Bookbinding at the Bridwell

I was thrilled to attend recently the Fifth Triennial Helen Warren DeGolyer Bookbinding Conference and Competition for American Bookbinding at the Bridwell Library at SMU. As an extreme book lover and admirer of fine bindings, I ‘m just hoping that I will inspire you to visit this exhibit if you are in or around Dallas. There’s absolutely no picture or description that can adequately impart the beauty and detail work of these bindings.

Background

This bookbinding competition is named for Helen Warren DeGolyer, a skilled devotee of design bookbinding. In 1996, following her wishes, her family established an endowment to support this competition, exhibition, and conference on contemporary book arts. The Award for American Bookbinding challenges bookbinders to submit their design proposals to rebind a specific book in Bridwell’s collections, as well as a recent example of their work.

While the DeGolyer Award winner receives a commission to bind the book according to his/her design proposal, the jury also selects award winners for outstanding technique and artistic design. The 2009 commission book is Helen Warren DeGolyer’s copy of the Book Club of Texas edition of John Grave’s Goodbye to a River: A Narrative.

As an amateur bookbinder, this conference was awe-inspiring, informative and energizing. Workshops were given by Olivia Primanis, Priscilla Spitler and James Tapley. I love working on leather bindings so having Priscilla tell us some of her hints for painting on leather and applying foil designs, moved me to go searching for a book to rebind! James Tapley, the 2006 winner, is a one-of-a-kind instructor. It’s amazing to take a class from such an enthusiastic individual—more about his class later.

Winners

Priscilla Spitler won the grand prize and below is her submission. This leather binding features leather onlays, foil images and painted leather in a stunningly complex design. The photo below can’t convey the intricacy and beauty of her work.

James Tapley, who won in 2006, bound the book Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges for the Bridwell Library, and this binding was also exhibited (see picture below). This book is extraordinary! The cover has a wire image of the artist integrated into the cover which also has inlays of eggshell lacquer. This is the technique that James demonstrated in his workshop. We had small pieces of eggshell that we glued into a design and covered with a “grout.” Once dried the surface is sanded until the eggshell shows through and is silky smooth! James does all his sanding by hand, and it is tedious, delicate, and time consuming!The inside flyleafs are detailed designs of inlaid goatskin.

All entries to the competition, both designs and sample bindings, as well as the bindings commissioned during past competitions, are exhibited in the Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Galleries of Bridwell Library through July 24, 2009. Additional photographs are shown on the Bridwell website for the competition.

Let me know if you are interested in bookbinding, there are lots of classes are given in Dallas through the Lone Star Chapter of the Guild of Bookworkers. Thankfully, they also take amateurs!