Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America, Peter Carey, Champagne and Mark.

©Janie Airey
The night of the Man Booker presentation, the author, the book and the binder.

All of the Man Booker Bindings for 2010 are now on exhibition in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Man Booker Binding, the morning after....

Having managed to traverse London, I arrived at the Guildhall. As usual I faced the now normal routine of the door men not believing I was a not a guest and that I had to get a book on display before the big names arrived...... Why.
In any case I was 'Allowed' in and got my book set up along with the other bindings. All good.

I was introduced to Peter Carey, a nice bloke, very relaxed and fun. Met some people from the Australian Embassy or Consulate, again very nice people. I had Champagne.... all night.......



The winner was announced .... drum roll .. Howard Jacobson for his book 'The Finkler Question' His first time on the short list.
The cameras were primed, the journalists at the typewriters, all that was needed was Howard Jacobson, then I could go home.


The man himself... winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize.

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America plus Mark go to the Guildhall.

Shaken and stirred !

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. Dusting down the old Dinner Jacket.

Having found my Dinner Jacket (tucked away in the darkest region of my wardrobe) and all the other bits and bobs that go with a Black Tie event, I begin to plan for the presentation tomorrow evening (Tuesday, 12th of October)

The evening starts with a reception at 6.30pm (Champagne) Where my binding along with the five others will be on display. We then move on to the Dinner at 7.30pm (Food with red and white wine) I will have to be on my best behaviour as I will be on the same table as Peter Carey, the author of Parrot and Olivier in America, thus I may be seen on the television! During the meal the 6 finalists are introduced to the gathering and their specially bound book is presented to them.

The winner will be announced at 9.45pm, this will be broadcast on BBC News across television, radio and online.

After that there is a post award reception sort of thing with more wine....


Carriages at 11.30pm... Wish me luck.

I will try to take some pictures of the evening...

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. Finished.

One week ahead of the presentation!

On to the next book......

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. Front board finished..

Instead of a label on the front board I opted to do create a pallet. One of the characters is a painter... logical. Plus Pallet and Parrot are not too dis-similar.

The Gold tooling has been distressed with wire wool and a cocktail stick, I want it to appear a little singed (fire damage)

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. The front board.

The leather was hand pared down to 0.5mm and hand coloured with a spirit dye.


On covering the brush strokes and un-even nature of the dye becomes obvious.


The finishing was done in a hurry, 1837 style. Next will be a label........

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. Rounding and Backing, End Bands, Edge Colouring.

After sanding the edges colour is applied. In this case a simple yellow wash.


Then it is the end banding. Single core in red with flashes of white and blue. Red, Blue and White being common colours to The USA, France and England (National flags !)


The front end papers.


The back end papers.

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. Section marking and sanding

The ever-so helpful printer, a new and discreet method of section identification.


Sanding the edges, always a fun thing. The edges will be yellow hence the sanding. The paper is not so good so the sanding is, on one hand easy and on the other hand difficult as it marks so easily. And as you may have guessed, the grain direction is WRONG....WRONG....WRONG !


As the sections are so thick they have stepped out. The text block in the press is a before, the text block to the right is an after. Elbow grease and patience.

Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. Sewing etc

After further reading the work has begun on the text blocks, difficult to sew as the sections are so thick and the paper of poor quality. One has to remember that the text block was never intended to be sewn in the first place, also some very interesting section identification techniques!. Images will follow soon.