Codex Style Bookbinding

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  Completed April 2004

Background:
This was my second experiment with bookbinding. This style of binding is similar to the codex bindings.

Materials:
I started out by folding 4 pieces of paper into folios, then nesting them to make a signature. I repeated this process to make 6 signatures and then placed 4 holes in each of the signatures. I then sewed the signatures together with linen thread to form the bookblock and coated the spine with glue.

I then made the bookcover. I started with a piece of bookcloth and added a heavy piece of paper to form the spine. I then glued the bookboards onto the bookcloth and added the decorative paper. I finished by wrapping the decorative paper around the ends of the bookboards.

I then assembled the book. First I glued the headbands on (the white pieces you can see at the top and bottom of the spine) and tested the bookblock inside the cover. I then glued the front and rear pages in, smoothing them down as I went. I finished by creasing the spine.

Notes:
I can see where I didn't quite get the interior smooth by the spine - this has to do with where the bookblock is placed inside the book and is a practice thing. Also, on the spine I didn't quite get the crease correctly.

Codex Style Bookbinding Codex Style Binding Codex Style Binding
Picture of front cover
Picture of back cover
Picture of entire cover
Codex Style Bookbinding Codex Style Binding Codex Style Binding
Between the folios
The center of a folio - note stitching
Picture of Interior Front
Codex Style Bookbinding Codex Style Binding Codex Style Binding
Picture of Interior Rear
Picture of Spine Bottom
Picture of spine top
Codex Style Bookbinding
Picture of spine

Click on picture to enlarge


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