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The American Bookbinders Museum
The American Bookbinders Museum explores and celebrates the craft, culture, and tools of bookbinding.
The International Brotherhood of Bookbinders (IBB) was founded May 5, 1892, in Philadelphia, PA. It was the first labor union of bookbinders in the United States, eventually spreading to Canada. This badge belonged to a member of the IBB.![]()
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#bookbinding #guild #brotherhood #ABM #bookbindersmuseum
Pop up books spark wonder and joy with each element bringing a new surprise. Each turn is a vibrant experience for the reader. How are these books made? The creation of pop-ups can seem intimidating. ![]()
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Join book artist Shawn Sheehy in learning the basics of paper engineering and pop-ups in August's webinar. You'll leave the workshop with a better understanding of the types of pop-ups, the tools needed, and the ideal materials. Shawn will explain the development process and give a demonstration of pop-up assembly. ![]()
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August 23rd ![]()
11:00am PST ![]()
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This webinar will be recorded. The recording will be sent to ticket holders following the event.
We are highlighting volvelles, where psychic tools and books meet. This example of a volvelle is Madame Interrobang’s Prognosticating Mood Ring, available in the ABM shop. Co-created by Lisa Rappoport of Littoral Press and Bridget McGraw of Thingfully, this example uses moods and phases of the moon to tell fortunes. ![]()
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Volvelles are descended from astrolabes, a device used to track the planets. The earliest forms of the volvelle were made of parchment circles held together with a tie, which would be rotated to align different pieces of information to calculate the position of the sun and moon. An early extant example is from Ramon Llull ‘s ‘Night Sphere’ in the 13th century, allowing the user to tell the time at night. In addition to calculations, the volvelle is able to store vast amounts of detailed information through the writing on the circles, freeing the user from memorizing it. This feature became increasingly useful as scientific thought flourished starting in the 15th century. ![]()
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#ABM #psychictools #astronomy # PsychicDay
As part of American Artist Appreciation Day, we are highlighting Sarah Wyman Whitman (1842-1904), one of the first women to make a career as a book designer. Based in Boston, she was an accomplished painter and stained glass designer.![]()
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Her career as a book designer began in 1880 as a favor to a friend. At the same time, the Arts and Crafts Movement created a demand for beautiful everyday objects, including books. Publishers took notice and hired artists, like Whitman, to design books. Whitman worked primarily with Houghton, Mifflin and Company, creating restrained designs that often only required single-color foil stamping. Drawing inspiration from Art Nouveau for her work, her covers often featured plants relevant to the text, with a long stem, sometimes with a wreath. The example here has the latter, along with her signature lettering style.
Support the ABM in Style! Become a member at the ABM and show off your style! As a member, you receive free admission, museum store discounts, and great gifts such as the ABM pin, patch, and sticker. ![]()
Do you love our lectures, exhibits, workshops? Do you believe in our mission to tell the story of the book? Your membership supports the museum and its programs. Become a member today!![]()
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#abmguild #museummembership #learning #ABM #americanbookbindersmuseum #supportmuseums