tutorial

2020.12.11 - Bookish Talk #8 - Ben Elbel

Bookish Talk/ Highlights/ Tutorials

Introducing the Pianel Binding by Ben Elbel – Bookish Talk #8

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We have another Bookish Talk with a guest today. Ben Elbel was the first person we interviewed on our large podcast, and now he returns to talk about a new tutorial he recently announced.

Pianel Binding is a variation of the piano hinge binding that was known for a couple of hundreds of years. Ben first started experimenting with this structure a decade ago, and now the results of his work are ready to be tested by a wider audience of bookbinders.

Audio

Video

Listen to this episode on:

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00:00 – Beginning
01:11 – Shifting to an online presentation of the new tutorial because of Covid
04:15 – There are 6 tutorials already!
04:38 – Introducing the Pianel Binding
05:43 – A brief history of the piano hinge binding
07:31 – Opening the book flat was one of the goals in improving the traditional piano hinge binding
08:48 – Other examples of piano hinge bindings
10:14 – How long does it take to make a Pianel Binding?
11:07 – Why is it possible for this binding to open flat?
11:49 – Cover separated from the book block
12:46 – The level of difficulty of the Pianel Binding
14:07 – Why Ben’s bindings have slightly curved covers?
17:09 – Challenges of making a tutorial for the Pianel Binding
20:11 – How this and other binding structures were envisioned in the first place
24:48 – Is the creation process similar to other structures Ben created?
26:15 – Is there a chance for experimentation and variations with Ben’s bindings and tutorials?
29:03 – Plans to introduce a French version of iBookBinding’s podcast

The Illuminator. Containing all the parts of The Illuminators Magazine & completing the subject (Barnard & Sons, Lodon, 1862)

Digitization/ History/ Illumination

The Illuminator. Containing All the Parts of The Illuminators Magazine & Completing the Subject (1862)

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Today we share this special issue of The Illuminators’ Magazine from 1862. That’s a beautiful and informative edition that includes 29 amazing plates (chromolithographs) showcasing different types of illumination.

As usual, the newly digitized books are shared with our patrons at Patreon.com as a part of the compensation for their monthly pledges (for tiers starting with 3$/3 euros per month). If you’d like to become our patron, you can always join our community on Patreon.

To access our digitized books collection, you can also use the following link: https://issuu.com/stepanchizhov

All of the books were scanned with our book scanning system for smartphones that is available for sale at our Etsy shop. You can find more about the current version of our book scanning system here.

2020.05.25 - iBB Podcast #5.2 - Katy Savelyeva - Katy Ebru - Q&A

iBB Podcast/ Paper Marbling

iBB Podcast #5.2 – Katy Savelyeva @KatyEbru – Paper Marbling Q&A

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For the fifth episode of our podcast, we invited a marbler from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Katy Ebru showed us several marbling patterns right during the recording – you can see them in the first part of the video. This part is dedicated to Q&A.

Currently, I’m editing the sixth episode, where we talk to Ingeir Djuvik, an award-winning hobbyist bookbinder from Norway. I suppose it will go live later this week.

This Wednesday, we are recording another episode of the show, and my co-host Pavel Voronin decided to make me a guest. It’s a bit strange role for me, but I’m sure it should be fun!

We will talk about my more than twelve years of being a bookbinder and my story with iBookBinding. About making, designing, and 3d-printing tools for bookish people. I will show around my workshop. And we will answer some questions.

So, if you have anything to ask about 3d-printed bookbinding tools, iBookBinding, or bookbinding as a craft in general, please comment, send us a message through our social accounts, or write an email!

But, back to the episode with Katy Ebru =)

You will find the timestamps below.

Audio

Video

Listen to this episode on:

Become a patron (and get more content): https://www.patreon.com/ibookbinding

Join us on:

Follow Katy’s projects:

Q&A

00:18 – Working with major Russian libraries
01:28 – Recreating existing patterns

03:17 – Question from Karen @indigo_craftroom: Katy’s favorite paper to work with
04:33 – On the thickness of the paper

07:35 – Question from Eva and John Baines: Do you ever do tiger eye or sunspot patterns? What recipe do you use to get it?

10:53 – Question from Eva: Do you use oil or turpentine for certain patterns? How does that work?

11:16 – Question from Shannon O’Blenes: I would like to know what type and brand of paint the professionals use to get such bright colours.
11:44 – Making tiger eye pattern with acrylics

13:26 – Some differences between Turkish and Western marbling
14:16 – Marbling objects different from paper / Marbling fabrics
15:14 – Books covered with marbled cloth

16:03 – Question from Itzmalli Coca: How to fix color once printed?

18:21 – Question from Susan Burrows @susie_kitchens: Have pretty much tried every size and type of paint and just can’t get a satisfactory result. Really wish I could get it right!

19:07 – Video tutorials and other videos from Katy

20:10 – Question from Janet Mente: Some days when I am marbling, things just do not work. I know there is a German book by a 19th-century marbler entitled in translation “My struggle with Oxgall,” so I know these things happen.
So my question is: what do you do on those days? Do you give up? Start from scratch? Or try to fix the mix and, if so, how?

