brass corners and locks........And that was only 30 years ago!

In simple terms, before the Industrial Revolution a bindery of a 100 people may have produced around 500 good quality leather bindings per week by hand, a run of 2000 books would have taken a month to complete.
By developing a case making machine, sewing machine, casing in line, blocking press etc, and reducing the quality of materials, ie; book cloth and paper etc, a run of 2000 books is going to take less than a week, putting 3/4 of the workforce out of a job.

Traditional bookbinding by Paul Tronson

email:periodfinebindings@googlemail.com

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