Books sewn by hand, boxes made to fit, repairs that leave as much of the original as possible.
Paper Fen is a one-person bindery on the edge of the black fen, a few miles out from Ely. Most of what comes through is ordinary: a family bible with a broken spine, a run of journals that needs binding, a paperback someone has read to pieces and would like to keep reading.
What I take in
Work and starting prices
-
Rebinding
from £140
Pulled, resewn on linen tapes, new boards, covered in cloth or quarter leather. Original spine lettering reused where it survives.
-
Spine and hinge repair
from £55
The common one. Board reattachment and a new spine covering, keeping the existing case.
-
Paper repair
from £30
Tears and losses mended with Japanese tissue and wheat starch paste. Reversible, and it stays reversible.
-
Clamshell box
from £95
Made to the book rather than to a standard size. For things too fragile to reshelve upright.
-
Blank books
from £48
Sewn sections, opens flat, your choice of paper. Sold singly or in small runs.
Prices depend on size, condition and covering material. I quote before starting, and the quote is what you pay.
Getting a book to me
How it works
- Send photographs of the book closed, open flat, and of whatever has gone wrong. Corners and spine ends tell me most of it.
- I reply with an approach and a price, usually within two or three days. If the honest answer is that a repair is not worth it, I will say so.
- Post the book or bring it in. I confirm on arrival and give you a return date.
- Work takes four to eight weeks depending on the queue. Structural repairs on something in active use can jump ahead.
If the book is wet, mouldy or actively shedding, do not tape it or put it in a sealed bag. Photograph it and get in touch first.
Materials
What I use, and why
Linen thread, unbleached linen tape, wheat starch paste, and archival board. Bookcloth from Ratchford, and goatskin for quarter bindings when the book warrants it.
Nothing I put into a book is meant to be permanent. Adhesives are reversible, sewing structures can be taken down again, and repairs are documented in a note that goes back with the book. The next binder to open it, in whatever decade that turns out to be, should be able to undo my work without fighting it.
Enquiries
Get in touch
Studio visits by arrangement, near Ely, Cambridgeshire. I am at the bench most weekdays, so email gets a faster answer than anything else.