2020.05.02 - iBB Podcast #1. Ben Elbel from Elbel Libro. Part 2 – Tutorials, New Book Structures and Q&A

iBB Podcast/ Tutorials

iBB Podcast #1. Ben Elbel from Elbel Libro. Part 2 – Tutorials, New Book Structures and Q&A

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In this chapter, Ben and I discuss the new structures introduced through his project Bookbinding Out of the Box, his upcoming tutorials, and reply several questions from the community.

Our next guest is Eliane Gomes, a Brazilian/Dutch book restorer and bookbinder from Haarlem, Netherlands. I already had several collaborations with her and posted a studio tour on iBookBinding.com.

We plan to talk about her past and current projects, important aspects of book restoration, and there will be a workshop tour as well.

If you’d like to ask Eliane some questions, just reply to this email. There will be a giveaway, and this time I’m offering a set of magnetic corner clamps for boxmaking. The person who asks a question that Eliane will like the most will get that set (worldwide shipping covered.)

You can watch the video on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/iBookBinding. Or listen to the podcast on:

Hopefully, it will soon be available through Google Podcasts as well.

You will find the timestamps lower in this post.

Audio

Video

I hope you liked the first part of the podcast with Ben Elbel. If you have any advice, comments, critique, or would like to nominate a future guest (or be a guest), please don’t hesitate to send me a message!

Currently, I’m editing the second episode where my guest was Todd Davis, the owner of the Middlesex Bindery. Hopefully, this episode will be ready by Monday.

Oh, and there will be another live stream on iBookBinding’s Instagram this Tuesday. I plan to make a follow up to my discussion with Ben of some techniques of edge trimming that do not need expensive and bulky equipment.

Become a patron (and get more content): https://www.patreon.com/ibookbinding

Join us on:
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/iBookBinding/
Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/iBookBinding/
Discord — https://discord.gg/cxMw7x5

Follow Ben’s projects:
Elbel Libro – https://www.elbel-libro.com/
Bookbinding Out of the Box – https://bookbindingoutofthebox.com/
https://www.instagram.com/bookbindingoutofthebox/

Tutorials and Innovative Book Structures

00:08 – Building Bookbinding Out of the Box as a platform for innovative bookbinding for other bookbinders as well
00:48 – Ben’s interest in bookbinding structures and innovation
01:07 – On bookbinding being presented by mass media as a medieval craft
02:25 – Moving to Ben’s inventions: Pianel binding
03:06 – Question from Sylvie Camia about the Pianel binding tutorial
03:56 – The process of selecting photos for tutorials: they should tell the story on their own even without a text
06:27 – Difficulty of different Ben’s tutorials
07:20 – Pianel and piano hinge binding in general
09:43 – Book Arts Fair in Leiden, Netherlands (Boekkunstbeurs,) and Bookbinding Fair in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, this November

Q&A

10:45 – Question from Karim Shehimi about the Pixel binding structure
13:35 – Question from Hillel about case binding perfect-bound books
14:21 – One of Stepan’s first projects: 7 volumes of Harry Potter bound in green leather
18:46 – Double-fan adhesive binding: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=double+fan+adhesive+binding
20:00 – Backing a book block made of single leaves
21:00 – Question from Alan Crawford about finding texts that line the spines of old books
23:47 – How the relationship between materials and labor changed over centuries
27:07 – Question from Lydia Smith about cheap tools and materials for beginner bookbinders
27:45 – One of the first Ben’s leather-bound journals and using jackets and other clothes from thrift stores for bookbinding projects
30:38 – Buying tools on flea markets and making your own cheap tools
33:52 – Being creative when you work without proper tools
35:10 – Using unconventional weights instead of presses: bricks, irons, etc.
38:28 – Question from Lydia Smith about glue for endpapers
39:00 – Using rollers for PVA
40:15 – Dilluting PVA and paste depending on humidity and elevation
41:14 – Question from Helen Wells about using decorative paper for covering books
46:50 – Returning to the question of making books on a low budget – using second-hand cloth

Things from Ben Elbel’s Shop

Presspahn: https://bookbindingoutofthebox.com/collections/products/products/presspan
Own tutorials: https://bookbindingoutofthebox.com/collections/bookbinding-tutorials
Crisscross binding book: https://bookbindingoutofthebox.com/collections/books-from-others/products/book-crisscross-binding-anne-goy
Edgard Claes’s piano hinge binding: https://bookbindingoutofthebox.com/collections/books-from-others/products/book-neue-bucheinbandtechnik-scharnierband-in-pergament-edgard-claes

Links and mentions

Erik Kwakkel – X-RAYS EXPOSE A HIDDEN MEDIEVAL LIBRARY: https://medievalbooks.nl/2015/12/18/x-rays-expose-a-hidden-medieval-library/
Paperbacking silk for binding books by Sage Reynolds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6SgeLid-rg
Ben’s video we discussed at the end of the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-UyBuipgI2/

2019.11.14 - Apprentice's Notebook by Elbel Libro

Bookbinding

Apprentice’s Notebook by Elbel Libro

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Elbel Libro presented a new project during this Boekkunstbeurs, and that’s one of the few new things I brought home this year. This is an edition binding project with only 20 copies made, all in a black covering material. And with that has this beautiful moire. All books are numbered, and letters on the covers are in different colors for different copies.

