The Art of Binding Books
by Angela James, illustrated by Anthony Christmas

Having thoroughly enjoyed putting together miniature guides in the late ‘80s on both the art of wood engraving and the hand press, more miniature guides were planned in the 1990s. The Art of Binding Books was published in 1991, and we were very lucky to have another expert author in Angela James. While other guides were planned, including one to typesetting referenced at the beginning of this book, they never came into being, so the Fleece Press guide series became a neat little educational trinity of engraving, printing, and binding.

In this book, Angela James first begins with a history of bookbinding and we journey from ancient papyrus and tablets to medieval manuscripts, through the Grand Tour, William Morris, and on to modern practices. The book continues, with a detailed and precise explanation of the process of binding a book, which is complemented by a brief glossary after the text.

This miniature benefits, too, from brilliant Acetal engravings from Anthony Christmas, who also provided the engravings used in our Guide to the Hand Press published two years earlier.

Naturally, it is also bound in a lovely cloth with a Jacobean design, as you can see in the picture to the left. Having such an expert and creative binder write a text for us, it was only right to have Angela bind some copies for us. As noted at the end of her text:

‘Anyone familiar with my own work will know that I have a preference for bright and interesting colour combinations. It may not always be appropriate, but I like my bindings to have a touch of humour about them too. Whatever I choose to do though I like to think that my work might intrigue or bring a smile or give pleasure to see and handle.’

The books bound by Angela were just this, as can be seen from the postcard created displaying a few of them, shown in the second picture on the left.

This miniature was published in 1991. There were 290 standard copies, priced at £34 each, and ten copies bound in leather by Angela James to her own design, priced at £410 each.