Thursday, May 28, 2015

Bookbinding as Rehabilitation | Buchbinderei als Rehabilitation

Back in 2012, Jeff Peachey posted a piece on "Bookbinding for the Nervous Convalescent" based around William Dunton's  Occupation Therapy: A Manual for Nurses  (Philadelphia and London: W.B. Saunders and Co., 1918), and asked if there were other publications on the uses of bookbinding for rehabilitation... Then in a recent thread on SHARP-L and Exlibris, a David Levy pointed to a post on his blog about a stroke victim learning to write with his left hand. This led to a discussion of adaptations to compensate for these kinds of challenges... An interesting discussion.

2012 schrieb Jeff Peachey auf seinem Blog ein Aufsatz mit dem Titel "Bookbinding for the Nervous Convalescent" (Buchbinden für den Nervenkranken) in dem er zu William Dunton's  Occupation Therapy: A Manual for Nurses  (Philadelphia and London: W.B. Saunders and Co., 1918) fragte ob es noch andere Texte zum Thema Buchbinderei zur Rehabilitation gäbe. Dann vor kurzer Zeit eine Diskussion auf SHARP-L und Exlibris in der David Levy auf seinen Blog ein Opfer von einem Schlaganfall beschrieb der sich beibrachte mit der linken Hand zu schreiben. Die Diskussion ging dann auf weitere Anpassungen um für Behinderungen zu kompensieren ein. Interessant.

Writing
From Adam, "Der Unterricht der einarmigen Kriegsverletzten in Düsseldorf," pt 1.

While not handwriting, there are some very interesting articles that were published during and after WW I in German on teaching bookbinding to veterans and others with damaged or missing limbs. This is accomplished with prostheses that have been adapted for holding tools, including “plug and play” functionality. These are best illustrated in Pt. 1 of Adam article and in the Proebster article.

Obowhl sie nicht von Schreiben oder Handschrift handeln, wurden einige sehr interessant Aufsätze zum Thema Buchbinderei als/und Rehabilitation während des WK I und dannach geschrieben in denen mann beschrieb wie man "Einarmigen" die Buchbinderei auf recht hohem Niveau beibringen konnte, bzw diese es ausüben konnten. Dieses wurde mit Prothesen die eine gewisse "plug and play" Funktionalität hatten, und wurden am besten in Teil 1 von Paul Adam und in dem Proebster Aufsatz beschrieben. Die ganzen Aufsätze können als PDF über die Links in diesem Aufsatz gelesen werden.

Folding
From Adam, "Der Unterricht der einarmigen Kriegsverletzten in Düsseldorf," pt 1.

Cutting on the boardshear
From Adam, "Der Unterricht der einarmigen Kriegsverletzten in Düsseldorf," pt 1.

Auf Deutsch gehts mit den Links weiter zum kompletten Aufsatz mit mehr Bildern
See the link below for more images.

Adam, Paul. „Der Unterricht der einarmigen Kriegsverletzten in Düsseldorf.“ Archiv für Buchbinderei, 1916-1918. Pt 1 | Pt 2 | Pt 3 (Complete article with all three parts)

In the Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien (1927) I found on page 837 an article by Emil Kloth entitled "One-armed Bookbinders." Below and quick and dirty translation and paraphrasing. Original German not PC by today’s standards…

In dem Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien (1927) fand ich auf Seite 837 einen Aufsatz von Emil Kloth mit dem Titel "Einarmige Buchbinder." Auf den Link unter dem Bild klicken für den Aufsatz auf Deutsch...


Beginning of the article from the Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien
Anfang des Aufsatzes vom Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien
Ganzen Aufsatz hier lesen

Translation of article illustrated above.

"One-armed Bookbinders"

Ones duty to go beyond sym-/empathy with the maimed/physically disabled and to help them into avocations that can provide for them. Mention of homes and workshops to help in this healing process, most with workshops to serve the young and adults. The article does make the point to mention that none of these are veterans, but rather those who were maimed such as losing an arm in work related accidents and may still be of school age.

The Zeitschrift für Krüppelfürsorge, Heft 5/6, 1927 (89-96) describes in the illustrated article "Über die Arbeitsgänge im Buchbinderhandwerk bei Armamputierten" by Dr. Proebster  how young people can be prepared for the bookbinding trade. Only one of the apprentices as a fore-arm stump, the others have upper arm stumps. Cited is a Dr. Biesalksi who “says that the best prostheses is the stump,” or the stump still contains a certain amount of strength and mobility and facilitates the use of prosthetic devices. However, prosthetic devices are limb replacements, not replacements for limbs.

Sewing and rounding
From Proebster, "Über die Arbeitsgänge im Buchbinderhandwerk bei Armamputierten"

Twelve further illustrations depict one-armed individuals sewing, round and backing using German press with “press nut,” laying on gold for edge gilding, covering a spine, paring leather, and tooling. One graduate of the program is satisfactorily working full-time in a Berlin bindery, and another completed his apprenticeship early with very good notes. His examination pieces were 2 ¼-leather bindings. The author also notes a well-known guild master who lost his left arm to a steam press but was able to continue working and now owns his own bindery with 20 employees. “Much can be achieved with a strong/resolute will.”