The notebook has a two-page tutorial at its end, describing how it was made. There’s also a short comment from Roderick Cornelissen – Ben Elbel’s apprentice who has made these notebooks.

This notebook is an example of fine work. And the tutorial is an excellent idea. As it often happens, Ben adds an educational twist to his studio’s projects.

2019.05.12 - My Teenage Daughter Made a YouTube Video About Making Paper!

Papermaking/ Video/ Video Tutorials

My Teenage Daughter Made a YouTube Video About Making Paper and I Love It!

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My kids visited me in the Netherlands for a week and among other things we made some paper. My daughter made a YouTube video about that!

Well, video is in Russian but it seems to me it is done quite well, which makes it almost self-explanatory.

I probably have to add only one thing about the mix we used. It was 20% old jeans cotton cloth and 80% recycled paper.

Here it is:

2019.03.27 - Making a 5-Minute Phase Box

@iBookBinding/ Archival Work, Book Repair and Restoration/ Boxmaking/ Video/ Video Tutorials

Making a Phase Box in 5 Minutes

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The first time I learned about phase boxes, I was on a tour of The Leeds Library. It was conducted by their bookbinder, Brian Cole, who ventured up from the depths of the library basement to show us around.

We were in the special collections rooms, and he had some interesting binding set aside for us. I remember the first edition copy of Casino Royale in particular—it had a custom clamshell box with mock bullet holes in the lid. Very fun.

My tour group, however, became interested in another box entirely. It was made of plain blue card, and it wasn’t much to look at. It was a phase box: a quick, simple, and versatile box, perfect for your conservation needs. Especially when the library you work for has been collecting books since 1768.

Phased Conservation

Phased conservation is a concept that originated with the Library of Congress in the 1970s. It’s all about long time frames, careful planning, and non-invasive treatment. In one conservationist’s eloquent words, it ‘defines preservation as the art and science of delaying the inevitable.’

That is the essence of why we put books in boxes—to protect them from the environment and shelf wear, in order to prolong their life.

The European Law collection at the Library of Congress is the reason phase boxes were developed. The books were in such a state of decay that you could sweep up fragments from the floor every morning. Boxing the books allowed the conservators to make notes and estimates for future treatments, and to move on to other parts of the collection in the meantime.

The phased boxes, as they were then referred to, weren’t really boxes per se, but instead more like wrapper cases based on traditional Japanese and Chinese designs. They were only used on dormant, rare, and fragile items.

The concept has come a long way since then.

The phase box design Brian Cole showed us was developed at Uppsala University in Sweden and is known as a 5-minute phase box. The name is also a challenge—the record two decades ago was 4.53 minutes. I’m sure someone has surpassed that by now, and I know I need a lot more practice before I have a chance.

The ability to produce so many boxes so quickly—maybe 50 to 60 per person per day—means that you can theoretically box up more than just dormant and fragile items. In fact, putting more of a collection into boxes can allow conservators to identify what items are most frequently handled. They can evaluate what sort of wear and tear is inflicted on an item through daily use, all while letting the packaging take the brunt of the damage.

Once I knew what I was looking for, it was easy to spot the phase boxes on the shelves of The Leeds Library. As the only bookbinder in a library with a very large collection, it was easy to understand Brian’s enthusiasm for the 5-minute phase box.

The response from my tour group was equally enthusiastic, and Brian visited us in Newcastle a few months later to teach a phase box workshop.

I missed it.

Luckily for me, Uppsala University has a Youtube channel and an excellent two-part tutorial on their 5-minute phase box.

As a general sort of disclaimer, this was a casual exercise. I didn’t use any kind of archival board to make my boxes. The tutorial recommends archival corrugated board. I didn’t have that in my stash of supplies, and I wasn’t in the mood to go out and buy anything.

I used a Cheerios box I fished out of the recycle bin.

One of the books I boxed up isn’t even a book—it’s a couple of scraps of foam core glued together.

Really, this was more about trying out the tutorial and getting a feel for the process. Scraps and cereal boxes are good for that sort of thing.

Uppsala’s tutorial video demonstrates two types of phase boxes. The first is a drop-back or clamshell style of box, designed to house more valuable material. The second is the true 5-minute phase box, based on a four-flap wrapper design.

5-Minute Phase Box

I’ve made double-walled clamshell boxes for fine bindings in the past. As long as you have a board cutter at your disposal, you can finish it in a day or two, depending on how long it takes for your glue to dry. It’s not really my idea of a good time, so I was impressed with the box they folded together in less than 10 minutes. These boxes are utilitarian by nature, but quite sleek when they’re all lined up next to each other.

