Linen Thread

The manufacturer of our Linen Thread has discontinued the 50g spools of 40/3, but we are pleased to advise that we are replacing it with the slightly heavier 35/3 thread.

Our full range of thread may be view in our catalogue by clicking here

Type Tray and Organiser

Are you fed-up with trying to keep your type tidy? If the answer is yes, then this wooden Type Tray would be a cost effective and practical way to organise and store your brass type.

Specification:

• 50 compartments - 30mm x 30mm x 25mm
• Overall dimensions - 342mm x 182mm x 35mm
• Sides - Pine
• Base - Plywood
• Dividers - Plywood
• Lid - Plexiglas (Perspex)

Prices:
for 1-2 units - £16.65 each
for 3-5 units - £15.73 each
for 6+ units - £14.80 each

The Type Tray may be ordered Online - Click Here

(subject to shipping charges and VAT where applicable)

Gold Rubbers

We have had to discontinue this product. We inherited the recipe for gold rubbers around 10 years ago and made them until about 18 months ago when we ran out of raw latex. The process was messy, smelly and time-consuming and we have decided not to continue with their manufacture.

If you can find raw latex, it is "just" a case of soaking a small lump of the material in about the same volume of paraffin for around two weeks, turning it every couple of days and then drying it out when it has swollen, again for a couple of weeks.

B36 Pure Starch Paste Powder

We are pleased to be in a position to reintroduce the very popular B36, pre-gelatinised pure starch based on regular maize. It is a general purpose bookbinding paste and contains no fungicide. To prepare, whilst stirring, add powder to cold water until required consistency is reached.

Available in:
300g packs - makes approximately 1 gallon @ £3.51 each
1.5kg packs - makes approximately 5 gallons @ £14.65 each
25kg sacks @ £112.00 each

B36 may be ordered Online - Click Here

(subject to shipping charges and VAT where applicable)

Last remaining Pigskin for Leathergoods, Saddles, Bridles and Harnesses

Jewel Pigskin - We are no longer producing this beautiful and traditional leather goods leather, but still have a selection of finished skins in stock. Aniline dyed and hand polished giving a very attractive two-tone finish. They are available in 5 shades in a mixture of substances and are being sold as run-selection. This leather is ideal for small leather goods, watch scraps and small luggage items. The thinner skins are also suitable for bookbinding!

Price: £35.00 per skin
Average Skin Size: 1.11m² (12ft²)
Colours available: Black, Dark Nut, Golden, Hazel and Whisky.
Grade: Run-Selection, grades II and III
Standard Substance: 0.6mm, 0.8mm, 1.0mm (depending on availability).

Black	Hazel	Golden	Dark Nut	Whisky

Saddle Pigskin - Just as the Jewel Pigskin above, we are no longer producing these traditional saddle and harness leathers, but still have a limited selection of skins available. They are aniline dyed and hand 'tallowed', which gives the traditional 'drag' and 'waxy' feel associated with saddle and harness leathers.

Price: £35.00 per skin
Average Skin Size: 1.11m² (12ft²)
Colours available: Black and Dark Brown
Grade: Run-Selection, grades I and II
Standard Substance: 1.0mm

These leathers are available to purchase from our web site at our web site by clicking here

(subject to shipping and VAT charges where applicable)

Society of Bookbinders Journal 2008 - Volume 22

Only £18.00

This new journal may be ordered Online - Click Here

(subject to shipping charges where applicable)

New Finishing Stove

We are very pleased to introduce our new finishing stove. Utilising a standard 1-ring Buffalo hot plate, we have designed a very practical and cost effective Finishing Stove that will provide for all your finishing requirements.

Specification:

• Single boiling ring with cast iron solid element and stainless steel body
• Voltage - 230v AC - 50Hz
• Power consumption - 1500W
• Thermostatically controlled
• Safety cut-out
• Neon indicator
• Six heat settings
• Continuous temperature adjustment by energy regulator
• Two profiled stainless steel supports, on a wooden base

£120.00 each - (Finishing Tools not included)

This new stove may be ordered online from our web site by clicking here

(subject to shipping and VAT charges where applicable)

Do you use hot melt glue?
If so the hot-plate would also act as an ideal heat source for a saucepan or bain-marie, and of course we can supply you with a very practicable double boiler

Designer Bookbinders Competition 2008

The annual Designer Bookbinder Competition was judged at the end of October and the award ceremony was held in November at the John Rylands University Library in Manchester.

We are very pleased to announce that the 2008 J. Hewit & Son prize for 'The Interesting Treatment of Leather' was awarded to Andrew Brown of the The Cheshire Bindery, for his beautiful binding of The Ship of Death.

Our warm congratulations go to Andrew.

Following is a piece by Andrew describing the book and its binding.

The Ship of Death Author: D. H. Lawrence
Woodcut engravings by Blair Hughes Stanton
Bound 2008 by Andrew Brown Private Collection, UK

The Ship of Death is a collection of 'Last Poems' by D. H. Lawrence. In his prose Lawrence meditates heavily on the subjects of oblivion, God and death. This is not depressing verse though, moreover it is a celebration of life and humanity, of the unknown God that lives within us and all things. Most definitely not to be confused with religious piety, the work challenges us to realize that we can be at peace if we know that we are being taken care of by the gentleness of the unknown God. The poetry is accompanied by a selection of beautiful and enchanting woodcut engravings by Blair Hughes Stanton, energetic pieces which capture the vibrancy of Lawrence's work wonderfully.

I will end with a sentence from one of my favorites poems, I do feel this sentence encapsulates the main theme of The Ship of Death, it is the opening lines of 'The Hands of God':

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But it is a much more fearful thing to fall out of them."

With this design I have paid homage to the sublime illustrations by Hughes Stanton without being to obvious but merely hinting at the shapes and movement they possess.

The book is bound in a terracotta goatskin with a relief section of black on the front board. On the front and rear boards are white dancing figures which have been part inlaid and part puckered, which then merge into a coloured area that spans the front and rear boards crossing the spine. This area has multi coloured pieces of leather (reds, blues, yellow, green and purple) mixed with tie-dye leathers of green and blue. All these were then sanded (Lacunosed) to make the image of a face. Around the design is blind tooling emanating outwards and black tooling of stars. The edges are coloured in white, terracotta, orange and black acrylic with complimenting double silk sewn endbands. Inside there are terracotta leather doublures and black suede flyleaves. The book is housed in a black suede lined tray-box which is covered in white cloth and titled on the spine in black.

French paring Knife

In addition to the left/right-handed knife we currently stock, we have added a right-handed version to the range. It is cheaper than the symmetrical version and will suit those who only use their right hands to pare leather!

£24.50 each

This new version and all our other knives may be ordered online from our web site - Click Here

(subject to shipping and VAT charges where applicable)

The Society of Bookbinders

The Gordon Hartley Memorial Fund

A bursary is available to cover the cost of attending the Society of Bookbinders' biennial Conference, which in 2009 will be held at Warwick University, from August 20th-23rd

Applicants should be students of bookbinding who wish to develop their skills further and feel that they would benefit from such an award. Any student may apply, but preference will be given to more mature students. Closing date for applications: April 15th

For more details please refer to the Society's website,
or contact: Angela Sutton, Chairman, Society of Bookbinders, Birmingham Region