They could be those that have been well-loved, maybe from your childhood or passed down through the generations, but are now suffering from constant use (or misuse...) and are damaged or falling apart.

You may be afraid to use such books for fear of further damage, but worry not - most books can be returned to at least a functional condition and many can be restored to their former glory.

And please, please, please - do not be tempted to fix them with Sellotape - the tape yellows over time, the glue decays, the plastic layer comes off and all you are left with is a yellow stain that is irreversible without toxic chemicals.

I find it very satisfying to repair and restore such books sympathetically, and then to see the joy in a client's face when they see their beloved book returned to a condition where they no longer need fear causing further damage and can enjoy the book for what it was made for.

Every repair is different - it can be anything from a torn page to a full rebind. All repairs are done sympathetically, which means I would try to retain the current look and feel of the book, rather than make it look brand new (of course if you want it to look brand new, then we can design a new cover for it).

Once I've seen the book, I can figure out what work is possible and recommend some options, and then we agree what work you think is worth doing, at a price that I will not exceed.

I want a free assessment - what do I do next? 

Naturally it is easier for me to see the book itself - either you can bring it to my studio here in Southam or I can come to you if you're not too far away. If distance is an issue then I can usually make a reasonable assessment from a few photos emailed to me - I can tell you which shots to take, and then you can post the book to me if you wish to proceed. Either way there is no charge or any obligation for making this assessment.

 Simply e-mail me either from the link HERE, or from my contacts page.

If you are able to attach some photos of the book showing the damage, I can make an initial assessment straight away.

The work carried out often depends on the value of the book - I can provide a rough estimate of the value if you can provide:

Title & Author, year of publication & publisher; all of which information should be on the title page.

If the book is of any great value, a repair can sometimes diminish it's worth.

Typical photos should include:

Spine and front cover

Title page or whichever page shows date published.

Inside front cover showing hinge (this is where 90% of most books get damaged).

Any other area of damage e.g. ripped/loose pages, damaged headbands, stitching loose/pages hanging out.

A little something extra...

I like to record repairs as I go along as an 'aide memoire' so once the job is complete I can compile a summary of work carried out with these photos. Examples can been on the right hand side of this page.

I give a copy of this to clients free of charge, as I think it is good to have an appreciation of the craftmanship that goes into reconstructing a book.