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David comes costumed
as a middling status craftsman and shows all the stages of
binding a book in an appropriate historic style - 15th, 16th
or 17thC. Children may, for a small fee, sew together some
pages of hand made paper to make a small notebook or commonplace
book and stamp their initials on the cover. Or alternatively,
for free, they can stamp their initials on a piece of leather
to take away as a souvenir of their visit. He will talk about
apprenticeship and ask for several volunteers to try their
hand at binding.
Although printers
often did their own bookbinding, books were also sold as a
set of flat sheets. If the owner could afford it it could
then be backed in board and leather and given some decoration.
Some bookbinders traveled the country to the homes of the
educated gentry to bind their collections of books.
In 1539 Henry VIII
ordered that an English bible to be placed in every church.
The publication of the bible in English led to an increase
in literacy throughout the country. This in turn created a
great demand for printed books and bookbinding.
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Bring
your Library to Life!!
When
David and Gwen visit stately homes they feel very
sad to see the books in the libraries locked away
from visitors. Of course they have to be, for security
and conservation reasons. However, the lbrary played
a very important in the life of the family and the
running of the estate.
There
would be books on all topics:
Religious
Devotion, Land Management, Poetry, Plays, Music, Travel
and Exploration, Political, Legal, Scientific, Manners
and Behaviour, Education, Medicine and Cookery etc.
David
also brings a choice from his extensive range of facsimile
texts of early printed books of the 16th & 17th
C including some of William
Caxton's early books. If there is a particular
emphasis you wish to make in relations to the event,
the period, your location or your collection, David
may have a book or two relating to it. |
We have
an extensive range of authentic bookbinding equipment:
Standing press,
press boards laying press, finishing press, bookbinders plough
plane, sewing press, brass sewing keys backing boards, brush,
paste, glue pot, finishing tools, tool stand, brazier, brass
type, printer type, lettering pallet, hand tools, fillets
(decorative brass rolls), pallets & gouges, agate burnishers,
gold leaf cushion, gold knife, red bole, backing hammer, bodkin,
pricker, bone folder, English paring knife, clip point knife,
flat-tipped tailor's shears. In fact David can fill at least
three tables with books and equipment. If a workshop is required
and extra table is needed.
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