Tag Archives: Suave Mechanicals

Model making: Italian stationery bind, laminated archival bind

Admittedly the title of this blog is a bit dry, but whenever I see the phrase stationery binding my eyes dart and the corners of my mouth start to move upward. Since trying my hand at an accounting book at Paper and Book Intensive 2017 in Chela Metzger’s workshop Early Modern Record-Keeping Book Structures, I have enjoyed learning more about their variations, creating historical models, and using the form as an inspiration for artist’s books.

After digging into Katherine Beaty’s essay Tackets, Buckles, and Overbands: Italian Stationery Bindings of the HBS Medici Family Collectionthe in the latest volume of Suave Mechanicals (http://www.thelegacypress.com/suave-mechanicals-vol-6.html), I decided to attempt a model of the second largest laminated archival bind. Beaty’s essay provides excellent descriptions of the various accounting books within the Medici collection, helping guide me in the construction of the model and filling in large gaps in my knowledge.

Katherine Beaty’s essay is not a “how to” manual, so all the errors and false assumptions that present themselves in the final model are mine alone. Making this at home with materials I had on-hand provided some challenges, so there are some missteps in terms of historical accuracy. But, in the end I’ll give the final product solid B for effort! And I had a great time making it.

Laminated leather archival binding with buckle fastening, size 34 x 27 cm.

I would love to make the next model better, so shoot me and email (holly.prochaska@uc.edu) with tips and corrections. Here is a somewhat rough draft of my instructions – proceed with joy and caution – https://drive.google.com/file/d/10sXW-dRi1XO6cVS8S-5CPBUHH8G_wpMX/view?usp=sharing

Holly Prochaska (UCL) —- Preservation Librarian

Suave Mechanicals and The Preservation Lab

The monographic series, Suave Mechanicals: Essays on the History of Bookbinding, just released volume 6 this month.  Edited by Julia Miller and published by The Legacy Press (Cathleen A. Baker, publisher), the series focuses on in-depth analysis of historical binding structures, avenues for documenting these structures, and spreading awareness of their importance in bibliographic, conservation, and interdisciplinary research. 

Book cover of the series Suave Mechanicals

Included in this new volume is an essay co-authored by Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer and myself titled “Adding Value: Increasing Access and Visibility to Historic Binding Structures.”   The essay reviews work conducted in the Preservation Lab to document, preserve, and promote the special collections of the University of Cincinnati Libraries and the Public Library or Cincinnati and Hamilton County. 

The processes and production described in our essay would not have been possible without the knowledge and expertise of the Lab’s staff, student staff, and volunteers who have traveled through our basement doors to make the Preservation Lab the special place it is today…and always has been.  As our essay went to the publisher prior to the hiring of our newest team member, we would like to provide the following amended acknowledgement list:

This essay is couched in terms of “what the lab does and why.”  Behind each of these actions is a staff member that had the idea and made it happen.  The authors are grateful to the past and current Preservation Lab staff:  Jessica Ebert, Catarina Figueirinhas, Gabrielle Fox, Sidney Gao, Kasie Janssen, Kathy Lechuga, Patrick Schmude, Veronica Sorcher, Hyacinth Tucker, Chris Voynovich, and our dedicated students and volunteers.

Please visit The Legacy Press (http://www.thelegacypress.com/) to learn more about this volume and to peruse the other amazing books they have to offer.

Holly Prochaska (UCL) — Preservation Librarian, and co-manager, The Preservation Lab