Bookbinders Workshop, Inc.
Now Binding 128 Rare Facsimiles of The Gutenberg BIble in Authentic mid-15th Century Style!
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NEW LOST GUTENBERG BIBLE PHOTO'S!
Here's a photo taken on the east side of the 'great room' in our Long Island home. We usually call it our "Gutenberg Library Room." The illuminations in these rare Gutenberg Bibles are truly amazing. Minnie & I have spent many Sunday evenings sitting in this room looking at every page. When I was on staff as a rare book conservator at the Library of Congress, Rare Book Conservation Division, Washington, D.C., I was fortunate to have the honor (on 09 September 1999) of assisting in changing out the Gutenberg (Volume III) on display, with Gutenberg (Volume I), which was opened to the first chapter of Ruth. Two of us then spending some time back in the lab with G-III.
Is there any ONE word to appropriately describe this beauty?
In 1990, Marcia Preston from OSU Friends of the Library commissioned me to create a design binding on a Tern Press edition of the Book of Matthew. Some weeks after the order I received a lovely card in the mail (in her amazing calligraphic hand) with a quote from John Ruskin: "When skill and love work together, expect a masterpiece." She signed the card "I'm expecting a masterpiece, Michael!" The point is this.... I hope these Gutenberg Bible masterpieces are loved as much as I love creating them! Michael L. Chrisman, Bookbinder.
NEW LOST GUTENBERG BIBLE PHOTO!
THE MOST RECENT LOST GUTENBERG BINDINGS. EACH NEW SET THAT I BIND BRINGS ME JOY, AND CONTINUAL OPPORTUNITY TO DELVE INTO THE MINDS OF BINDERS OF CENTURIES PAST.
Developing this alum-tawed pigskin leather was practically a miracle! Our A.T.Pigskin is hand-made in Germany, following the ancient recipe which requires the hand-dipping of each skin once a day, for three consecutive days, in addition to all of the other labor intensive processes involved in it's manufacture. BBWS Alum-Tawed Pigskins are AMAZINGLY SOFT & SUPPLE, and they tool and patina beautifully. Notice how nicely they form around the large raised cords on the spine. Creating the finest alum-tawed pigskin the world has EVER seen is something BBWS is very proud of.
NEW! BBWS / Michael L. Chrisman DVD::
A NEW VIDEO FROM BBWS!
In this DVD I share my techniques in rebacking and restoring an early (1728) London, England binding. Including the successful lifting of a VERY tight spine, loose turn-ins, and so forth. THIS VOLUME HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TO MANY PEOPLE.
$99.00 plus $5.00 postage. CALL BBWS TO ORDER THIS OR ANY OF THE OTHER FIVE VOLUMES IN THE SERIES!
(347) 556-7133 MON-FRI, 8AM TO 5PM, EST/ LONG ISLAND, NY.
The "Lost Gutenbergs" 15th Century Style Binding Project
Greetings Everyone!
We thought it might be nice to post some photo's of our recent Gutenberg Bible bindings. This project is 128 (two volume bibles) that are the rare 1961 Pageant Books/Cooper Square facsimile. This is the first facsimile of the Guteneberg Bible in America, and only the second facsimile produced in the world. A LOT more info on this new project is coming soon!
Enjoy!
Mike & Minnie
Mike & Minnie, October 2008, enjoying a recent binding.
A volume of the Gutenberg Bible (1961) freshly 'pack'-sewn, Herringbone style. In creating the binding for "The Lost Gutenbergs" some of the first historical aspects to ascertain were 1) The Correct Cord, 2) Correct sewing format, 3) Correct thread thickness for which to create the correct degree of swell for this mid-15th century style wooden board binding, and 3) Endpaper configuration. While the cords appear in the photo to be rather 'bumpy', these are easily smoothed out when pasted up prior to covering.
This is a German Primary End-band. In this particular period (Gutenberg, ca. 1455, and still later) these provided the 'core' for the later 'braided end-band', pictured further below. These 'primaries' are sewn so strongly that to try to push them off the book is futile! Note how the end-band cords are laced into the wooden cover boards, and how the wood is 'rounded out' to accommodate these cords.