Paring leather corners
From Proebster, "Über die Arbeitsgänge im Buchbinderhandwerk bei Armamputierten"

Now we come to the usual “but…” It is wrong to say that based on these experiences/reports that binding is a trade suitable for cripples. However, Dr. Proebster does just that by citing a passage from Paul Kersten’s Der Buchbinderlehrling, 2nd ed, pg 44 that states that “frail people are completely unsuited [for the bookbinding trade] because one needs strong arm and leg muscles for making gilt edges or embossing [working the machinery], and further notes that the success of the Oscar-Helene-Home prove that Kersten’s attitude is wrong. Even in trades it not just the muscles but also the will that determine success…. We must acknowledge that those with physical limitations but otherwise sound minds will want/need to become contributing members of society via the trades, something we must encourage and facilitate.

Turning-in at the spine
From Proebster, "Über die Arbeitsgänge im Buchbinderhandwerk bei Armamputierten"


It seems to me, however, that Dr. Proebster overreached to a greater degree than Paul Kersten because what Kersten wrote is undoubtedly true in that his is a reaction to the still held view that the [bookbinding] trade is good enough for the physically and mentally weak individuals. This has nothing to do with animosity towards amputees. Dr. Proebster is correct in stating that society is required to help those less fortunate, but is cannot demand that one trade alone take this task upon itself – every trade should do this…

Emil Kloth
(Ist Secretary of the International Bookbinders’ Union 1907-20)

Hier beispiele der vollendeten Arbeiten
Here some examples of completed work

Lacquered batik; hand tooling, handmade bosses after design by Paul Adam
From Adam, "Der Unterricht der einarmigen Kriegsverletzten in Düsseldorf," pt 2.

Boxes on punched, tooled, and painted leather
From Adam, "Der Unterricht der einarmigen Kriegsverletzten in Düsseldorf," pt 2.

During WW II there was also Zechlin, Ruth. Soldaten Werkbuch für Freizeit und Genesung. Ravensburg: Otto Maier Verlag, 1943 (2nd ed). This continued to be sold after the war with a label pasted over “Soldaten” so that it read “Jungen” instead. Interestingly, the title page and images were not updated so it is still possible to see references to the original purpose of the book. It was designed for convalescing soldiers and those on leave, and starts off with instructions for making a Bett-tisch (bed table) for making the quite complex projects on. These include wood working, origami,bookbinding, dolls, all manner of crafts really. Below some images showing the cover with pasted-on label, title page, the Bett-Tisch, and examples of bookbinding...

Während des WK II gab es auch Ruth Zechlin's Soldaten Werkbuch für Freizeit und Genesung. Ravensburg: Otto Maier Verlag, 1943 (2. Ausgabe). Dieses wurde nach dem Krieg als Jungen Werkbuch weiter verkauft, aber mit aufgeklebter "Korrektur" des Titels... Die Titelseite sowie Abbildungen wurden aber nicht ausgewechselt so, daß der Ursprung des Buches klar ist. Geschrieben wurde es geschrieben "für den verwundeten Soldaten im Lazarett und auch den Landser, der längere Zeit im Quartier liegt, so gibt es manche langeweilige Stunde..."Das Buch fängt mit dem "Bett-Tisch an der benutzt werden kann zum Lesen, Spielen, oder auch Basteln. Bastlearbeiten sind sehr vielseitig und beinhalten Origami, Puppen, kleine Holzarbeiten, aber auch Buchbinden und Papparbeiten. Unten einige Abbildungen.




Making the case/book cover

Improvised sewing frame

These challenges are still very much with us. The Wiltshire Barn Project in the UK "uses the therapeutic qualities of craft bookbinding to assist casualty rehabilitation and to develop employment opportunities" and "offers City & Guilds instruction on Level 1 and Level 2 courses in craft bookbinding. Each stage will lead to an award, and successful completion of the two stages will lead to a nationally recognised certificate." The uses of crafts in this way also comes up regularly in the literature, here an example, especially as too many who serve their countries return with traumatic injuries. Here a link to an article about one veteran who learned the craft of shoemaking and is also working to develop better prostheses.View also his TEDx talk on the subject. In the USA there also is the Combat Paper Project where veterans cut up uniforms, beat them into a pulp, and form them into sheets of paper to reclaim their uniforms as art and express their experiences with the military.

Diese Herausforderungen sind noch mit uns. Das Wiltshire Barn Project in der UK benutzt die therapeutischen Qualitäten der handwerklichen Buchbinderei als Reha mit dem Ziel dieses als Beruf auszuüben können und bietet deshalb auch die erforderlichen Zertifikate an die auf nationaler Ebene anerkannt sind. Die Anwendung von handwerklichen Tätigkeiten auf diese Art erscheint auch regelmäßig in der Literatur, hier ein Beispiel aus den USA, besonders da viel zu viele die ihr Land dienen mit traumatischen Wunden zurückkehren. Hier ein Beispiel von einem Soldaten der das Schuhmacherhandwerk erlernt hat und die Entwicklung besserer Prothesen vorantreibt. Man kann auch seiner TEDx rede zum thema zuhören. In den USA gibt es auch das Combat Paper Project in dem Veteranen aus ihren Uniformen Paper machen und so ihre Erlebnisse versuchen zu bewältigen.

