Forrest Jackson

Dallas, Texas 
Forrest Jackson began bookbinding in 1997 at the Craft Guild of Dallas. Since then has studied with Pamela Leutz, Sally Key, Jan Sobota, and Jim Croft. He occasionally teaches courses in the restoration and conservation of antiquarian books at the Craft Guild.

Example Binding: 
John W. Robertson. 
Bibliography of the Writings of Edgar A. Poe.
[Bound with:] Commentary on the Bibliography of Edgar A. Poe.
San Francisco: Russian Hill Private Press, Edwin & Robert Grabhorn, 1934.

Unbound sheets of the two titles sewn as a single volume on three double-cord stations, plain wound endbands sewn with fine Italian silk. Quarter-sawn silver maple boards cut, planed, beveled, and channeled using traditional woodworking tools. Ends of linen cords laced into boards and pegged. Hand-fashioned brass closures to prevent textblock from cockling. Tightback spine bound in Harmatan's vegetable tanned goat skin, tooled in blind. Abbreviated title stamped in 23k gold.

Design Description: 
The design evokes the gothic style of binding prevalent during the author’s lifetime. Textblock disassembled, repaired as needed, and then sewn on five double-cord stations. Unbleached linen cords laced into cured, quarter-sawn wooden boards channeled, beveled, and fitted with brass closures chiseled into fleur-de-lis patterns and hinged with brass escutcheon pins. Traditional tightback binding with quarter alum-tawed deer skin, tooled lines and fleur-de-lis stampings in blind, title on spine in ink rather than stamped or tooled. Plain wound endbands sewn on rolled linen cores and 100% cotton paper endpapers hand made by the binder.