Forrest Jackson

Dallas, Texas 
Forrest Jackson began bookbinding in 1997 at the Craft Guild of Dallas where he currently teaches classes on the restoration and conservation of antiquarian books. He has studied under Pamela Leutz, Sally Key, Jan Sobota, and Jim Croft.

Example Binding: 
J. S. Le Fanu.  
Carmilla. 
Dallas: Pentaradial Press, 2010.

The flat back case binding of Carmilla is covered in full black goatskin and has red leather inlays. The title is stamped, the lines are tooled, and the text block edges are gilded in 22 carat gold. This binding also features sewn silk headbands, marbled endpapers by Catherine Levine, and a frontispiece portrait by Harry O. Morris. The central design illustrates the exhumed vampire's beating heart and the "leaden coffin floated with blood," both of which are chillingly described at the climax of the story. Bound in January 2015.

Design Description: 
For this simple panel design of The Restoration of Leather Bindings, I propose a full black goatskin tight-joint case binding. The sheets will be sewn on three tapes, all text block edges will be gilded, and silk headbands will be sewn by hand. The title will be stamped in gold on the spine and the framed lines and dagger-shaped corner pieces will likewise be tooled before casing in. A custom engraved brass die will impress the author's cascading initials inside the central red leather inlay. Please imagine Bernard Middleton's handwriting in place of the cursive font shown in the design proposal. The binding will also feature marbled endpapers by Catherine Levine. I often refer to Middleton's works when repairing antique books. It would be an honor and a delight to execute a fine binding of The Restoration of Leather Bindings.