Book Restoration and Bookbinding

I am not taking in any new work at present. If you are looking for someone to restore books I suggest contacting the Guild of Book Workers and asking for referrals to recommended binders in your area. Link to the Guild of Book Workers. (July 2009)

Janette Maher opened a bindery in East Central Illinois in 1985. She has bound and restored books for book collectors, rare book libraries and antiquarian booksellers throughout the United States.  References are available on request.

She specializes in the restoration of leather bindings on books from the 18th to the 20th centuries. While most of these books are important for their rarity or aesthetic qualities others may be important for their associative value.

The repairs are made using archivally sound materials of high quality with the aim of returning the book to a structurally sound condition while maintaining a patina of age. Preference is given first to restoring the book using as much of the original binding as possible. When parts of the binding are missing or the original materials are too deteriorated to reuse then new materials will be substituted. These will be processed to match the original style of the binding and where necessary blended in with the remnants of the original binding. If no binding exists a new binding in the appropriate materials and period style can be made.    Prices begin at $125 for repair of leather bindings.

Click here to see photographs of some of my recent book restorations.

If you are uncertain what type of repair your book may require Click here to see photographs of books in need of repair as well as answers to some frequently asked questions.