A Bookbinder’s Compendium: Workshop Handouts 2001-2025 by Karen Hanmer.
Glenview, IL: Karen Hanmer Book Arts, 2025.
Illustrations of tools used in traditional bookbinding by Henry Maron, inkjet-printed onto limp case of Hook cotton and linen case paper, lacing straps of Cave paper. Roma handmade paper endsheets.
8 ¾ x 7 ¼ x 1 ¾ “
Text is an anthology of thirty-three workshop handouts written by the binder on topics including fine binding, a range of historical and contemporary structures, notes on materials, and professional practices.
In the future I may make this text available in printed, unsewn sheets. Please contact me if you are interested.
The Complete Angler, or The Contemplative Man's Recreation by Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton, London: William Pickering, 1826.
Collection of Bowling Green State University
Limp binding based on the non-adhesive “clip-on cover” structure. Covered in case of parchment processed by the binder: red snapper dyed in cochineal and walleye. Text block sewn long stitch into Hook Paper wrapper with pink linen thread, Ruscombe Mill endpapers, chemise of French Parchtone painted with shell gold behind loss. The two skins joined with fish parchment tackets painted with shell gold. Titled on fishing lure made by the binder, engraving by Brien Beidler. Bound 2023.
4 5/8 x 3 x 1 3/4”
11.5 x 7.5 x 4 cm
The Complete Angler is a meditation on nature, friendship, and of course fish and fishing. First published in 1653, it remains among the most reprinted English language books. This edition, like others printed in London in the early 19th century departs from the original spelling of the title The Compleat Angler.
Incorporating the title into the design of a binding can be a challenge, especially on the uneven surface the scale pockets leave on fish parchment. This spinner engraved with the title hooks into a hole created when processing the skin.
Book Arts Structures: A library of useful formats
I prepared a prototype for this project to show at Codex in 2019, then abandoned it because I dreaded writing the manual. I almost picked it up again during the Covid lockdown, then I found online teaching to occupy my time.
A boxed set of 10 book arts structures with manual including complete instructions for each. Most structures would have content so students can visualize their potential. The more complicated structures will be presented in cutaway, or the set would include both completed and partially-assembled versions.
The sample books are loaded with librarian bait: excerpts from Moby Dick and Audubon’s The Birds of America, a flip book of Roman numerals, archival photographs of the original Rosie the Riveters, and more.
Manual would also be available separately print-on-demand.
Cost would be commensurate with the Biblio Tech set of models, maybe a little more if the box has trays to organize the books. Please contact me if your institution would be interested.
Preliminary Table of Contents:
Accordion-Based Structures
Basic accordion fold
Accordion with simple pop-ups
Tunnel book
Flag books
Pamphlets
Basic pamphlet
Two-section pamphlet
Multi-section pamphlet sewn into accordion
Codex Format
Drum Leaf
Sewn Boards
Sculptural & Movable Formats
Triangle book
Jacob’s ladder
Flip book
Appendix
Four flap enclosure
Tools
Supplies
Ergonomics
Notes on editioning
Bibliography