Paper

Limp Paper Binding

This is my class model from the most recent limp paper binding class that I taught at San Francisco Center for the Book as part of their Bookbinding Core Certificate Program. The limp paper binding is the third structure that students undertake.

It is an elegant structure and no adhesives are needed to hold it all together. In this picture you can see a hint of the tabs that seem to magically hold those turn-ins down. The turn-ins are the parts of the cover that fold over to the inside of the book.

The material used for the cover is a gorgeous heavy weight Cave paper that is handmade in Minnesota. In this color the texture stands out especially nicely. It reminds me of wool and is nearly as soft.

That extra bend at the foredge (side opposite the spine of the book) is one of my favorite bits of bookbinding trivia. It is called a Yapp, so named for the 19th century publisher who popularized the style of a portion of the cover bent down over the edge of the textblock. The original Yapp style would have had a bend on all three edges, but that would inhibit this book from resting comfortably upright on a bookshelf.


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