Workshop on historic bookbindings

Workshops on historic bindings
Patmos (Greece)
Monastery of Saint John the Theologian
August 9-12, 2006 and
August 16-19, 2006
Deadline for applications: July 14, 2006

The 11th century Greek orthodox monastery of Saint John the
Theologian is situated on the island of the Apocalypse, Patmos. It
preserves one of the most important and well organized monastic
libraries of the Christian world, containing a wealth of bound Greek
manuscripts, early documents and printed books.

The two workshops offered will be conducted in the conservation
studio of the monastery. The collection of the library, which
includes many original Byzantine style and European bindings, will
provide material for demonstration on the structures that will be
constructed and the students will have the chance to examine a
number of them.

Course 1
A practical introduction to Byzantine Binding
Tutor: John Mumford
9-12 August 2006
Course fee: 500 Euro

    This 4 day course is an introduction to the history of the
    Byzantine binding. Through a series of practical demonstrations
    it is hoped that the student will gain an initial understanding
    of the construction of a Byzantine binding to include sewing,
    board preparation, endbands, and covering with leather. The
    bindings will then be embellished with blind intaglio
    decoration, drawing on the classic motifs used on historical
    Byzantine bindings. The students will then construct the edge
    pins and triple braided leather straps. Reference will be made
    to the conservation of historical bindings.  All the necessary
    materials required for making the book will be provided. The
    student will be required to bring along some basic bookbinding
    equipment to be specified. Some knowledge of the history of
    bookbinding would be desirable but is not essential. This course
    may be interesting to book binders, conservators, design binders
    and those interested in the history of the book.  A pre-course
    reading list will be provided if desired.

    John Mumford served a five year apprenticeship at the British
    Museum, afterwards joining the team which established the Rare
    and Early Book Conservation Studio at the British Library. From
    1992 he was manager of the Oriental and India Office Book
    Studio, and in 1998 became manager of the Book Conservation
    Studio at the new British Library at St. Pancras. He has taught
    part time at the University of London Arts as well as
    undertaking workshops in the UK and abroad. John has a
    particular interest in early binding structures and their
    development placed within a conservation context. John is
    currently Head of Book Conservation at the British Library,
    London.

Course 2
A "flexible" conservation binding based on medieval techniques
Tutor: Flavio Marzo
16-19 August 2006
Course fee: 500 Euro

    This 4 day course will focus on the construction of a "flexible"
    binding structure, which can be used in conservation. This
    structure is based on sound medieval craft techniques developed
    with contemporary ideas of book conservation, flexibility,
    reversibility and the use of the appropriate archival materials.

    Brief description:

        Paper text block sewn on to 5 double cords

        An alum tawed leather spine lining, not glued to the spine
        but laced in using split boards

        Covered with full tanned leather

        Two endbands will be demonstrated as different options for
        connecting the spine lining with the leather cover

    All the stages of the construction of this mock-up will be
    documented with pictures and examples from historical medieval
    books. Reference will be made to the conservation of historical
    bindings. All the necessary materials required for making the
    book will be provided. The student will be required to bring
    along some basic bookbinding equipment to be specified. Some
    knowledge of the history of bookbinding would be desirable but
    is not essential. A pre-course reading list will be provided if
    desired.

    Flavio Marzo served a 4 year apprenticeship at a private studio
    in the Benedictine Monastery of Novalesa (Italy), followed by a
    2 year (1998-2000) course in Book Conservation in Spoleto
    (Italy) in the "Fondazione per il Restauro e la Conservazione
    dei Beni Librari e Cartacei". On successful completion of the
    course Flavio worked in COOBEC Italy in a private specialised
    workshop. Flavio also spent 4 months at the Bodleian Library in
    Oxford under the direction of Christopher Clarkson, which
    included a 2 month period in the Magdalene College in Oxford .
    In 2001 he returned to the studio of the Benedictine Monastery
    where he worked until January 2005, while he also spent a period
    in the Book Conservation studio of The Vatican Library.  Flavio
    is currently working as conservator in the Book Conservation
    Department at the British Library, London.

Classes will be taking place  9am-3:30pm, allowing plenty of time to
explore the island and enjoy the beautiful scenery during the rest
of the day. Lunch, coffee and refreshments will be provided in the
monastery. Travelling and accommodation must be arranged by
applicants but information can be send following request. There are
several options for accommodation in rooms in the picturesque
village of Chora that surrounds the monastery.

Maximum class number: 6
The courses will be given in English.

For booking and information contact:

    Nikolas Sarris
    Book Conservator
    sarris1 [at] otenet__gr


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