Mine was not sleek, thanks to the obnoxious graphics on my board, and it took me something like 30 minutes to make. That said, I made a wrong cut on my first attempt, and managed to rig up a second attempt without referencing the video tutorial at all. If you asked me to put one together right now, I could do it quite confidently. That speaks well of both the design of the box and the quality of the tutorial.

Watch out when you measure the height of your book onto your template, though—I think they missed a step! You need to the thickness of your book measured out on either side, both top and bottom so that you can fold the whole thing up into a tray. The only comment on the tutorial points out this error.

Drop-Back Box

The drop-back box does require a bit of adhesive to get the job done, and for this reason, I find myself leaning towards the 5-minute phase box as my favorite of the two. It’s so straight forward and simple, I can’t help but appreciate its elegance.

It took me about 10 minutes to construct, right along with the tutorial. The tab closure eliminates the need for ties or adhesives, which for me defeat the purpose of making the housing quickly. And as long as I make the next one out of anything but a Cheerios box, not only will I be quicker but it’ll look better too.

There are many other designs for phase boxes around, but these two by Uppsala are a great place to start. You’ll be able to make a quick and simple housing, and you’ll be able to build on those skills to make more complicated boxes in the future. Why not give it a try? Just make sure you time yourself.

Don’t forget to check our collection of box making tutorials as well!

2010.02.11 - The Lost Art of Letterlocking - Locked Letters

@iBookBinding/ Blog/ Tutorials

The Lost Art of Letterlocking: Tutorials, Personal Experience, and Application in Bookbinding

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The Lost Art of Letterlocking: Tutorials, Personal Experience, and Application in Bookbinding

When was the last time you wrote a letter? Put a piece of paper in an envelope and dropped it in a mailbox?

Nowadays when people talk about communication security, they usually mean computer encryption. The thing about being a bookbinder, though, is that you tend to have a fondness for outdated technology.

And before the internet, tracking numbers, and self-sealing envelopes, there was letterlocking.

The term “letterlocking” is used to describe a way of folding and securing a letter without an envelope. It’s a relatively new field of study, but it has attracted a dedicated group of professionals who are very enthusiastic about sharing their discoveries with the world.

To begin to wrap your head around the subject, you might explore the ever-growing Dictionary of Letterlocking, or watch a short documentary. For the truly intrepid individual, however, there is a fantastic youtube channel chock full of tutorials:

Let it never be said that I am not an intrepid individual.

Before I set out to lock a few letters, I needed some letters to lock. There’s something rather romantic about a handwritten message sealed with red wax, so I set out to write some Valentine’s Day letters for my friends. I’m hoping it’ll make up for the fact that I never sent Christmas cards.

Just to make sure I was in the right mindset for letterlocking, I broke out my dip-pen and used some good quality paper from an old sketchbook.

At least, it’s good quality for sketching. Perhaps not so much for letterlocking.

Butterfly Lock

The first tutorial I attempted was the Butterfly Lock. It was used by Mary Queen of Scots to secure a letter to her brother-in-law, the King of France, in 1587. As it turned out it was the last letter she ever wrote—she was executed the next day.

The lock is made using a slim strip of paper cut from the center fold of the letter. This strip is woven in a figure eight or butterfly-like pattern through a hole punched in the edge of the folded letter. It seemed straight forward enough. Unfortunately, my sketchbook paper did not seem to be up to the acrobatic challenge.

It broke.

Not to be discouraged, I tried again with the next letter. My perseverance paid off—a success! At least for a few seconds, until the pressure from the folded paper caused the seal to burst open.

The third time was the charm, but I’d learned to be wary. If you decide to try some letterlocking yourself, make sure your paper isn’t too thick or soft. I actually had much better luck with newsprint paper later on, and the added bonus is it’s cheap to practice with.

Walsingham’s Anti-Spy Letter

The second technique I tried was Walsingham’s anti-spy letter to Sir Ralph Sadler, from 1584. It seemed like it would be easier on my paper, which I now knew had the tendency to go to pieces under pressure.

Like the Butterfly Lock, it uses a piece cut from the letter itself to hold the letter shut. The benefit of this is that the receiver, after opening the message, can arrange the torn pieces back together to confirm that nothing has been tampered with.

With the help of a handy palette knife and a gentle hand, I did, in fact, have more luck with this lock. It gave me the confidence to try something more ambitious.

Dagger-Trap Letter

Something like Intelligencer Simeon Fox’s Dagger-Trap Letter, sent from Venice in 1601.

I mean, with a name like that, I couldn’t resist.

This one was actually quite fun, and you end up with a flashy-looking finished product. It involves a triangle of paper, still attached to the letter, which is woven back and forth through slits cut in the folded letter. Once the letter is completely folded, the triangle is concealed from view. Any unwary snoop who attempted to open the letter would get a shock when the triangle inside is torn as everything is unfolded. The recipient would know immedietely that their letter has been tampered with.

The dagger-trap got me thinking about how such techniques might be applied to bookbinding. That feeling of anticipation you get unfolding a letter is not too unlike the one you get when you open a book. So why not lock a book for fun?

