‘Music Fragment’ a single sheet of manuscript, sort of locked into its binding. What condition was it in when you came across it and what made you select it to re-bind? This came to me as a single piece of vellum, described as a 13th century music manuscript of German origin. On one side is written “the original flyleaf” in a different script which might indicate that it was included in a binding and has since been liberated. Quite possibly the origin of the script was ignored and it became hidden within a later binding, maybe as part of the board structure. This history, whether real or imagined, gave added interest to the vellum leaf and made it worthy of some carrier in which it could be presented. I devised a framework which would hold the leaf, but in such a way that it could be removed and
refitted to show the reverse side.

What prompted the use of wood veneers and leather in this cover? The structure was based on a much larger triptych which I had made not long before. It seemed to lend itself well for the presentation of this manuscript. The woods on the outside are prepared from the solid, allowing me to vary the thickness and in turn giving depth and a tactile nature to the piece. The leather forms a simple hinge.

In your binding of ‘English Bards’ you have included a wood panel. It is the second of your bindings we’re showing which uses thin strips of wood. Is the use of this material characteristic of your practice? Yes. I have worked with wood for most of my career whether as a binder, carpenter, joiner or furniture restorer. Apart from its natural beauty, wood is relatively easily shaped and retains sufficient strength in thicknesses suitable for binding. In particular, it allows me to experiment with different structures and effects.

‘English Bards’ also has a clear acrylic cover. What was it about the front page of this found text-block that you wanted to continue to reveal/show in your new binding? Acrylic also makes frequent appearances in my work – I am still experimenting with it and using it in different ways. In this instance the first page of the given book bore the title and some of its history in the form of inscriptions, presumably of two former owners. I thought this made for an interesting front cover for the book, achieved by simply overlaying the clear acrylic. It protected the text block, was a suitable weight for the book (physically and visually) and was perfect for the structure.

Both of your bindings have an advertisement for a ‘Velosolex 3800’ as their contextual object. Can you explain that inspiration? I am extremely fond of the Velosolex in all its forms. They were first introduced in 1946 to meet a need for affordable, reliable personal transport in immediate post war France. It was a wonderful piece of engineering, absolutely right for its purpose and time, and was continually updated and refined over the following 65 years of production. The 3800 was their last model. On the surface, it is a deceptively simple machine: a bicycle frame made from bolt together pressed steel with a motor mounted over the front wheel. However on close examination it becomes clear how carefully considered each element is, how fitting to its purpose, and often how astonishingly clever in satisfying more than one requirement at a time. It invites inspection, has no pretensions, travels at its own pace, and puts a smile on the face of its rider. In my bindings I strive to provide similarly considered solutions to the needs of each and every text block, elegant in its approach and execution, yet sometimes light-hearted and with a similar touch of humour.

Approximately how much time did the making of each of these bindings take? From making a decision on what to do, to completion. The time taken to reach a decision about what to do with a particular piece varies enormously depending on the challenge presented by the original material. Once a decision is made, the making time depends on what else intrudes. I prefer to work on one piece at a time though this often proves impossible. In the case of these exhibits, the ‘Music Fragment’ took about 20 working hours over 6 days, while ‘English Bards’ took 10 hours over 2 days.

1 English Bards (1823), 2009
Vellum, Acrylic sheet, Pearwood.

2 Music Fragment, (c. 1200), 2006
Various hardwoods, Hide.

Velosolex 3800.