If anyone has citations to similar articles or mentions of the uses of bookbinding/book arts for rehabiliation, please share them via the comments below. I know there are some in the English bookbinding literature...

Wenn Leser von anderen Schriften zur Anwendung von Buchbinderei und Buchkunst als Rehabilitation kennt, bitte unten im Kommentarkasten teilen.

See also comments below for links to related articles and posts...

Siehe auch Kommentare unten für Links zu mehr Aufsätzen...

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Werbung - Julius Hager, Leipzig

Advertisement for Julius Hager, Leipzig from the Deutsche Einbandkunst catalog edited and produced by Ernst Collin for the Jakob-Krauße-Bund, 1921.


Friday, May 1, 2015

Final Exams und Prüfungen

Best of luck to all those working on their final projects and exams at North Bennet Street School, American Academy of Bookbinding, University of Alabama, Columbia College Chicago, University of Iowa, and all others. Auch für die die an ihren Gesellen- und Meisterstücken arbeiten besten Erfolg!

Competition during final exams
Competition!
Chief Guild Master Paolucci watches as the Journeyman candidates reveal their secrets...
Caricature by JOPF, from Das Falzbein, 1948 (112)

Create your own caption and enter in comment box below.
Schreiben Sie ihre Bildunterschrift im Kommentarkasten unten.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

War Production - W. Collins "Affe"

Working on my Ernst Collin bibliography that also has a great deal of content on the bindery of W. Collin... While writing, sorting sources, ... also just seeing what I might be able to find elsewhere online – I've had a great last few weeks/months!

Bin dabei an meiner Ernst Collin Bibliographie zu arbeiten die auch sehr viel zu der Buchbinderei W. Collin haben wird. Also schreiben, Quellen sortieren, ..., und zwischendurch sehen was sonst noch zu finden ist. Die letzten Wochen/Monate waren gut zu mir!

On eBay, from Latvia, a military pack identified as W. Collin, Berlin WWII. Well, by 1939 the firm and name of "W Collin" had been "liquidated" by the Nazis, but the firms best days were well behind it due to a variety of factors including the economics of post WWI Germany... Also a number/date on the pack 1[rivet]17 indicating the date of mfg/model. That could only be 1917! In German these are called "Affe" (monkey) for the way they rode on the back and because of the fur. So got the monkey for my back last week, and what a great find. 

Bei eBay aus Lettland, ein Tornister der als W. Collin, Berlin, Weltkrieg II identifiziert wurde. Interessant, aber die Firma W. Collin wurde 1939 von den Nazis "liquidiert," hat aber auch wegen der Wirtschaftskrise und anderen Gründen seine besten Tage hinter sich. Die Nummer gab auch 1[Niete]17 an, was nur 1917 bedeuten konnte, Modell/Entwurfsjahr. (Lasse mich gerne anders belehren) Auf Deutsch hießen die auch Affen. Meiner kam letzte Woche an, und was für ein Fund.

Like many industries, binderies (and binders, if not drafted to fight) were pulled into the (total) war effort. Among the goods they produced were Tornister (military backpacks), bags, cartridge belts and pockets and similar items.[1] Some of these were related to peace-time Galanteriewaren, too, some of which were described in the bookbinding manuals of the day. War production also impacted the availability of materials for binding, topics Ernst Collin wrote about. Among the articles were “Technische Kriegserfahrungen in der Buchbinderei”[2], "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg"[3], and “Papier als Spinnstoff”[4]. All of these addressed the need for substitute materials and other rationalizations, in the case of the latter about producing textile fibers from coniferous ground-wood chemically extracted cellulose. Fish leather was also a measure applied to save war critical materials, something Paul Kersten and Ernst Collin, among others, wrote about. In addition, "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg" examined the economic impact of the war on binderies, mentioning on page 277 the large-scale cancellation of orders, the introduction of "make-work" to keep binders occupied, and the ordering of things like Tornister and cartridge belts from selected binderies." He also dealt with the overall economic situation in Germany, a topic he would address in further articles.

I'd love to get the textile on this tested to see what it is. Anyone here able to do some fiber analysis? Would be to fitting if at least some of it was "paper."

Wie in den meisten Gewerben wurden Buchbindereien (und die Buchbinder wenn nicht an der Front) in die Kriegsproduktion einbezogen. Unter den Produkten die hergestellt wurden waren Tornister, Patronentaschen, Taschen, und ähnliches.[1] Diese waren auch den Galanteriewaren aus Friedenszeiten sehr ähnlich, Waren von denen einige in den gängigen Fachbücher beschrieben wurden. Der Krieg hatte auch folgen für die Verfügbarkeit von Materialien für die Buchbinderei, Themen über die Ernst Collin schrieb in “Technische Kriegserfahrungen in der Buchbinderei”[2], "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg,"[3] und “Papier als Spinnstoff”[4]. In beiden Aufsätzen ging es die Entwicklung von Ersatzstoffen für die herkömmlichen Materialien und andere Rationalisierungen in der Produktion. Im Letzteren ging es um die Herstellung von Textilfasern aus Sulfit- und Natron-verfahren gewonnene Zellulose von Nadelhölzern wegen der längeren Faserlänge. Fischleder war auch eines dieser Sparmaßnahmen, etwas worüber Paul Kersten, Ernst Collin und andere schrieben. Zusätzlich schrieb Collin auf Seite 277 von "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkrieg" von der großflächigen Abbestellung von Aufträgen, die Einführung von Arbeitsbeschaffungsmaßnamen für Buchbinder, and die Bestellung von Artikel wie Tornister und Patronentaschen von einzelnen Betrieben. Auch schrieb er von den gesamt wirtschaftlichen Zuständen in Deutschland, ein Thema das er in weiteren Aufsätzen beschreibt.