I tried it out by making a straightforward three-signature pamphlet binding. I wrapped a triangle of tissue paper around the outside of the signature before I sewed it up, and I left the front and back cover long so I could fold them in a way that would mimic the dagger-trap lock.

It worked like a charm—the tissue tore immedietely when I opened the book. I think I’ll try to come up with a way to “deactivate” the dagger so that a person in the know can get into the book without triggering the trap.

I’d actually be interested in seeing some tutorials on how to break into a locked letter—the 16th century version of hacking if you will. I made another prototype binding the skill might come in handy for.

It’s a supported concertina binding, with the letter pages sewn into the binding before being folded and locked. I used newsprint paper for the letters here, which I had a much easier time with than the sketchbook paper. The trick with this binding was to make sure to sew the letter paper in the right spot so that it could be folded and locked properly.

I like to think of it as a book of secrets. I’m not sure what I would put in the letters if I fully develop the binding, but I’ve loved interactive books since I was a child. This one challenges the reader to sneak past the locks, or throw caution to the wind and change the book forever.

Of course, you could always leave the letters locked and let them keep their secrets.

It’s a choice I’m faced with right now, actually. After locking all those letters to my friends, I forgot to write their names on the outside.

This could get interesting.

City of Helsinki 20181203 Helsinki Central Library Oodi

Libraries

Finland and the Libraries of Eden

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This past December Helsinki’s revolutionary new central library, Oodi, was opened and the implications are remarkable. In an interview with the Guardian, Nasima Razmyar, deputy mayor of Helsinki, recounted the importance of libraries in her childhood as the daughter of Afghan political refugees. “A library card was the first thing that was mine, that I had ever owned,” she said.

A library card was also her first encounter with the notion that free books and education were a right and a way of life in countries such as Finland. In 2016 the UN declared that Finland was the world’s most literate nation and the Finnish people are the world’s most avid library users with the population of 5.5 million people borrowing close to 68 million books a year.

City of Helsinki 20181203 Helsinki Central Library Oodi
City of Helsinki 20181203 Helsinki Central Library Oodi

Around the world libraries are going underutilized, facing budget cuts, and unfortunately closing. Finland is emphasizing its tremendous commitment to public education and libraries by spending around €57 per person on libraries in general and €98 million specifically on the construction of Oodi.

In addition to Finnish libraries being state of the art institutions, there are many other factors involved in the libraries’ high usage rates. Antti Nousjoki, one of the architects behind Oodi, categorized libraries as a place for socializing away from the occasionally severe weather, calling Oodi “an indoor town square.”

The new central library was commissioned as a gift to Finland commemorating 100 years of independence. “I think Finland could not have given a better gift to the people. [Oodi] symbolizes the significance of learning and education, which have been fundamental factors for Finland’s development and success,” says Deputy Mayor Razmyar.

ALA Architects 20181120 Helsinki Central Library Oodi
City of Helsinki 20181203 Helsinki Central Library Oodi

Finland is dedicated to education, active citizenship and equality which is promoted by the library movement. Mind Building, an exhibit of library architecture celebrating 100 years of Finnish libraries at the 2018 Venice Biennale, is focused on depicting local librarians and library architects as the people building the minds of entire populations. Hanna Harris, the commissioner of the Mind Building, asserted that education and active citizenship is something that everyone is entitled to and libraries are the embodiment of that.

The location of the new library echoes values such as equality and active citizenship more than anything else for Oodi now stands next to parliament. Razmyar proclaimed  “I think there is no other actor that could stand in front of the grounds of democracy like the public library does. It’s remarkable that when standing on the open balcony of the library people are looking straight into the parliament and standing on the same level.”

Libraries in Finland are not designed to be sullen book repositories that collect dust in an increasingly digital age, rather they are intended as vibrant spaces where much more can be borrowed than a stack of books. A local may enter their library and leave with the latest Murakami, a set of skis, and a sanding belt all in their possession. The beloved houses of books depend greatly on user input and adapt their functionality to fit the needs of their users.

City of Helsinki 20181203 Helsinki Central Library Oodi
City of Helsinki 20181203 Helsinki Central Library Oodi
City of Helsinki 20181203 Helsinki Central Library Oodi

Oodi houses a cafe, restaurant, public balcony from which to watch democracy in action, audiovisual recording studios, and a makerspace. Multifunctionality and ownership are crucial to assuring that libraries are used. “We want people to find and use the spaces and start to change them,” says Nousjoki. “Our aim was to make [Oodi] attractive so that everybody will use it – and play a role in making sure it is maintained.”

While the design and location of Helsinki’s new library are impressive, what’s more, striking is the fact that such a project was completed without protest. The creation of a center such as Oodi is a true testament to the values Finish people share, and it is these values above anything else that makes Finland a true book lovers haven.  

Photos provided by Helsinki Central Library Oodi, photo credit: Tuomas Uusheimo

2019.02.06 - 1,200 Year Old Bible Taken in Custody in Turkey

News

1,200-Year-Old Bible Taken in Custody by Turkish Police

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Updated to add a link to the National Library of Israel blog post about fake antiquities.

