Competitions

Designer Bookbinders International Bookbinding Competition 2009
In Association with the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Great Britain

Announced in 2007, binders from all nations were invited to enter Designer Bookbinders first International Competition. The event was organised in conjunction with the Bodleian Library and an exhibition of selected competition entries is being shown alongside the Bodleian’s own exhibition ‘An Artful Craft - Fine and Historic Bookbindings from the Broxbourne Library and Other Collections’.

EXHIBITION OPENING DATES
The Competition Exhibition of 117 chosen bindings is being displayed alongside the Bodleian's own exhibition and will run until 1 August 2009.

PRIZES
Designer Bookbinders International Bookbinding Competition 2009 features two prizes awarded in honour of Sir Paul Getty KBE (1932-2003). Sir Paul Getty was one of our greatest book collectors and was a passionate advocate for the art and craft of bookbinding.

THE SIR PAUL GETTY BODLEIAN BOOKBINDING PRIZES
1st Prize GBP 7,500 - awarded to Alain Taral (France)
Binding made of pear wood covered by Karelian birch veneer. Decoration of "fusion" marquetry made of many different precious wood veneers including palm tree, yew, bubinga, lati, planetree, amboina, elm burrs, thuya and faiera. Wooden joints with steel axis. Suede flyleaves. Marquetery title. Wooden slipcase covered by Karelian birch veneer. Water comes to us from rocks, from mother earth, but also from clouds, sometimes from tears... at the beginning just a few drops that then come together to form streams and lakes. 

2nd Prize GBP 3,000 - awarded to Jenni Grey (UK)
The pages have been divided into two bindings 'Water' and 'Waterborn'. Machine embroidered grey Dypion-style fabric and airbrushed endpapers feature on both bindings. In 'Water', sterling silver wire fixings and etched acrylic, which creates shadows on the endpapers, are the predominant materials. The fold out container incorporates information about both books and has shell button fastenings. The design was inspired by the light and shade created by sun and clouds on the surface of the sea, and echoing the marbling forms in the text.

The Incline Press Award GBP 250 - awarded to Marja Wilgenkamp (Netherlands)
Presented by the publishers of the set book Water to the binder whose design most reflects their ideal for a trade edition of the book.

• Further details on the 1st and 2nd prizewinners can be found here.

In addition, specially designed sterling silver bone folders were awarded by the Judges for the 25 best bindings.

All entrants received a signed Diploma of Participation and their bindings appear in the illustrated competition catalogue.

• A full list of the exhibitors and prizewinners can be found here.

• All the prizewinning bindings can be seen here.

• Photos from the prizegiving ceremony can be seen here.

• A press release from the Bodleian Library can be found here.

The First Prize binding is to be given by the binder to the Bodleian Library, and the Second Prize binding will be given by the binder to the Getty Collection at Wormsley in Oxfordshire, UK.

CATALOGUE
Designer Bookbinders has produced a catalogue to accompany the Bodleian’s fully-illustrated historical catalogue of bookbinding. 'Bound For Success' is a record of the International Competition 2009 with a photograph and description of every binding submitted. All entrants will receive a copy of this Competition catalogue.

The catalogue may also be purchased from this website - Price GBP30.00.
Further details can be found in the online shop.

USA TOUR
After Oxford the exhibition will travel to three venues in the USA:

Boston Public Library, Boston Mass. - Friday 18 Sept to Sunday 13 Dec, 2009
Bonhams & Butterfields, San Francisco - Friday 12 Feb to Saturday 6 Mar, 2010
Grolier Club, New York - Wednesday 19 May to Saturday 31 Jul, 2010

Boston Public Library
The exhibition of the Designer Bookbinders International Competition is now showing until 13 December at the Boston Public Library, in the very heart of Boston, opposite Copley Square.

This is the perfect venue for reaching a maximum audience. An estimated 50,000 visitors will be able to enjoy the terrific variety of bookbindings on show. For most people it will be their first introduction to modern binding and it is hoped that some may be tempted to investigate further with a view to taking it up as a career. 

Indeed, Bostonians cannot fail to be aware of this event as there is a 15 foot high banner advertising the exhibition on the front of the building.

The private view was a very well attended and lively evening with guests from all the academic and bookarts fraternities in Cambridge and Boston, including Harvard University, Boston Athenaeum, North Bennett Street School of Bookbinding and Bromer Booksellers.

Designer Bookbinders was represented by its president, Lester Capon, who opened the show, and by Hon. Fellows Lisa Von Clemm and Simon Eccles.

Photos from the Private View can be seen here.

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Copley Square, Boston
18 September -13 December 2009