Ethan Ensign

Salt Lake City, Utah 
Ethan Ensign began bookbinding in 1994 and has trained with Don Glaister at the American Academy of Bookbinding in Telluride. He has owned and operated his own bindery since 2000 and has recently begun creating private press editions: making the paper, printing the letterpress text, and binding the books.

Example Binding: 
Walter M. Miller, Jr. 
A Canticle for Leibowitz
. 
New York: J. P. Lippincott, 1960.

This classic science fiction novel concerns the survival of knowledge through books in a post-apocalyptic world. The binding references use of atomic weapons and the blueprints described in the story. The book is bound in full French chagrin dark blue goatskin with blue suede flyleaves and doublures. Silk headbands sewn in blue and white. Text edges dyed blue. The decoration was tooled and painted with white acrylic lines and colored leather onlays.

Design Description:
Tan calfskin with inlaid calf lettering. Flyleaves and doublures of marbled paper. Brown roma endpapers with calf hinges. Hand sewn double core headbands with brown, tan and white silk. Top edge colored brown with acrylics. To be housed in a linen cloth clamshell box with brown felt liner and gold-stamped label.

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Ethan Ensign example binding

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Ethan Ensign design proposal

Ethan Ensign