There is a 1,200-year-old bible currently in the custody of Turkish police. It was seized from a suspected smuggling gang who were trying to sell the sacred book in the southeastern Diyarbakir province. The book itself contains 34 leather pages with gilded religious symbols of many faiths on it.

The police are particularly concerned with the location from which the book was smuggled. Turkey has become a hotspot for pillaged antiquities coming from middle eastern countries going through various conflicts. Six suspects remain in custody. Three were apprehended earlier this week by local officials as the suspects tried to find a buyer for the relic. A video was taken of the first three getting arrested.

The Turkish government has increased efforts to stamp out the trade of unlawfully procured artifacts. A list of items thought to be stolen from Syria during the conflict there was issued by the authorities. Collectors, sellers, and buyers alike are warned against the possession of these artifacts and told that those who help with smuggling would be dealt with harshly.

This is not the first notable book to be seized by Turkish officials. A $1.5 million Byzantine-era bible was found in 2017. And it certainly won’t be the last. As long as there is a demand for rare objects and those willing to extract them, albeit, by questionable means, stories like this will continue to surface.

However, there were multiple reports of fake antiquities, including books pretending to be of religious significance, being introduced to the market similar way. So that’s one more possible explanation of this smuggling story.

Photo credit: Diyarbakir Governor’s Office

2019.02.04 - Comics - Things to Avoid During Restoration Featured

Archival Work, Book Repair and Restoration/ Paper Repair and Restoration

Comics: Things to Avoid During Restoration

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This article the second out of two parts about comic books and their conservation written by Eliane Gomes for iBookBinding. Here Eliane describes different techniques that may cause damage to comic books. Some attention is given to the matters of storage as well. To find the first chapter please click here.

Too often, repairs to comic books are done by people with good intentions without a better understanding or training in the field of conservation. Okay, there are cases of bad intentions and no training, as well.

The results can be disastrous when you decide to skip the advice from professionals and follow only D.I.Y. videos on YouTube on how to restore your comics. There are some terrible practices present, which I think are the main source for the distrust from the comics community towards restoration work.

Through my contact with the Dutch comics’ community and web research, a couple of such practices called my attention. Let me tell you about some of them.

Bleaching

The technique of bleaching or lightening the pages is used to remove stains and give the book a crisp new look. Unfortunately, people doing this do not consider the damaging effects on the paper fibers. Chemical bleaching will make paper cellulose fibers fragile. It accelerates auto-destruction mode for certain kinds of paper.

The light bleaching technique used by art conservators requires expertise to get it right. It is a less invasive technique, but only applicable to sorts of paper that have no lignin.

Most of the paper used in comics contains lignin[efn_note]What is lignin? http://www.icfar.ca/lignoworks/content/what-lignin.html[/efn_note], hence the yellowing and acidification.

Frankenstein Books

That’s when they try to match pieces of a “cadaver,” which is some incomplete comic, to fix missing parts of a comic in a better state. This category also includes “married covers,” that’s when a damaged cover of a book with a good block is replaced with a good cover taken from some books with a damaged book block.

I find this practice dubious, and it can be perceived as cheating the client. This practice goes against the conservators and restorers work ethics.

Amateur Color Retouch

That’s another practice that can both devaluate your comic book for the trading industry and result in some raised eyebrows among the members of the conservation community.

You know you stroke bad when you see that felt point marker touching up the color of some part of the book. In-painting[efn_note]Escolano, Amparo, – ´Inpainting, Retouching and Over-painting´ –  http://sflac.net/restoration/inpainting-retouching-and-over-painting/[/efn_note] should not be done directly on the object, but on an archival quality carrier. Like Japanese mulberry paper, which should be placed on top of the damaged area with the use of a reversible glue.

Also, a conservator will not try to make it totally invisible. The procedure should be reversible and made using only the top of scale products.

Comics Pressing – It’s Kind of Cool

Comics pressing is a treatment offered by certain companies. This technique uses a dry mounting press to apply pressure and heat combined to minimize creases on the cover and improve the commercial value. The application requires experience with the technique, as correct temperature and exposure time are essential factors.

Aesthetically speaking this method is very appealing for collectors and traders. I don’t see many issues in applying it, but I have some question marks about the treatment not being mentioned in the grading report. Grading companies do not consider it as a restoration/conservation intervention, which in my opinion it is!

The method is not to be confused with the pressing technique used in book conservation. Here pressing will often involve some humidification depending on the condition and quality of the paper: from a bath to a humidification chamber. Moreover, pressing usually involves special non-woven acid-free materials forming a blotter-sandwich. This layered cake rests under weight or in a press, until dry.

Comics pressing example. Photo credit: www.kaptainmyke.com

Please, No Adhesive Tape!

Quick tear repairs that involve usage of adhesive tape, duct tape or some other even more creative types of tape can leave their marks forever. There are no archival tapes, as well. Forget them all!

Did you know: the longer you leave the adhesive tape on paper, more difficult is it to remove it?

Adhesive tape stained page from a “Kuifje” first edition 1946. Photo credit: Eliane Gomes

These tapes are pressure sensitive and time only strengthens the bond. The adhesive (glue) penetrates the fibers, reacts, and leaves nasty stains which are very difficult if not impossible to revert.

