"Old Books. New Books." at the John C. Campbell Folk School

The past week at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina was full of gifts. The “Old Books. New Books.” class, taught by the amazing Dea Sasso, assisted by Judith Beers, was like “learning on steroids.” In five days, the class of twelve students learned how to construct three types of new case bindings for books – flat spine bindings, as well as library binding (French groove) and tight (English) joints for curved-spines. Each requires careful precision and attention to detail, a joy for someone like me who revels in the “neat and tidy.”

From Dea’s thirty years of bookbinding experience, we were instructed about adhesives, bookbinding tools, sewing signatures, cerfing, ploughing, endsheets, endbands, lining out, various types of papers, book cloths and boards, working with leather, using presses, making book cloth, hot gold stamping, hand tooling, and sources for materials. Even though I have been making books for a long time, much of this material was new to me. I believe I’ve learned a tremendous amount about best practices in bookbinding. At the end of the week, I came home with five new quarter-bound books, one with a leather-covered spine and the rest with flat spines covered in book cloths.

Using the understanding gained about book structures, we also worked on conserving, restoring, and repairing “old” books, including bibles, music scores, and library books. I conserved by mother’s bible, the cover of which had deteriorated significantly over time. This was my first experience with conservation work, so I was a bit nervous about working on a piece of such sentimental value. Dea was an excellent teacher, guiding me along the way. Photos below show the bible in its original condition, in process (using moriki paper and wheat starch to stabilize the cover), and after conservation. I am eager to get more experience in this area.

Original condition

Conservation work in progress

After conservation

Each of the other members of the class brought varied experiences and perspectives. Seeing the different restoration projects in progress showed many of the techniques that can be utilized to preserve important books. I also learned about the Knoxville Book Arts Guild, which can serve as a model for a book artists’ group in Chattanooga. I experienced a teaching style that easily accommodated the needs of students at different levels, yet left room for each student’s creative spirit. And, I went home with a book full of contacts and ideas that will help me implement my grant project in Chattanooga!