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Which strikes your fancy more--the refined style of artistic leather binding or the back-to-nature earthy binding?
Both were displayed at last week's Jerusalem International Book Fair.
On the tables of the oversized artistic books white gloves were available; on the other hand, the signs said "Do not touch."
So I "touched" the gorgeous books only with my camera.
The top photo is of books from the Jerusalem Leather Studio.
A short video on their website shows the artisans selecting ostrich skin or full-grain leather and then hand-tooling 22K gold.
Fascinating!
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i don't fancy any book i can't touch. i understand the concept of "book as art work" but have no personal interest in a book that can't be handled. were the books for sale? does the "do not touch" warning not hurt sales?
ReplyDeletei guess i'm just out of my element with such displays. i'm a reader first, and i guess a readable book is what strikes my fancy most.
I tried to learn this trade as a hobby, but wan't too good at it.
ReplyDeleteDivers and Sundry, shalom. Well, I understand your reaction, but there were 100,000 other books at the fair that could be handled and many were for sale on the spot.
ReplyDeleteThese big lushly illustrated books were just too special to be touched by the thousands of people visiting the fair. There were people working at the big tables who would put on the white gloves and turn pages if you asked. I didn't talk to any of them. I suppose orders could be made if someone really could afford to buy such books.
I can most a few examples in the next few days, bli neder.
VP, really? Cool! I hope you had a teacher. Bindery looks like a skill one must learn as an apprentice.
OH, I like the first ones. They look beautiful and much easier to handle. That must have been a really interesting exhibit.
ReplyDeleteI do like and appreciate the refined style of the books in the top picture, but if forced to choose, I choose the handmade book. It feels a bit like choosing between a respectable upper-crust aunt to have tea with (which would be perfectly delightful) or choosing the eccentric uncle, who could regale one with the wild tales of a conquering hero. :)
ReplyDeleteI read a novel with a book binder character - interesting work. I guess I'd pick a book without a leather cover since that involves killing animals.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing your "touching" of the books displayed! I understand about the white glove treatment having visited a church museum whereas the books there were at least 250 years old.
ReplyDeleteI like both the classic and the back-to-natures cover styles.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I like that back to nature! It is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteEven the smell of bookshop makes me happy. The touch of the pages is another pleasure. Books, oh books. Now I go to watch the video.
ReplyDeleteFascinating, all those beautiful books! You know me, Dina! I prefer the back-to-nature earthly binding. The more original the better!
ReplyDeleteActually I prefer the more refined book because it looks easier to handle and care for.
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