It has been six years since I attended the annual Louisville JASNA summer event in which I had my first experience making hand marbled paper. A wonderful introduction into the technique which has created an appreciation of marbling for me. As a first attempt, I was not impressed with my final product. To this point, I've purchased marbled papers for finishing the interiors of both my caskets.... In the summer of 2019 this continuing saga changed ....
I joined the Chester County Historical Society following a field trip with my local Sampler Guild. The group pulled pieces to inspect from the CCHS collection. We enjoyed examples of pinball's and other family heirlooms donated to the Society of several locally connected early American embroiderer's work..... A few months later, I received a member brochure. Listed were Thursday evening summer tours of Chester County boroughs, several 'Arm Chair' lectures of local history, information of folk art festivals and local sites I could tour. One Lecture was of Historic Sugartown. I stopped in last fall to tour and found a wonderful spot for children's field trips along with a reproduction 'book bindery' which blew my mind, not 15 miles from me!
I was amazed to find a huge collection of embossing tools and a set of beautiful leather books on display..... If you believe in fate/destiny, you can understand I experienced another, one of now many, epiphanies ..... The docent mentioned they offered classes, so I signed up as soon as I had a free weekend... You see, I knew that book binders made carrying cases for caskets, from Dr. Tricia Nguyen's research, and I need two....
The first class I attended was embossing/gilding on leather, not as easy as one would think. I have pictures of a period carrying case, decorated with perhaps 3 patterns, built up to form larger designs. This piece is not gilded, thank you, because it would almost be impossible to keep up the concentration needed to complete a whole case. Second, two in-depth paper marbling classes, one with contemporary paints and the second making traditional historically accurate paints. We went through the process of grinding gems, mixing a binder of water, glue and gum tragacanth.....prepared a glazing paste of beeswax, potash, and olive oil soap .... and finally the addition of ox gall... I found through this process, being too timid with color was my previous error. I now have a nice selection of marbled paper for a few books and to cover the interior of my casket cases...
The last classes, to complete my casket cases, was experience with leather, actually becoming comfortable bonding leather to boards..... I signed up for a bookbinding weekend last March, which as fate would have it, turned out to be the weekend after everything shutdown for Covid....... What a bummer!!!! As I stitched most of the summer, I stayed in contact with Sugartown, waiting until I could take the classes I was now obsessing over... Well, the time finally came a few weeks ago. I finished Bookbinding I, a half binding. The following weekend I completed Bookbinding II......
I'm now educated and have a 'hands on' appreciation of the fine art of bookbinding..... I have sewn signatures together, attached cords, glued and beaten them round (rounding and backing)..... I now know how a spine should look and the details of attaching a colorful headband (very beautiful in silk) ..... pasted end papers..... completed both half and full bindings .... and had the experience of applying my own marbled papers to my books... Overall an experience any lover of books should be blessed to have.... I know I would like to return for more, because there are so many other fine details I now have the passion to explore ...... life is going to be a bit too short.....
