How to repair an old book for the next generation

Behind every book we make there’s a personal story waiting to be discovered. But it's not just hand-making personalised wedding albums or new baby record journals that keep us busy in the bindery. Often we’re asked to recover old books too. Our job is to repair them to a former glory to be enjoyed for years to come. It’s a joyful task that our brilliant team of bookbinders is always on hand to help with.

Just recently we were given a project that made our hearts soar which we'd love to share with you. A gentleman asked us to repair his beloved bird encyclopedia by giving it a new cover. The existing one was well worn and had come detached from the pages of the book making it difficult to read without damaging the book further.

A special story

However old and well used the book, it was clear this was rather special to him.

The gentleman told us that as a child he was in isolation on a TB ward and the only thing he could see from his hospital bed was trees. As he was in the hospital on his 9th birthday his parents bought him a bird book to keep him entertained. Now in his 70’s this gentleman wants to pass down this special book to his children.

Repairing treasured books for the next generation

We received it with a well-worn cover and spine that showed how very treasured and used this special book was.

With the utmost care, our bindery team used their traditional bookbinding skills to repair and replace the book cover in our popular linen material option and finish it with copper foil debossing. By replacing its cover and spine they have helped this lovely book last longer and inspire another generation of bird watching 'twitchers'.

We are always so honoured to be caretakers of such special books, our binders take such joy in repairing them for future generations. Here's to beloved books and all they offer us.

Have you an old book you’re like to see repaired? We’d love to hear about it.

Drop us a line here