Once the “carrier” (plastic part) is removed, lots of gooey chemicals and stains are left to deal with.  Sounds like a terrible marriage, isn’t it?

Storage Practices

The use of plastic sleeves called safe-vinyl is also a wrong solution. Safe vinyl (PVC) does not exist. It is highly reactive and will destroy your collectibles.

If you decide to use plastic make sure it is inert plastic like polyester (PET, Melinex® or Mylar®), polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). Also, avoid airtight solutions, they are not ideal in most cases.

Lorraine Finch posted the photo on her Facebook account and said: “This is what happens when C20th paper is kept in the damp – just for a short time! It shows the importance of keeping your comics in good storage”.

The conservator and comic books’ lover Lorraine Finch launched a campaign called “Unplastify!”[efn_note]Comic Book Girl Unplastify! video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSyFX91805c[/efn_note] for the sake of your collectibles! Her YouTube short video is listed under references.

Acrylic holders used by graders fall into this category as well. Graded comics generally come inside of a transparent acrylic holder, which after grading is sealed, and a grading label is attached.

Holders should protect comic books from outer destructive agents and, once sealed, guarantee that the material inside is the one graded. I wonder if they ever considered the effects of sealing an object and creating a microenvironment, as paper deterioration will not stop inside.

During big fairs and events, I often see traders carrying their stock in big “cardboard moving boxes.” They are affordable and sturdy, but not acid-free. For that function, I suggest the use of polypropylene transparent archival boxes. And don’t forget that silverfish LOVES cardboard. Once an infestation sets, the insects will add your comics to their diet. These little bugs can cause a lot of damage to any collection.

My Experience with Comic Book Restoration

I have been working with comic books’ restoration for some years. My clients are mainly private collectors, and they want their book to be in good condition. Preserved for the next generation. Many of them want to have the ability to reread their books, not only to display or trade them. They are well aware of the object’s value and choose to avoid allowing certain damages to progress.

Photo credit: Toon Joop

Once I have the project, it receives the same attention, ethical approach, and consideration I give any other book. I often encounter low-quality paper, plenty of stains, evidence of usage of adhesive tapes of all kinds. The book structure may be compromised, many tears and other damage suggest that the book went through many adventures. Despite that, I always ask this question: are you doing it for yourself or you plan to sell the book later?  It is crucial to discuss and explain the scope of work to the client beforehand.

I find сomic books’ paper from before the 1980’s a bit easier to mend. After that moment, publishers started using paper coating that makes pages shiny. And it is hell to deal with them.

I sometimes pass on projects simply because they are out of my reach of expertise. In such cases, I do not hesitate to contact a more experienced colleague to carry on the task. Sometimes even from a different area of expertise. Client’s satisfaction is a crucial point.

These days most of the publishers and artists do not always choose paper for its archival qualities. Materials for comics are purely chosen to better show the graphic effects desired. Value engineering is an intrinsic part of the trade. Some of them are comfortable with its ephemera status, literally speaking.

Do I read the comics when they are in my atelier for restoration? Of course, I do! I love comic books!

Recommended Reading

Restoration of a comic book from 1947 – the duct tape was holding a piece of the cover, which I managed to release and set the cover in place again. Photo credit: Eliane Gomes

Photo credit: Jeroen Steehouwer (Netherlands)

 

Photo credit: “O menino maluquinho” from Ziraldo (Brazil)

 

Panel art exposed inside of the fair venue during the Stripdagen Haarlem 2018 – Photo by Eliane Gomes

2019.02.03 - Bookworm's Feast 15 Independent Bookstores Opened in 2018 in the UK

Blog/ News

Bookworm’s Feast: 15 Independent Bookstores Opened in 2018 in the UK

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Recent data from the Bookseller Association reveals that after 20 years of decline, the number of independent bookstores is on the rise again. In 1995 there were 1,894 independent bookstores in the UK and Ireland, but by 2016, only 867 remained. As of 2018, there are 883 independent bookstores in the UK and Ireland, 15 of which were added this past year.

Storysmith in Bedminster UK

In an interview, Daniel Ross, who opened Storysmith with his wife in October of 2018, said: “Independent bookshops are important because we’re a refuge, and we’re dead against everything becoming the same.” He explained that he and his wife had decided to open the store because of their strongly held belief that bookselling fosters a community and inspires “a lifelong love of reading.”

The store was warmly welcomed with many people coming in and telling them it was exactly what the area needed. Ross and Emily commented that the community “put their money where their mouth was” and Storysmith enjoyed outstanding sales around the holidays.

Storysmith is not alone in this success; another BA survey showed that 63.5% of booksellers reported that customer numbers rose during Christmas of 2018 compared with 2017.

BrOOKs in Pinner UK

Sarah Brook who left her corporate job to open BrOOK’s in Pinner, Middlesex, says “Indies are important because they choose their stock which can adapt to the local community. They offer a personal service and treat each customer as an individual.”

