David Bourbeau

Florence, Massachussetts

Edgar Allen Poe, Alan James Robinson, illustrator, The Raven, 1980

Bound in full paper over boards with cloth spine reinforcement; sewn on three linen tapes; leather wrapped headband; the marbled paper cover was designed by the binder and the papers were editioned by Steven Auger who learned to marble from the binder. 8.5 x 28 x 2 centimeters. Created 1980.

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David Bourbeau was born in 1942 and apprenticed with Arno Werner from 1973–1975. In 1975 he opened his own Thistle Bindery in Northampton specializing in the binding of fine press limited editions and studio binding in collaboration. In the mid 1980s he coined the word “bibliotect” to describe his work. As an architect designs and supervises the construction of buildings, a bibliotect designs and supervises the making of books. He continues to work in search of a certain creative “roughness” and spontaneity in his binding while admitting very little patience for crudity. Quoting Man Ray, “the sidewalks are filled with admirable craftsmen, but so few practical dreamers.”