September 2007


The Society of Bookbinders Competition, 2007

J Hewit and Sons Award for Innovation

Winner - Christine Sieber, Hamburg, Germany, Professional Bookbinder, Fine Binding Category

Book - Binding structures in the Middle Ages by Berthe van Regemorter

Binding - Bradel-binding with attached covers in polycarbonate The polycarbonate covers are varnished with car lacquer using airbrushing technique. The spine is made of water snake skin in grey. The concept of the design is abstract. Different plains are moving within each other. This concept allows a lot of space for interpretation to the viewer.

J Hewit and Sons Award for Craftsmanship

Winner - Kate Holland, Bath, UK, Professional Bookbinder, Fine Binding Category

Book - And the Ass saw the Angel by Nick Cave

Binding - Hand dyed orange alum-tawed goatskin with black goat onlay. Scratches. Black sprinkled edges, orange leather end bands, offset printed endpaper on black Bible paper. This is a tale of murder, lust and God set in small-town Bible belt America. The colours are inspired by films such as Night of the Hunter and Gone with the Wind. The scratches evoke the protagonist's self-mutilation. The silhouetted lightning tree plays centre stage and the crows are forever circling the narrative.

J Hewit and Sons Award for Design

Winner - Susanne Natterer, Freiburg, Germany, Professional Bookbinder, Fine Binding Category

Book - L'Infinito by Giacomo Leopardi

Binding - Stub-binding, non-adhesive binding covered in full leather, Mingei- Shi endpapers. Single sections covered with black leather strips, 4 orange bands around the spine, orange leather strip around the head.

Our warm congratulations go to all the winners.