4/20/11

How Do You Bind 3,000 Books in a Day?

Benjamin Bradley
and the
Art of Manufacturing Publishers’ Cloth Bindings

A talk to be given by Todd Pattison
May 31, 2011
Although he was not the "first publishers' binder" as he was sometimes credited, Benjamin Bradley was certainly the most successful bookbinding manufacturer in New England. Before his death in 1862 he employed 120 workers and was turning out 3,000 books a day. He grew his business not only by embracing new technologies and changes in workflow, but also by making his bindings appealing to buyers, which led to increased demand from publishers. This talk will examine not only the bindings that he produced but also how bookbinding changed in the 1830-1860’s from small shops to large manufacturing businesses that were necessary to keep up with the increased production in the printing and publishing of books.

Location: The Library Company of Philadelphia
Cassatt House
1320 Locust Street
A reception will precede the talk at 5:30.
The talk will begin at 6 p.m.

(This event is co-sponsored with the Library Company of Philadelphia.)
Please let us know if you are coming!

click to RSVP