Obwohl ich mir keine großen Hoffnungen mache, würde ich liebend gerne eine Faseranalyse machen lassen... Wäre einfach zu zutreffend wenn wenigstens ein Teil davon aus "Papier" wäre.



eBay page... | Bei eBay

The package arrived from Latvia.
Das Paket aus Lettland.

W. Collin Berlin, 1[rivet]17. Compare to similar pack on ebay.
Mit ähnlichen Tornister bei eBay vergleichen.

Cowhide with fur on to back.
Fell zum Rücken.

This one only has fabric facing outwards, but others also had the furry skin.
Due to numbers of manufacturers and economizations in course of war variations are common.
Dieser hat nur Gewebe auf der Vorderseite, aber Andere hatten auch hier Fell.
Wegen der Anzahl von diversen Herstellern gab es einiges an Variationen.

Interior compartments.
Innenansicht.

Wooden frame, with system for attaching (removable) straps.
Holzrahmen mit System für die Befestigung der Schulterriemen.

Detail of attachment system. The horizontal element slides on the post so it can go vertical and slide out via a slot in washer. On the other side a big rivet. At least that's how it seems. Need to look at more, clean, and see what I can do without breaking...
Detailansicht des Systems zur Befestigung der Schulterriemen. Das horizontale Stück kann senkrecht gestellt werden damit es durch die Unterlegscheibe gedrückt werden kann. Auf der anderen Seite eine große Niete.
Muß das ganze näher ansehen, reinigen, aber ohne das Metall zu brechen.

Technical description of pack which this one largely conforms to including dimensions, interior, buckles... Only fur on exterior was different.
Technische Beschreibung des Tornisters. Paßt zu meinem mit Ausnahme des Fells auf der Vorderseite.
Description from/Beschreibung aus Roth, Wilhelm and Rudolf Lex. Handbuch der Militär-Gesundheitspflege, Volume 3, Berlin,1877 (Tornister p127-128)

How the pack was worn. The bottom of the pack has hooks that attach to the belt with the shoulder straps attaching to the belt/harness  at front.
Description from/Beschreibung aus Roth, Wilhelm and Rudolf Lex. Handbuch der Militär-Gesundheitspflege, Volume 3, Berlin,1877 (Tornister p127-128)

How items were packed per regulations...
Wie alles verstaut wird...
From/aus Der Feldgraue Leitfaden für den Dienstunterricht des ... Oldenburg i.Gr.: Stalling, 1917 (114)

Finally, archivally packed in Talas' finest custom T16 2-piece (drop-front) box in E-PLUS Heritage corrugated board.
Zum Schluß, alles archivalisch ausgefüllt und verpackt.





1: Brüntgens Beate. 400 Jahre Buchbinder-Innung Berlin-Brandenburg 1595-1995. Berlin: Buchbinder-Innung, 1995. (76)
2: Collin, Ernst. "Technische Kriegserfahrungen in der Buchbinderei". Archiv für Buchgewerbe, Leipzig: A. Waldow - Verlag des deutschen Buchgewerbevereins, Vol 55, 1918. (136)
3:Collin, Ernst. "Die Buchbinderei im Weltkriege". Archiv für Buchgewerbe, Leipzig: A. Waldow - Verlag des deutschen Buchgewerbevereins, Vol 53, 1918. (275-279)
4: Collin, Ernst. "Papier als Spinnstoff". Archiv für Buchgewerbe, Leipzig: A. Waldow - Verlag des deutschen Buchgewerbevereins, Vol 55, 1918. (17-19)

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Under Pressure - Unter Druck

Ad for hydraulic Krause presses from Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien, 1899. Even comes with its own narrow-gauge railroad.


Thursday, March 19, 2015

"Spring" Binding Hath Sprung - Zum Frühling

The ground in Syracuse (NY) still has snow and the temperatures are still unseasonably cold from time to time, BUT the Sun crosses the Equator tomorrow and the first day of spring is here. The days are getting longer, our clocks "sprung" forward in the US on the 8th, so why not "celebrate" one of my favorite binding structures, the springback.

Hier in Syracuse, NY, liegt noch Schnee, die Temperaturen sind noch gelegentlich niedriger als normal, ABER die Sonne überquert den Equator morgen und der Frühling ist hier! Die Tage werden länger und wir haben in den USA am 8. auf Sommerzeit umgestellt. Also, warum nicht den Frühling mit dem Sprungrücken feiern? (im Englischen ein "gutes" Wortspiel...)



Above the logo for the first Bonefolder Bind-O-Rama (2004) that was featured on the cover of the Bonefolder. While published in the fall, the Bonefolder was announced early in the spring.

