New Archival Repair Goat

This archivally tanned natural grain goat, manufactured using East Indian skins, is ideal for conservation, repair and restoration. It is often used for the re-backing of old sheep and goatskin bindings and upon request, can be supplied with an appropriate embossed grain. This leather is supplied dyed to a Dark Tan (R8) and is suitable for further dyeing by the binder.

Average Skin Size: 0.60 - 0.70m² (6½ - 7½ft²)
Approx. Cut Size: 65 x 75 cm
Standard Substance: 1.0 mm
Colours available: Dark Tan - R8
Grades: II, III and IV

Prices for single skins:
Grade II - £102.00 per skin
Grade III - £89.00 per skin
Grade IV - £57.00 per skin

Quantity discounts are available

The Archival Repair Goat can be viewed and purchased online by clicking here

(subject to VAT where applicable)

Agate Burnishers

We are pleased to advise that we are now stocking newly sourced Agate Burnishers, with both flat and dog-tooth tips. These hand crafted tools are manufactured to a very high standard. They have beech handles, with an overall length of 22cm (8.75").

The new style agate burnishers can be viewed and purchased at the new lower prices here.

The Art of the Book Competition, 2013

The J. Hewit & Sons Award for Fine Binding

Winner - Cécile Côté (Montreal, Quebec)

Book - 'Histoire d'Ali Baba et de quarante voleurs exterminés par une esclave'

Binding: Full box calf leather laced-in binding with edge-to-edge doublure with suede flyleaf.
Inlays and sharp-edge raised leather mosaics.
Gold dots on both covers and French style titling on spine.
Gilder: José Luis Garcia Rubio (Spain)

Cécile Côté is a bookbinder from Montreal who also dabbles in the art of letterpress printing. As well as creating original works, she offers binding and repair services. She gives bookbinding lessons and hosts workshops often bringing together bookbinders and students from North America and Europe. Cécile is always striving to learn new techniques and continues to perfect her craft. An admirer of poetry and the written word, she opens her studio for poetry readings where good humour and lots of tea and cookies are shared.

Our warm congratulations go to Cécile for this stunning binding and for winning the 'Fine Binding' category in this year's competition.

Cawburn Goat

We are proud to announce the launch of our Cawburn Goat. Aimed at the short-run market, it is made from Indian goatskins with an 'Antique' effect assisted grain. The fully vegetable tanned leather has an aniline hand-polished finish to give a very attractive two-tone look, highlighting the antique grain pattern.

This leather is available in 5 shades and will be sold in run selection only, with a minimum order of 12 skins per colour. The quality of the leather is ideal for small full bindings and half and quarter bound books.

Average Skin Size: 0.65 - 0.74m² (7 - 8ft²)
Approx. Cut Size: 68 x 57cm
Standard Substance: 0.8mm
Colours available: 5 special shades - Black, Dark Blue, Dark Red, Dark Green, Brown
Grades: Run Selection
Cost: £46.00 each

Black	Blue	Brown	Green	Red

The Cawburn Goat can be viewed and purchased online by clicking here

(subject to VAT where applicable)

New Papers

We are very pleased to bring you two new and exciting decorative papers.

Parch Marque

Parch Marque is a parchment effect 90gsm paper. It is available in 3 shades and is suitable for boxmaking and bookbinding. Parch Marque is suitable for laser printers and is also guaranteed for HP Indigo digital printing. The sheet size is 635 x 482mm (short grain)

Prices:
Singles - £0.92/sheet
25 to 49 sheets - £0.84/sheet
50 to 99 sheets - £0.78/sheet
100 to 499 sheets - £0.71/sheet
500+ sheets - £0.65/sheet

Parch Marque can be viewed and purchased online by clicking here

(subject to VAT where applicable)

Twist

Twist is a an exciting range of paper with an unusual fibrous surface. Its unique finish and colour palette, make it particularly suited to creative applications such as bookbinding and packaging. Twist is compatible with most standard print and finishing processes. Available in 6 shades, the sheet size is 710 x 505mm (short grain), produced on 120gsm paper stock.

Prices:
Singles - £3.30/sheet
25 to 49 sheets - £3.00/sheet
50 to 99 sheets - £2.78/sheet
100 to 499 sheets - £2.55/sheet
500+ sheets - £2.33/sheet

Twist can be viewed and purchased online by clicking here

(subject to VAT where applicable)

The Society of Bookbinders Competition, 2013

The J. Hewit & Sons Award for Excellence in Design
Winner Ann Tout (Hampshire, UK)

The Periodic Table by Primo Levi (The Folio Society, 2011)
Full leather binding in yellow goatskin with blind tooling. Louise Brockman endpapers, sewn headbands, rough edge gilt. "The concept and design are from the structure of the earth and through these twisting shapes formed from self-designed finishing tools come the layers in which various chapters in Levi's life may be seen. The spine with its tumbling bricks represents the stairwell down which he met his death."

 

J Hewit and Sons Award for Excellence in Innovation
Winner Tiina Piisang (Estonia)

Luuletused (Poetry) by Aleksander Puškin (Kirjastus SE&JS, Tallinn, 2012)
Limp binding with the constructions visible, boards are not fixed, white lambskin, dark brown gilded lambskin, metallic thread, Nepal paper, Fabriano coloured papers, leather appliqué with embroidery, goffered edges, laser engraving on spine. "The design of the binding uses the elements of Russian traditional handmade laces."

 

The J. Hewit & Sons Highly Commended Award
Winner Paul Delrue (Denbighshire, UK)

Remembering Jan Bohuslav Sobota by Ladislav R. Hanka, May 2012
"Jan Sobota was a friend of mine, I had known him for many years when he first visited me, along with his wife, in my Chester Bindery. I felt honoured when I was asked by the author to bind this book in memory of a remarkable person. My book is covered in brown goatskin with an onlay on the front cover of salmon skin, for Jan was a great fisherman, and he had a fine sense of humour. I added blind tooling which was a kind of reaching out to all those friends over the years. And, last but not least, his road to freedom and his resting home. If I had my way I would call the book 'Jan Sobota's road to freedom'."

 

Paul Delrue is presented with the J. Hewit and Sons 'Highly Commended' Prize
by David Lanning, Past President of the Society of Bookbinders.

Our warmest congratulations go to all the winners

A catalogue showing all of the entrants to the competition will soon be available to purchase online

Then and Now

How times have changed........

Then in 1913

 

and Now

with our Sales Manager John Pursey,
who seems to have forgotten his hat, tie and frock-coat!