Author: Bernard C. Middleton

Publisher/Date: Oak Knoll/British Library 2000 First thus

Format/Condition: NEW brown cloth hardcover with dust jacket in fine condition. 126 pages, illustrated in color and b/w featuring 46 color and 46 b/w photographs of Middleton’s finest binding designs.

Description: An autobiography of one of the world’s leading book restorers, binding scholars and international lecturers on bookbinding techniques. Originally published by Henry Morris at the renowned Bird & Bull Press, the author has expanded the text and added many illustrations of his most inspired bindings. In this new edition, over ninety of his bindings are illustrated, forty-six in full color. This work also offers insight into Britain’s indentured apprenticeship programs of the early 20th century. Co-published with The British Library.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements….............................................v
Foreword by Dr. Marianne Tidcombe…...........................ix
The Early Years…..............................................1
The War Years…................................................9
My Education Continues…......................................21
A Business of Our Own….......................................35
A Home of Our Own…...........................................47
America and Beyond…..........................................65
End Notes…...................................................81
Descriptive captions for colour illustrations of bindings…...85
Descriptive captions for the B&W bindings illustrated….......91
Colour illustrations of Middleton’s bindings…................95
Middleton’s bindings illustrated in B&W…....................105
Appendices:
A mid 20th century apprenticeship indenture…...........112
London School of Printing Class Report…................115
A final written examination for bookbinding…...........116
A final “practical test”.................................118
A City & Guilds of London Institute Certificate….......119
General Eisenhower’s D-Day Declaration…................120
Article “Scale in Bookbinding” 1950…...................121
Article “The British Museum Bindery” 1953….............124
Bibliography…...............................................