Amanda Davidge, the owner of Lost in Books agreed, saying “I think there is a definite desire by locals to support local businesses as a reaction to the big online suppliers. We have to work hard to make sure we can now keep the momentum going… I think it is important to keep small town communities alive by providing shops that locals want and also a hub for people to meet and to encourage reading.”

Most of UK’s newest independent bookstore owners were not originally booksellers but picked up the trade because they saw a need in certain areas. Sarah Brook, previously in HR, said this had always been her dream. Elaine Sperber of The Bookmark in Stockbridge High Street in Hampshire was shocked that there wasn’t and never had been a bookshop in Hampshire. She said, “Since we’ve been there, so many customers from near and far have said how happy they are to have a small, curated, independent place where they can chat, browse and buy.”

The managing director of the BA, Meryl Halls proclaimed that “it’s extremely encouraging to see independent bookshops succeeding in 2018, demonstrating the creativity and entrepreneurship of booksellers in the face of difficult challenges”.

However, Halls made it undeniably clear that booksellers are still facing many challenges. Just last year, the BA advocated for the independent bookstore Waterstones, located in Bedford, which pays 16 times more in business rates than the nearby Amazon distribution center. Challenges also include competition from online retailers and uncertainty caused by Brexit. Halls called on the government to “take the steps needed to protect the future of bookshops and their high streets, considering the concerns of retailers and booksellers so they can both flourish.”

Other reports show that the growth of independent bookstores is not limited to the UK only. Paper book sales are also on the rise in the US for the second year in a row as well as in some other countries.

Featured photo: The Essex County Environmental Group Runs This Bookstore in Rockport 02/1973 by Deborah Parks

2019.01.28 - Celebrity Patrons Save House of Horrors

News

Celebrity Patrons Save “House of Horrors” Bookstore

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Dark Delicacies, a horror bookstore in Burbank California, was saved from closure largely due to the endorsements of celebrity patrons such as sci-fi director Guillermo del Toro, and horror novelists Neil Gaiman and Cory Doctorow. 

The bookstore, like many other independent bookstores, was struggling financially from the skyrocketing rents plaguing most American cities. Owners Del Howison and his wife Sue wrote in their GoFundMe campaign that they were inspired to relocate the “home of horror” rather than simply close down and “go quietly into the night” because of all the fans who stopped by and begged the owners to keep the store open.

Dark Delicacies was not just a small bookstore beloved by local horror enthusiasts but also a symbol in a broader special interest group. Works by del Toro and others were conceived and edited in independent bookstores like Dark Delicacies.

Guillermo del Toro took to Twitter and pleaded with his fellow “horror lovers” writing,  “I love, love, love Dark Delicacies. I vow to help it move successfully. You can help, too.”

Cory Doctorow, on his website BoingBoing, backed the crowdfunding campaign and stressed to his fans the importance of independent bookstores, specifically niche ones like Dark Delicacies. Del and Sue originally asked for 25,000$ to cover the cost of moving to a location just around the corner but with the endorsement and publicity of these giants their GoFundMe goal has been met in a little over four days, and the support just keeps growing.

Photo credit: Dark Delicacies

Astonishing Pop-Up Books Chosen as Finalists of the Meggendorfer Artist Book Prize in 2018

Blog/ Video

Astonishing Pop-Up Books Chosen as Finalists of the Meggendorfer Artist Book Prize in 2018

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Pop-up books are something that makes my mind spin. I never tried making one, and even while I understand some of the underlying three-dimensional geometry, I still can’t stop holding breath when seeing some new examples of the craft.

Here is a video presentation of pop-up books chosen as finalists of the Meggendorfer Artist Book Prize in 2018:

Unfortunately, the video is not of the best quality, so not all of the details are visible. Below I will add separate videos uploaded by some of the artists to their own channels:

Nicolas Codron

Steps

Nicholas Danish

Detroit Nostalgia: A Pop-Up Book of Memories

Colette Fu

桃花源記 Tao Hua Yuan Ji: Source of the Peach Blossoms

Andrea Hempstead

Stickly-Prickly and Slow-Solid: A Pop-Up Adventure

The Foliage Library (Matthew Holbein & Emily Brooks)

“24 Hour Flowers” and “The Bee Book”

Anne Kucera

The Gatekeepers

Emily Martin

King Leer: A Tragedy in Five Puppets

Elizabeth O’Connell

The Adventures of Apun the Arctic Fox

Channels of the artists mentioned му are worth following, even while there are not many videos posted there. Who knows, maybe they will make some new enchanting books soon!

The channel hosting the compilation video belongs to Shawn Sheehy, he is the Board Director of the Movable Book Society, organizer of the prize. On his channel, you will also find several video presentations of his own pop-up books. His website is also worth visiting.

You will find additional information about the Prize here.

2016-11-28-a-1000-book-library-3

Blog/ Libraries/ News

It’s the #LibraryShelfieDay Today!

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It’s that day today. The fourth Wednesday of January is the #libraryshelfieday. Libraries from all over the world post shelfies of their collections. We gathered some of the photos in this post.

 

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