Limp binding from Tallinn

Limp bindings were at times temporary, and provided a means of keeping, preserving and organizing administrative minutes, accounts, and other various documents. They were developed when, unlike today, there was less choice in material, but in a time when there were incentives to develop ingenious and creative methods of binding. These are techniques with infinite possible variations of materials, methods, and structure. Since glue is seldom used, one can easily combine a number of different materials.

I present eight books from the City Archives in Tallinn, with extensive technical descriptions. In the Gallery, I have asked eight Swedish and Estonian bookbinders to create their own variants, using the originals as points of departure.

In designing this book, I have drawn inspiration from medieval works as regards layout, headings and illustrations. The illustrations are by Jordi Arkö.

Full colour / printed in english / 43 pages.