Oben, das Logo für das erste  Bind-O-Rama des Bonefolder von 2004. Das Heft kam im Herbst des Jahres zum ersten Mal heraus, wurde aber im Frühling angekündigt.


The Bonefolder, Vol 1, no. 1, Fall 2004

And from the Bind-O-Rama, this miniature springback by Roberta Lavadour.
“A Counting” – English-style springback, leather cover with double straight bands laced with deer vellum. 600 pages of 9 lb. Canary paper with painted edges. Inscription notes the multiplier for each of the 300 page spreads needed to equal the number of dead and wounded American soldiers and Iraqi civilians since March 2003. 7.5 x 7 x 2.5 cm. Bound 2004.

The mechanics of this springback reflect Richard Bakers demonstration at the Guild of Book Workers Seminar on Standards of Excellence in Hand Bookbinding in Denver CO, with a few references to Vaughans 1929 classic, Modern Bookbinding. The new purpose of this springback is to pop up the pop-up. The book measures 5.5 inches by 6.5 inches by 1.5 inches. Bound 2004.

Historical ledger bindings in an archive...


The structure is most common to the German and English binding traditions and has seen increased interest in the US since the early 2000s with articles and presentations largely by Peter D. Verheyen, Donia Conn, Richard Baker, and Karen Hanmer.

Sprungrücken gibt es am Häufigsten in der deutschen und englischen Buchbindertradition, und hat in den USA aber Anfang der 2000er neue Aufmerksamkeit gesehen in Aufsätzen, Vorführungen, und Kursen, hauptsächlich durch  Peter D. Verheyen, Donia Conn, Richard Baker, und Karen Hanmer.

Poster for the German tradition by Verheyen and Conn based on materials for our article in The New Bookbinder.
Guild of Book Workers Standards Friday Forum poster session, Minneapolis, MN, 2002

Richard Baker "hammering over" the headcap for the English-style.
Guild of Book Workers' Standards, Denver, CO 2003.
Cut-away model of German springback
Schnittmodell vom deutschen Sprungrücken

Interactive cut-away diagram (auf Englisch) here


These tutorials, with bibliographies can be found at | Anleitungen auf Englisch gibts hier:
  • The Springback: Instructions in the German tradition for a binding designed for account, ledger, and guest books. By Peter D. Verheyen and Donia Conn.
  • The Springback: Instructions in the English tradition for a binding designed for account, ledger, and guest books. By Peter D. Verheyen.
The structure is also described in all the leading bookbinding manuals published in German and in England.

Die Einbandart ist in allen gängigen Fachbüchern zu finden, also Henningsen, Lüers, Moessner,Wiese, Zahn...

[Edit 28 April, 2015: Nice article from West Dean Conservation in the UK on a student's first time making an English style springback | Schöner Aufsatz von einem West Dean Conservation Studentin in der UK: Springback Binding with Richard Nichols by Lucy Cokes]

Donia Conn cutting the spine on the German style
Rücken Ende absägen beim deutschen Sprungrücken


What's the attraction to this arcane structure that has long since been replaced by Microsoft Excel and now mostly sees use for guest books? It's the energetic springing flat of the pages as the book is opened that seem to give it wings.

Warum die Aufmerksamkeit für diese ausgestorbene Einbandart die vielleicht noch für Gästebücher anwendung sieht? Es ist das kraftvolle Öffnen und die flach-liegenden Seiten die dem Einband Flügel verleihen...

At left, "Not possible...," at right, "whoa! Wow!"
"As seen at the 1948 journeyman's exam in Cologne"
Sprungrücken, Das Falzbein, 1948, pg 96


So, let's spring into spring with renewed energy!
Also, ab in den Frühling mit erneuter Energie... !

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Ernst Collin's Pressbengel Appears in Japanese (Pressbengel jetzt auf Japanisch)

Very delighted today to see Ernst Collin's Pressbengel translated into Japanese and appear on the web pages of the "Laboratory for Preservation, Conservation, and Restoration." I had been contacted by Ms Satoko Noro last May about translating the work into Japanese based on my English translation as The Bone Folder, and was very pleased to say yes, because I feel the text has much to offer bookbinders and bibliophiles everywhere, and that it still as relevant as when first published in 1922. Their interest, the upcoming Boss Dog Press fine press edition with John (Hans) Schiff photographs taken at the Bremer Press, and my bibliography of Ernst Collin's writings, gave me the big push I needed to rewrite the introduction to my translation to that incorporates much of my research into the Collins.

Ich war höchst erfreut heute zu sehen das Ernst Collins Pressbengel jetzt auf Japanisch auf den Webseiten der "Laboratory for Preservation, Conservation, and Restoration" erschienen ist. Im letzten Mai wurde ich from Frau Satoko Noro angeschrieben mit der Bitte um Erlaubnis meine englische Übersetzung des Bone Folder ins Japanische zu übersetzen. Natürlich stimmte ich zu, insbesonders weil ich der Meinung bin das Collins Text Buchbinder und Bibliophilen viel zu bieten hat und noch so relevant ist wie zur Ersterscheinung in 1922. Diese Anfrage hat mir auch viel Ansporn gegeben mich intensiv an die neue Einleitung zur Pressendruckausgabe der Boss Dog Press mit photos von Hans Schiff, aufgenommen bei der Bremer Presse, sowie meiner Bibliographie von Collins Schriften zu begeben. Diese neue Einleitung beinhaltet viele der Findungen zu den Collins und einen korrigierten Lebenslauf von Ernst Collin...