A VERY close-up of our 'packed' Herringbone sewing. The endemic 'slanted, fish bone' look is not as visible in this image as it is . This photo is PRIOR to pasting up and smoothing-over the spine. Some folks can hardly believe that we are binding 258 Volumes (over 20 lbs. each) in this manner, but we are, and I have battle scars to prove it. There has never been another project like this in recorded bookbinding history.
Minnie enjoying the First Chapter of Matthew. June 2008.
Michael, towered by SIX GUTENBERG BIBLES! When I look at this picture I am so thankful that I LOVE my job! What a burden it'd be if I didn't. We thank God for it all!
Just a small portion of the 'hand finishing' required on EVERY board, on EVERY volume. The board pictured here does yet have the half round channels for the end-band cords to be laced in. In keeping with the period at hand, ALL holes are square mortised with hand made wedges to fit exactly. Much historic finesse is required at this stage in order to give the covered binding that special 'warm', 'smoothed-over edges' feel. Our boards are solid beech wood, and we construct them from narrow individual vertical boards 'keyed' together with strips of beech, and then the whole being 'capped' at top and bottom with tongue-n-groove narrow boards. This construction (completely unheard of in bookbinding prior to this project) makes a cover board that is as solid and unmovable as wooden boards could be.
Another view of wooden board treatment. Done entirely by hand, using an original 18th century wooden block plane (I acquired and used when I was Amish) and wood files.
Right about now is when I start to experience that mixed feeling of 'sweet relief from the binding stages up 'til now', but knowing how sore many more muscles are about to become from stretching the pig, and laying the rolls to the leather!
At this stage the alum-tawed pig is as soft and mould-able as ply-dough! What fabulous fun!
Ah yes, here comes the time when the binder can breath a small sigh of relief, and pray that his/her brass working muscles are ready for the task at hand!
OK, here's the deal. These 15th century German 'braided" end-bands are described in a certain bookbinding 'history' book as being employed as a sort of 'anchor' for the leather spine. I can tell you from good experience that these types of medieval books needed/need NO thin strips of pigskin to create "... a first class attachment at a critical point." It might be interesting to note that when I contacted the author (alluded to above) last year for some advice about the impending 'braided' end-bands I knew I'd be making, he told me he has NEVER made one! Now after having made MANY of them, I really DO believe he's never made one! NOTE: The volume in the foreground appears 'yellow-ee' due to the lighting. The volume in the background is representative of the true color.
HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THE GUTENBERG TOUR. There's A LOT more coming soon at a special website: LOSTGUTENBERGS.COM
MICHAEL
BBWS RELOCATION TO LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK
OK, so here's the good news...
Minnie & I have never made it a secret that someday we'd leave Utah and relocate back to New York. Minnie lived in midtown Manhattan for a number of years prior to our getting married, and greatly loves the city, as do I. Since our dream was to own a large home with sizable village-style property we searched Long Island and found a wonderful old colonial that fit everything on our "wish list", and so we bought it!
What this move means for BOOKBINDERS WORKSHOP, LLC is multi-fold! Anchoring down the company at our small estate on Long Island, only 28 minutes from Penn Station/Madison Square Garden will add markedly to our already great success. Lot's of room for workshops in binding and conservation, as well as paper-making. Minnie's amazing techniques in making historic handmade papers have garnered high praise from binders and conservators far and wide. Call us to schedule a visit!
This blog will soon contain images of our exclusive product line, and descriptions of all the fine leathers we stock from the Franz Hoffmann Fine Leathers-Stuttgart, Germany.
Michael & Minnie Chrisman
(347) 556-7133
Welcome to Bookbinders Workshop!
Welcome to our BBWS blog. This is where we'll be publishing very many updates on our exciting move to Long Island, New York, as well as our fine leathers and bookbinding/conservation products. Please keep checking back for news!