Syracuse University

From the SelectedWorks of Peter D Verheyen

2010

Bookbinding & Conservation: A Sixty-year Odyssey of Art and Craft yb Don Etherington Peter D Verheyen, Syracuse University

Available at: https://works.bepress.com/peter_verheyen/17/ review by Louise Hamilton

The Thread That Binds: Interviews with Private Practice Bookbinders Compiled and with introductions by Pamela Train Leutz New Castle, DE : Oak Knoll Press, 2010. 352 pages. Paperback: ISBN 978 1 58456 2740 Hardcover: ISBN 978 1 58456 2764

For The Thread That Binds: common themes, the “threads that chapter for Don Etherington, a Interviews with Private Practice bind,” to which Leutz’s title refers. “bookbinding father figure.” All Bookbinders Pamela Leutz The bookbinders interviewed areas of private bookbinding prac- interviewed 21 independent are Catherine Burkhard, Jim tice are represented here: design book­binders and posed some Croft, Tim Ely, Gabrielle Fox, binding, edition binding, conserva- challenging questions: What made Peter Geraty, Don Glaister, Karen tion and restoration, box-making, them choose private practice? Hanmer, Craig Jensen, Scott Kellar, artists’ books, and teaching. Where do they get clients? What Daniel Kelm, Monique Lallier, Pamela Leutz began bookbind- do they dislike about being a book- Frank Lehmann, William Minter, ing in 1979. She has studied with binder? What advice would they Tini Miura, Eleanore Ramsey, Swiss bookbinder Hugo Peller, give to someone interested Don Rash, Sol Rebora, Jan Sobota, Czech bookbinders Jan and Jarmila in becoming a bookbinder? Priscilla Spitler, and Cris Clair Sobota, and book conservator The answers reveal each binder’s Takacs. Each chapter comprises Sally Key. She lives and works in individuality, but also reiterate one interview, with a special Colorado Springs, Colorado. • review by Peter D. Verheyen

Bookbinding & Conservation: A Sixty-year Odyssey of Art and Craft Don Etherington New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2010. 180 pages. Hardcover, ISBN 978 1 58456 2771

For those involved with book- the world of bookbinding and at the University of Texas; and binding, book conser­vation, or conservation. Greensboro. The book concludes with the Guild of Book Workers, Bookbinding & Conservation: with an extensive “gallery” Don Etherington needs no intro- A Sixty-year Odyssey of Art and depicting 52 bindings. duction – he has served as a Craft contains a foreword by The First 30 Years introduces teacher, mentor, and friend. Now, Bernard Middleton, another us to Etherington’s childhood in with Bookbinding & Conservation: leader in the field, and one who WWII London during the Blitz, A Sixty-year Odyssey of Art and needs little introduction himself. his other interests, and his intro- Craft we can read about how he The book is divided into the duction to bookbinding. Like most came to enter this field, was five main sections of his life: the of his generation – and until the influenced by his teachers and first30 years; Florence; Library late 1970’s – his experience was mentors, and how he helped shape of Congress; Ransom Center that of leaving school at an early

24 book arts arts du livre canada 2010 vol.1 no.2 age to learn a trade, subsequent introduction of new methods projects he encountered, his journeyman years, and then and materials, his role in the first use of Japanese paper for striking out to blaze his own path. Watergate scandal, and some of binding repairs, his Honorary Leaders such as Edgar Mansfield, the larger library disasters during Membership in the Guild, and Ivor Robinson, Howard Nixon, that time. Also discussed are his winning the first Helen DeGolyer Roger Powell, and Peter Waters, efforts supporting certification Triennial Competition in 1997 contributed by example to in the field of bookbinding, and for which he received a commis- Etherington’s professional growth the creation of the “Standards of sion to bind The Book of Common and helped him mentor future Excellence” seminar series – both Prayer. generations. for the Guild of Book Workers. Reading this book, we are in In 1966 he contributed to the In 1980 Etherington was drawn the room with Don Etherington salvage efforts in Florence at the to the new challenge of establish- as he is conversing with those invitation of Peter Waters, and ing a conservation program at circled around – as at the many began his transition from book- the Harry Ransom Humanities conferences and workshops we binder to conservator. Just as Research Center in Austin, Texas, have all attended. While many of this event was transformative for where he would remain until 1987. the events described will be famil- Etherington, so it was for the con- This was the sort of challenge iar to those who have been fortu- servation profession as a whole. most conservators and binders nate to know and work with him, The sheer magnitude of the flood can only dream of: full adminis­ they are told in refreshing ways and the unprecedented response trative support, a generous so that we do not tire of hearing of conservators throughout the budget, and effectively a free rein them again. The style is informal world, created a melting pot of to create the “ideal” program. and draws the reader in to learn ideas on how best to respond. We also learn of his efforts to about bookbinding and the de- But these ideas also created chal- create an Institute for Fine velopment of the conservation lenges and conflicts, something Binding and Conservation, that and preservation fields during Etherington discusses at length. brought top-tier binders and his lifetime, but also about many Etherington came to the conservators to Austin. Through of his personal moments and his United States in 1970, again at it all, there was a never-ending great enjoyment of life. What is the invitation of Waters, to be- stream of uniquely challenging revealed is the life of a man come the Training Officer in the projects. who, at the right place and time, “Restoration Department” of Other significant changes in seized upon the opportunities Library of Congress, where they Etherington’s life began in 1987 at presented to him to better were also joined by Christopher a workshop for renowned fine himself and his chosen field. Clarkson. With practices greatly binders hosted by Hugo Peller A bon vivant of tremendous informed by the experiences of in Finland. It was there that he generosity, Don Etherington Florence, they began to modern­­- met Monique Lallier, and their though “slowly unwinding in the ize and professionalize the stories became intertwined. twilight of a long and rewarding program, and to transform Concurrently, he was invited to career” continues to push the library’s preservation and establish a for-profit conser­vation forward when most others conservation pro­fession. Along bindery which he continues to would be looking back. We are the way we learn about the lead. We also learn more about all the better for it. •

Both these books are available as unbound signature sets from Oak Knoll Press http://www.oakknoll.com

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