Binder's Guild Newsletter Will Continue
Jim Dorsey reports in his latest issue of Binder's Guild Newsletter that Susan Lunas has agreed to try a year as editor and publisher. Jim has been publishing and editing the newsletter for more years than he cares to think about so he has decided to get on with his life. It's good news to know the newsletter will continue. It is always filled with techniques that subscribers have tried out and commented on; especially helpful for the lone binder struggling with a new technique.
Elizabeth Kner, Bookbinder, Dies at 100
The Chicago Tribune announced on March 2, 1998 the death of Elizabeth Kner at the age of 100. Ms. Kner, who came to the United States from Hungary in 1949, worked in the rare book collection at the Newberry Library until 1953 when she opened her own bindery. In 1973 Bill Anthony became her partner in Kner & Anthony. An Obituary will appear in the June issue of this Newsletter.
Finely Conserved, Finely Bound
The application forms, together with the rules and guidelines for entering the International Exhibition of Fine Conservation Bindings to be held May 15 - July 31, 1999 at the Bibliothèque Historique de la ffille de Paris are now available. The deadline for entry is October 31, 1998. Write to Françoise Courbage, Conservateur en chef, Bibliothèque Historique, 24, rue Pavée, 75004 Paris, France, or Fax: 01.42.74.03.16 for a copy. Specify English or French.
Calligraphy In Spain With Mark Van Stone
Mark Van Stone's 1998 calligraphy tour in Spain for his students will include classes in Rotunda and Spanish Illumination styles. Beginning June 15 and ending July 7, it will be broken into three segments of one week each: Barcelona, on Romanesque Spain; Madrid and its libraries and museums; and Toledo, Cordoba and Grenada to study Spain's Jewish, Islamic and Christian art.
His 1999 tours will include France, Ireland and Britain. For information, contact Mark at 7502 Paxton St., Austin, TX 78752, tel: 512 323-0505, fax: 512 323-0404, e-mail: vanstone@mail.utexas.edu.
CBBAG Has A New Studio/Bindery
The Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild's move to 176 John Street in Toronto has given them not only new office space, but studio space for some of their workshops. For use during their bookbinding classes, CBBAG is preparing Handbinding Tool Kits which will be kept at the studio to ensure that the students have proper tools for learning. In addition, the Guild has planned a home study program that they expect to begin oVering in June 1998.. "The curriculum will be used to establish a multi-level bookbinding correspondence course incorporating written and video material, lessons to be submitted for critique and guidance, and a mentorship system." More information can be obtained from their Website, http://kawartha.net/~rmiller/cbbag/CBBAGhome.html
Bay Area Book News
As usual, the Bay Area has been a busy scene this winter . The Hand Bookbinders of California met in January at Arion Press where Andrew Hoyem gave the group a tour of the bindery and the books they are now working on, including their latest oVering, Rudyard Kipling's With the Night Mail.
On February 3 Ingrid Weimann gave a slide presentation to the Hand Bookbinders on the making of Marbling in Miniature, the book written, printed and bound by her husband Christopher. The evening before, Joanne Sonnichsen gave an illustrated talk to The Book Club of California, "From Codex to Cross-Structure: A Bookbinder's Working Collection". She spoke about her private collection which was on view at the Book Club from January 20 to March 20. Both talks were attended by smaller audiences than expected due to the fierce storms that have swept in for the past few months. Roads were closed north and south of the city for days at a time.
On March 3 Muriel Lundquist, of Document Processors of San Francisco, gave a video presentation on "Salvage of Water Damaged Books, Documents, Micrographic & Magnetic Media" to the Hand Bookbinders.
On February 9 The Book Club of California held its annual Oscar Lewis Award ceremony, this year honoring long-time GBW member Stephen Gale Herrick and Sandra Kirschenbaum for their contributions to the Book Arts, and Gary Kurutz for his contributions to Western History. His monumental Gold Rush Bibliography was published by The Book Club this year.
The Colophon Club, an eating club whose members cover all the Book Arts, has heard a number of interesting talks this winter. Stephen Stinehour spoke on the history of the Stinehour Press; Adela Roatcap, UC professor of Art History, spoke on "A Writer of the Ziggurat of Ur". In March Dominic Riley presented "Signed/Bindings: An Evening of Book Restoration & Signposts".
The Roxburghe Club was addressed recently by Dard Hunter's grandson, Dard Hunter III, on the history of the family's work.
Exhibitions in the area include "Women in Printing & Publishing in California: 1850-1940" at the California Historical Society in San Francisco. A series of lectures on the subject will take place during the spring. Form/Spirit is an exhibition honoring the work of Anna and Arne Wolf on view at the San Francisco Center for the Book during March and April. The Hand Bookbinders will mount an exhibition in May , also at the Center.
The SF Center for the Book has been busy with workshops throughout the winter and spring sponsored by both the Hand Bookbinders and the Pacific Center for Book Arts. In March Terry Buckley gave a two-day workshop on Tree Calf Marbling sponsored by HBC and Karen Zukor gave a one-day workshop on Japanese paper and its uses in repair.
New Papermill In Idaho
Jack Thompson, the Portland Paper Conservator, has purchased property in Idaho and has begun designing another water powered papermill to be built on the site. The new mill will have an 8 - 12 ft. diameter overshot wheel operating a nine-hammer mill. No 'Technology of the Medieval Book' workshop is scheduled for next summer as he expects to be building the new mill. Gary Frost wrote a review of last summer's workshop which can be accessed through http://BookLab.com.
Carl Hertzog Book Design Award
The award this year was given for the design of "An Oak Spring Flora: Flower Illustration from the Fifteenth Century to the Present Time" by Lucia Tongiorgi Tomasi, published in 1997 by the Oak Spring Garden Library of Upperville, Va., and designed by Mark Argetsinger of Rochester, NY. GBW member Asa Peavey received honorable mention for his design of Anatomy by Alice Jones, printed at Bullnettle Press in San Francisco.