Period Fine Bindings and the Irregular Newsletter: Issue No 1. April 2006
Welcome to the first issue of my “irregular” newsletter, I call it irregular because I will be very surprised if I can make time to write it on a monthly basis! but I will do my best.
My name is Paul Tronson and I am a Traditional Bookbinder, those who have visited my website:
http://periodfinebindings.com will be familiar with the kind of restoration I am involved in.
I am based in the pretty little village of Wootton Wawen, 5 miles outside Stratford-upon-Avon,
my workshop is situated on the ground level where the restoration takes place, and my antiquarian bookshop is upstairs……. overlooking the charming little coffee shop here, where it’s quite often heard said…. “Wot’s goin’ on up there then?”
English Bookbinder – The Workshop
Although the workshop is “compact and bijou” (can you see the HP sauce bottle under the nipping press in the second picture……..it is a vital ingredient to a secret formula…… so is the salad cream), you wouldn’t think it if you saw the size of the books I have in for restoration, I have just been sent a commission of 2 large 4to volumes from the USA and they are nothing in size compared to some of these which are in for restoration.
I’ve placed a wine glass and a 12″ rule in the picture so you get an idea, the sizes range between 13 inches to 19 1/2 inches in length and between 2 inches and 5 inches thick.
Commissions come in various shapes and sizes though, to name a paradox would be, last month I restored and returned a minature silver prayer book ( about 1″x 1 1/4″) to a client in South Carolina, whilst today I am working on a large folio bible.
I have been informed by an expert writer of newsletters that I should give interesting and educational advice, as subscribers will look forward to the next one, so here goes….
Don’t attempt any kind of restoration to your rare books whatsoever……..send them to me!
And don’t eat yellow snow!
Well thats got that out of the way.
The main qualifications for a trade bookbinder when I was an apprentice was, not to be colour blind, and to have a good command of the English language, a printer colleague of mine who is dixlexlik X dyslek X.….can’t spel….added, “the ability to read ndsipepomu and tnorf ot kcab was also necessary”, except Pete IS colour blind and can’t tell the difference between brown and red….. and has never…. ever… beaten me at snooker.
Because I am based in a Craft Centre I get to meet some very interesting (and weird) people, a few weeks ago a chap bought in a late edition of Charles Dickens for restoration, when I asked him for his details for the receipt he said his name was “Mr. C. Dickens”, that’s a coincidence I said, “not really” he replied, “he was my Great Grandfather”. Taken aback I remarked, I bet you must have all his rare 1st editions! “No, only this one” he said, to which I asked, “Would you like to buy some?”
The bookshop is a collection of rare items usually not found outside an institution, private collection or ebay, and their general condition would lend to restoration due to their scarcity.
So if you know a good restorer who understands periods and styles of binding and is sympathetic to detail using traditional hand made materials, tools and techniques, you could be on to a good investment.
English Bookbinder – The Bookshop
So what do we have here? well to start we have a nice little table you can sit at while you drink your filter coffee and decide what books to buy, or you can visit my site at:
and have a look at some books that are listed there before you decide how you can afford to buy them.
For those who subscribed a year ago…. you know who you are!….thankyou for your patience, you probably feel you would like to unsubscribe now….. I thought I would wait till I had at least 20 subscribers before I made the effort.
The next issue will be called “Confessions of a Bookbinder” providing something exciting happens!
If any of you are passing up the A3400 to Stratford-upon-Avon, please feel free to pop in for a coffee, a chat… or a look at a book. (except Bob)
From an old pile of tat to something rare and valuable
To read the May issue of my Irregular Newsletter
click …….here
To jump to September issue click here
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