The Japanese translation appears in serialized form on their website, with the first monthly installment appearing just days ago. The translation is illustrated with photographs of bookbinding tools and bindings. Below a screen-grab of the first installment. Translation via Google.

Die japanische Übersetzung wird in monatlichen Folgen auf NPOs Webseiten veröffentlicht, und ist mit Abbildungen von buchbinderischen Werkzeugen und Einbänden illustriert. Unten ein Bild von der ersten Folge auf deren Webseite. Übersetzung von Google.


There is also discussion of a more permanent (downloadable for reading or binding/Print-on-Demand), something I would love to see. Regardless, it is wonderful to see this level of interest in Ernst Collin's text, other writings, and family, this based on referring URL statistics from Japan and elsewhere.

Es ist auch die Rede davon das ganze als dauerhafteres PDF zum Einbinden oder zum Lesen oder als Print-on-Demand zu veröffentlichen. Würde dies sehr gerne sehen, aber bin auf jeden Fall sehr froh über die Interesse an Ernst Collins Text, seine anderen Schriften, und an der Familie zu sehen wenn man aus Japan kommenden Webseitenanalytics betrachtet.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Heinrich Lüers und sein Doppelgänger

Sowie Ernst Collin, so hatte Heinrich Lüers auch einen Doppelgänger zu Lebzeiten. Obwohl in verschiedenen Berufen, waren beide als Fachschriftsteller bekannt.

Just as Ernst Collin had a Doppelgänger, so did Heinrich Lüers, both authors in their professions...

Hier der Doppelgänger, bekannt als Bierbrauer:

Here the Doppelgänger, known as a beer brewer:

W. Kleber - Heinrich Lüers zum 75. Geburtstag, Zeitschrift für
Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und Forschung
, 9. DEZEMBER 1965, 129, 1,(48)

Auf Link Klicken für PDF

Und hier der Buchbindene Lüers, Fachlehrer und Herausgeber von Das Fachwissen des Buchbinders, Das Fachrechnen für Buchbinder und Die Buchbinder-Fibel:

And here the binding Lüers, bookbinding instructor and author of several seminal manuals and trade related books including Das Fachwissen des Buchbinders, Das Fachrechnen für Buchbinder, and Die Buchbinder-Fibel:

In Memorium Heinrich Lüers, Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbinderein, Vol 60, Nr 2, 1947
Auf Link Klicken für PDF

Da könnte die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek auch eine Revision vornehmen...

Looks like the German National Library could fix another authority record...

Sunday, February 8, 2015

The Other Ernst and Esperanto

Been spending a great deal time working on editing the text for the new introduction to my translation of Ernst Collin's Pressbengel, aka The Bone Folder that will be published late this year by Don Rash's Boss Dog Press with images by John (Hans) Schiff. This introduction also forms the core for my bibliography of the writings of Ernst Collin as I am also including what I have been able to gather about Ernst's father Georg and his grandfather Wilhelm, both Court Bookbinders...

At the onset of this project 2 years ago now, one goal was to disambiguate this Ernst Collin from "the other" Ernst Collin. This was described in The Story of Two Ernsts on this blog. There I mentioned that:
To become more independent he moved to Great Britain to teach at the Berlitz School, spent some time teaching for Berlitz in Constantinople, and returned to Germany to fight in WWI.
Digital collections have been an amazing resource for this project, one of the newer useful ones being European Library and ZEFYS: Zeitungsinformationssystem of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Both are useful because the search results of the European Library provide for full-text searching and link to the paper with search results highlighted. ZEFYS, the actual home for these papers is harder to use, but allows for PDF download of the that page or the whole issue which the European Library does not. Among recent newspapers added were the Berliner Tageblatt and Berliner Börsenzeitung, two daily newspapers. Searching for Ernst Collin, Georg Collin, Wilhelm Collin, what appeared but this in the on page 48 of the 31.01.1909 edition of the Berliner Tageblatt.

From ZEFYS: Zeitungsinformationssystem of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin

Here we have "the other" Ernst giving a keynote lecture on the differences between the old and new Esperanto in Berlin for a 12 hour workshop.

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Paper Sizes

Love the DIN formats. Just keep folding the sheet in half...There are also B and C series for envelopes and other things. See also here and here.

From Brandbook @ Flicker

Monday, January 19, 2015

The Bonefolder (no, not that one)

Recently acquired volumes 1-9 (of 12) of the Falzbein (the Bone Folder), the successor publication to the Buchbinderlehrling. The first volume appeared in 1948, the last in this form in 1960. A journal like this was a bridge to trade school that continued the overall education of the young apprentices because at that time they were dropped from the university-bound track. Subjects included social studies, math, and science as they related to binding. This also included paper making, leather tanning and parchment making, cloth, and in-depth engineering of bookbinding machines... Unlike the Buchbinderlehrling, this one also included numerous cartoons in each volume by Jopf. Can't find anything about him online, so he will remain a mystery, for now...

Below a cartoon from that first volume. I'll share more with translated captions.
 
