Man Booker Binding, Parrot and Olivier in America. Leather on the spine, back boards and canvas.

The spine has been covered in fair goat with a simple design of red stripes. I like the uneven nature of the coloring, it adds movement to what could have been a very static design.


The back board is to be covered in a painted canvas. One of the characters is a Female, French painter. To me it makes perfect sense to use painted canvas. I have used the back of the canvas as I prefer the texture and it is not so white.


On the final page, Parrot gives us the date 'May 10, 1837' The flag of the USA had 25 stars. I have exchanged one of the stars with a Fleur de lys. This represents Olivier, his desire to be part of America but always a French man, not quite fitting in.


Canvas on the back board. The effect is bold and brash, the new world.

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.

Man Booker. Olivier and Parrot in America. The text blocks arrive.

The text blocks are here, having read the book I am gradually forming the design, velvet and silver, burnt paper and print.


Type and New York circa 1830.


But first the text block has to be sewn...

The Man Booker short list.

The Man Booker short list is out, I will be binding Parrot and Olivier in America......