Yeoman's in the Fork Blog

The written word has come a long way from the days of clay tablets and papyrus rolls. Until the invention of the Guttenberg press in the 1400s, all books were printed and bound by hand, mostly by monks of various religious orders. Although still labor and time intensive, printing made books more accessible as it was much faster than copying an entire book by hand. Books became a status symbol of the rich and educated and bookbinding became a viable profession. With the many advancements in technology that have been realized, making the book less expensive and faster to produce, hand-bound books are treasured among collectors and book lovers to this day.

Binding a simple book by hand can encompass around 30 steps including folding and collating pages, stitching and gluing, and can take 12-20 hours to complete. The covers of these books, which are usually leather, are stamped using heated tools, which is the most difficult part of the process, especially when applying the gold leaf to the books. It is agreed, however, that nothing really compares to the aesthetic of a leather-bound book with gilt decoration and lettering.

It may seem odd to write a blog about something so old-fashioned and to some, possibly out-dated “art.” Personally, I tend to gravitate towards them (and this blog is for a store that specializes in rare and antique books, coincidentally). I don’t know very many women in their twenties who spend most of their time crocheting, hand quilting, sewing and crafting away their time in general. And yes, I realize that to a good number of people, this form of occupation may seem dull, tedious and frankly, a waste of time. But then, I could probably say that about something you do for fun. I enjoy it immensely. So, with that in mind, I have been chosen to pursue an education in bookbinding to become the official bookbinder of Yeoman's in the Fork's very own in-house bindery. I am attending my first class (Fundamentals of Bookbinding) at the American Academy of Bookbinding in Colorado in May and am very excited about it! I hope to keep you updated throughout my formal and self education!

Michelle Peppard

Online Sales Lead and Assistant Cataloger

Categoried under:  Bookbinding