My daddy isn't here. How would you like to have your prayerbook bound,
as a springback, perforated, or like a calendar
with tear-off pages?

But all good things have to end as indicated by this note in the parent periodical, the Allgemeiner Anzeiger für Buchbindereien (AAfB), Vol. 73, 1960, pg 120:
The Falzbein will cease publication and the editorial board will say farewell in it to its readers with the March issue. That the decision to cease publication was not premature was  demonstrated by the apathy of the whole [bookbinding] trade that found no words of regret regarding the decision. So, we will publish our last articles with this issue. As of April, the Masters who subscribe to the AAfB will have 2 pages in that publication that they can refer their apprentices to.
The colleague in Germany who shared that notice reports that the new "minimal" format comprised 2 ~ 3 articles and ca 1/2 page for the serialized version of Moessner's Buchbinder ABC, a bookbinding dictionary in German. Schmedt, a large bookbinding supply company provides it online. Publication in any form ceased in 1966.

My next post will hopefully contain photos of my 9 volumes and a bit more background information. If not, I'll share another caricature or two. As in the case of the Buchbinderlehrling, the volumes were all bound by apprentices in various styles.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

J. A. Szirmai - In Memoriam

I learned today via post on Nicholas Pickwoad's blog that J.A. Szirmai passed on December 2nd. Most of us know him as the author of the iconic Archeology of Medieval Bookbinding. What I would like to do here is show a selection of his design binding, with images taken from Boek Band Kunst, catalog to an exhibit held a the University Library of Amsterdam (NL) in 1984. Copies of the richly illustrated (in b/w) catalog can still be found online. Text is in Nederlands. Captions in the original here.

Here the link to Nicholas Pickwoad's remembrance of him.

At the Koninklijke Bibliotheek/ Royal Dutch Library
Here from his publisher, Ashgate.


ALBIUS TIBULLUS: LIED DES FRIEDENS - ELEGIE I/X
Illustriert mit Original-Zinkzeichnungen von Hans Erni
Basel, Petri-Presse, 1942
Full veiney calf vellum binding with relief on both boards; dark green Fabriano endpapers; graphite top edge; dark green endbands. Bound1971. 300 x 212 x 11 mm.

HENRI MICHAUX: WIND UND STAUB
Olten, Walter Verlag, 1965
Millimeter binding with gray oasis goat trim at top and bottom edges; marbled with oil paints in gray and orange; top edge in orange; orange leather endbands; gray gold-stamped leather label. Bound 1978. 236 x 150 x 15 mm.

JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE: DREI MÄRCHEN
Ill. von K. -G. Hirsch, R. Munzner und R . Herold
Bound in calf leather, stained in brown tones with acrylic covers; signatures guarded with leather prior to sewing; sewn in beige thread on seven leather straps that are secured in the acrylic with gold screws; endbands sewn using late-medieval style; flexible goat leather inner "boards"/fly leaves backed with brownish Roma paper; title engraved on inside of front acrylic board. Bound 1981. 436 x 338 x 29mm.

HENRI MICHAUX: SAISIR
Avec une lithographie originate signee par l'auteur
Montpellier, Fata Morgana, 1979 (nr. 30 van de 75 speciale exx.)
Extra binding in gray dyed calfskin; dark gray Roma endpapers; gray sprinkled top edge; hand-sewn endbands; decor in cut leather (Lederschnitt) with added punching; title tooled in gold. Bound 1983. 255 x 180 x 28 mm.


As Pickwoad concluded... we "'will find it in Szirmai' will be heard for many years to come."

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Stenciled Papers

Received a copy of August Weichelt's Buntpapier-Fabrikation (3rd ed, 1927), and was elated to find a mention for Ernst Collin in the introduction that credited him with writing a new section on Java Art Papers (Java Kunstpapiere), also known as batik papers. In with Collin's section, this page of commercially made stenciled papers.


While Weichelt gives a nod to hand-made decorated papers, it is really about the industrial manufacture of these. As such, the book goes into many different printing processes, equipment, and similiar. It is richly illustrated with hundreds of tipped-in samples. The page above was not in the earlier editions. A digital version of the 2nd edition (1911) can be found online in the HathiTrust collections. Hathi version only available to those in US.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Fritz Eberhardt - Three Lectures

Don Rash and his Boss Dog Press have just published the second title in a series of Eberhardtiana, the first having been 2003's Rules for Bookbinders. Rules is an "unfinished poem written in German and English before Fritz's death. The stanzas were lettered so that each stanza is presented in both languages on a page, separated by a sketch by Fritz." Sold out at the press, a copy is still available at Oak Knoll Books.

Three Lectures is a compilation of three lectures given by Fritz Eberhardt. The first, "On Binding" was delivered at the opening of Hand Bookbinding Today; An International Art, at Temple University in Philadelphia in 1978. The second, "Preserving the Materials of a Heritage" was given at a 1981 seminar. In it, Eberhardt talks about the book conservation challenges he and his wife faced after settling in the Philadelphia area in the mid-1950s. The third is "Bookbinding: The Craft, The Skill, The Trade, and The Art" given 1983 at the "Art and Craft of the Book: A Celebration" seminar held at Dickinson College.

