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The American Bookbinders Museum
The American Bookbinders Museum explores and celebrates the craft, culture, and tools of bookbinding.
Come see the beautiful bindings of OPEN SET 2025 Set Book Category at the American Bookbinders Museum featuring The Helen Fragments. Utilizing unique decorative elements and motifs such as embroidery, tattoos, pottery, and more. Don't miss your chance to see these books before they leave San Francisco.![]()
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Join us to learn more about the creative and technical processes of four exhibiting artisans, at the museum, for a free panel discussion on Friday, January 24, 2025 at 1:00p#ABM![]()
#bookbindingn#openset2025T#exhibitioni#freesfre#Open##set #thehelenfragmentsm#exhibitionition
In the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, bookbinding moved to mass production through large publishing houses such as Harper & Brothers, Collins, and Macmillan. These publishers used a combination of cast iron machinery and hand labor to pump out hundreds of books a day in their large factories. Some of the jobs one could have worked at the factory included: operating a Smyth sewing machine, a job which required two women per machine, a child could work as a “grease monkey” climbing a ladder and greasing the gears of the large machinery, or a man stamping on the hot foil covers of decorated publishers bindings. The jobs were hard work and could cause serious injury to those involved if not done correctly. The average pay to workers at the end of a 60-hour work week was at Harper’s: $5-$8 a week for men and $1-$4 for women. ![]()
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To learn more about the industrialization of bookbinding we welcome you to visit us at the American Bookbinders Museum located in the Yerba Buena SOMA district of San Francisco. ![]()
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#ABM #PublishersDay #books #Harpers #workersrights #DecoratedPublishersBindings #BeautifulBooks
Among the benefits of becoming a Grand Master member at the ABM is an edition of Toni Morrison’s lecture when receiving the Nobel Prize; a beautiful piece about the importance of caring for words. The print is typeset in 11-point Centaur, printed by hand on Cotton Flurry using a Vandercook Universal I, and bound in Suminagashi-style wrappers. The text is accompanied by Elizabeth Catlett’s gripping woodblock illustrations.![]()
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#ABMGuild #MuseumMembership #Learning #ABM #AmericanBookbindersMuseum #SupportMuseums
OPEN SET 2025 is free and open to the public starting today!![]()
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Join us at the American Bookbinders Museum for the first stop of the SET Book category in this traveling exhibition. The SET Book category features all artists binding the same text. Visit us to view extraordinary fine bindings and see the unique artistic interpretations of The Helen Fragments.![]()
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Wan't to know more? Join us in person for a FREE panel discussion with some of the fine binders of OPEN SET 2025 on their artistic processes, Friday January, 24, 2025 1:0#openset2025T#Open##set #thehelenfragmentsm#freesfR#exhibitionition
The tradition of cut outs spans the globe bringing a unique voice and style to book arts. To learn more about the history of cut outs, and how they can be utilized in book making, join us on Saturday, January 18th for a virtual webinar with book artist Insiya Dhatt. ![]()
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Japan: Kirie![]()
This tradition of paper cutting arrived in Japan in the 7th century to decorate temples. In the Edo period, this art form was performed in front of an audience. Image of Kirie by Kuba Shu.![]()
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India: Sanjhi![]()
In this form of paper stenciling the paper is cut out and filled with dyes creating rangolis. This is often done on water. Image of Sanjhi from Shruti Chawan.![]()
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Mexico: Papel Picado![]()
These colorful tissue paper flags are cut and hung in multiples on a string for celebrations. Unlike other forms of cut outs where the designs are individualized, these flags are cut in large stacks with a hammer and chise. Image of Papel Picado making from ArtMexico. ![]()
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Poland: Wycinanki![]()
SInce the 1800’s this decorative paper tradition is used to decorate the homes of the lower classes. The designs are typically found in two styles: one symmetrical, intricate, and monocolored from the Mazovian region; the other multicolored and layered from central Poland. Image of Wycinanki from the Polish Art Center.![]()
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Germany: Scherenschnitte![]()
In the words of Hans Christian Anderson “Papercutting is the prelude to writing”. The tradition of Scherenschnitte is done on a variety of papers. Common designs included silhouettes, valentines, and love letters. This tradition traveled across Europe and later to the United States with the Pennsylvania Dutch. Scherenchnitte image from Sercadia. ![]()
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China: 剪紙 (jiǎn zhǐ)![]()
Chinese paper cutting began in the 6th century and peaked during the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1912) Dynasties. The paper designs were commonly used to decorate lanterns, fans, and ceramics. Image: Xu Mingxing, The First Miao Village Targeted Poverty Alleviation, 2020; supplied by the Huaxia Papercutting Museum.