sofie. my niece
Springback ledger binding
Sofies book is a springback ledger binding. This is a method that lets the book lie open flat all the way into the spine. Ledger binding and literature binding was once two different apprenticeships within the bookbinding craft. My apprenticeship was in literature binding, but part of that was to make three springback ledgers.
Springback ledger binding
Sofies bok
Sofies bok.
I made this book back in 91 as part of my education as a bookbinder. It has leather spine and corners, and all material is archival quality. It should hold out well for several hundred years.
This method of binding is called ledger binding or accountant binding. This differ considerably from literature binding, library binding and publishing binding. Bookbinding apprenticeships used to be two different directions. You either became a literature binder or a ledger binder. I am a literature binder, but making three ledgers was part of the basics. But making them is far from basic...
These are books that will be written in, so the mechanism of the spine is constructed in such a way that you can write all the way into the margin. It will lie flat when opened, and this is not only due to the sheer weight: the binding is constructed from the bottom to make this work.
As opposed to traditional literature binding, the block is sewed extremely hard around tightly woven linen bands. I can still remember how much my fingers hurt.
The marble on the edges are also done with traditional methods. Carrageen moss is boiled, drawn, sieved several times; its temperature and viscosity closely monitored over a few days. The colours are dripped onto the surface, and to control the flow ox gall is used. Yes, it stinks.
So why is this Sofies bok?
Sofie is my niece, and I am her god mother. So i started this when she was a baby. Due to a lot of circumstances, I have not "finished" it, but she turned 16 today, and now it it her turn to add stories, poems, quotes, thoughts as she sees fit. I hope I can add images here of what she contributes.