Three Lectures  is printed on Frankfurt Laid paper in Linotype digital Aldus and Don Rash's own "experimental" blackletter font FritzGotische for the title and headings. The frontispiece was printed as a moku hanga woodblock print by Rash after a photograph in John & Mary's Journal by A. Pierce Bounds where the third lecture was originally published. The case binding is covered in a pastepaper with printed paper labels on spine and front board. An example of gediegene and zünftige (solid and befitting the craft/trade) bookbinding in the finest German tradition.
  • Eberhardt, Fritz. Three Lectures. Plains, PA: Boss Dog Press, 2014. 
  • 8vo. paper-covered boards, labels on spine and front cover, top edge cut, other edges uncut iv, 39+(1) pages 
  • Limited to 100 numbered copies, 70 numbered and signed by Don Rash.
  • Price: $250.00 
  • Copies in sheets for binding may also be available from the press.
Fritz Eberhardt was born in Silesia (originally part of Germany; now part of Poland) in 1917, he suffered from polio at an early age, which resulted in a permanent limp. After an apprenticeship he studied bookbinding formally under Ignatz Wiemeler at the Leipzig Academy for Graphic Arts, and calligraphy under the prodigy Rudo Spemann, and later, in Offenbach, with Hermann Zapf. Following the end of the war, he walked out of the Russian occupied zone and into West Germany. There he met his future wife, Trudi Luffert, who was also a binder. In the early 1950s the Eberhardts came to Philadelphia, where he was employed by the Library Company. Within a few years they were able to move to the farm on Old Sumneytown Pike where they would cement their reputations as two of the finest American hand binders. In addition to his binding work, Eberhardt was internationally recognized for his calligraphy. Until his death in 1998, he was a continuing voice for the artistic and cultural value of bookbinding and book works, from his early dealings with the Philadelphia book world through the debates on standards and the beginnings of institutional book arts instruction, as well as a proponent of a more professional approach for our book arts organizations. Don Rash was among his most accomplished students. [From the Guild of Book Workers 100th Anniversary Exhibition Retrospective] Depicted is his binding on Felix Timmermans, Pieter Bruegel, 1950, featuring his signature hand-cut finishing tools. 

Eberhardt was also the focus of an oral history recorded in 1993 by archivist Valerie Metzger that was published in the Guild of Book Workers' Journal, volume XXXVII, number 2, Fall 2002. This article is a must-read for those interested in the work of Eberhardt and the traditions and circumstances of bookbinding in Germany during the 1930s and 40s, but also for those working in the book arts. The introduction shared via the Guild listserv can be read here. Eberhardt was also the focus of an illustrated article "Binds That Time: Homage to a Master Bookbinder" by Tony Haverstick, published  in the June 1998 (vol 3, nr. 6) issue of the now defunct Biblio magazine. Here a link to his obituary from the Abbey Newsletter at CoOL.

Binding covered in original pastepaper
Click here to see how the pastepaper was made on the Boss Dog Press blog

Moku hanga woodblock print by Don Rash

Photograph in John & Mary's Journal by A. Pierce Bounds
 
Don Rash's Eberhardtiana series pays very fitting homage to his Meister, and mentor, Fritz Eberhardt. These lectures are as relevant today as when they were given over 30 years ago, and touch on all aspects of the life of private practice bookbinders, book artists, and conservators.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Pressbengel in Czech, 1925

Back more intently to my Ernst Collin bibliography project, I've been finding more writings in new to me publications published both under his name and some of his pseudonyms (more about those in another post). During those searches I came across a title in Czech I had not seen before, even in WorldCat searches:


Google elegantly translates this as "Wrench: The book talks between the aesthetic bibliophile and bookbinder on the blade forged." Regardless. After further searches in WorldCat, located a total of two records, one at the Czech National Library, the other at the Bavarian State Library. The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek does not have a copy. I had also not seen it in Mejer (1925) or Mejer/Herbst (1933), Bibliographie der Buchbindereiliteratur

However, Mejer did show two articles by him in Vetrinka, a Czechoslovakian periodical – "Rozhovor o polo francouzske vazbe" and "Rozhovor o vazbe knih." Both articles from 1923/24, but Mejer didn't provide a better citation. Any Czech spekers who can help with good translations of these titles please use the Comment form at bottom. Thank you.

Here the bibliographic information for the book.
Author:          Ernst Collin
Publisher:      Praha : [Translated by Arthur Novák], 1925
Series  Title:  Knihy o knihách, Svazek 1. [Books about books, Volume 1]
Description:  52 pp., 1 "list;" 8°
Published as part of  series, it was nice to see that this was the first volume - very fitting.

I located a few copies in the Czech Republic, so using Google Translate I wrote to the dealer and asked if available... Book arrived about a week later, i.e. today.



Prag, 1925
Books about books / First Volume

From the colophon at right:
This book was translated and published at his own expense [by]
Arthur Novak in Prague. [It was] printed [by] Kryl and Scotti
in Novem Jicín in Moravia in [an edition of] 540 copies;
Of those 40 [are on] Zanders handmade paper
Numbering:

So, this is one of the un-numbered 500 copies.

And here with its "siblings" including the 1922 original, various Mandragora German reprints, the Italian and my English translations, and other publications Collin was involved with.