Crafts Fifty or sixty years ago, many commercial books were bound by hand; today, a hand-bound book is indeed a rarity. Through the centuries, skilled craftsmen exercised great artistry in binding books with covers of carved wood, tooled leather, and fabrics. Ewery step of the process was done by hand and executed with a mixture of pride and loving care.

But during the past half century the bookbinder has been replaced by machines. Occasionally, an expensive limited edition may be bound by hand. The few who practice the art of bookbinding by hand as a profession are rarely called upon except to repair bindings or replace bindings on rare books. With modern books, the usual question is whether they can be rebound for less than the cost of replacing them. You can have an unabridged dictionary rebound, for example, at less than the cost of a new one.

The men and women whose hobby is bookbinding find many uses for their skills, which are frequently related to other hobbies. They make their own photograph albums, they bind their theater programs into handsome books, and they rebind treasured volumes that they pick up in second-hand book stores.

You will find a number of volumes on bookbinding in the public libraries, and there are several schools across the country devoted exclusively to the craft. Since bookbinding has become a popular hobby in recent years, many universities and colleges have added courses on the subject.




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October 6, 2008