Winners of the DB UK Bookbinding Competition

A crop of new names have been honored today at the online awards ceremony of the prestigious DB UK Bookbinding Competition.

Run by Designer Bookbinders and sponsored by The Folio Society, it comes at a time when the craft of bookbindery in the UK is facing a challenging future. There are no full-time bookbinding programs currently on offer, while several of the processes involved in bookbinding, such as edge gilding, gold tooling, fore-edge painting, and vellum making, are due to appear on the Heritage Crafts Association list of endangered crafts.

“We want to spread the word that excellent contemporary bookbinding does exist, that it’s not just something in Victorian gentlemen’s libraries,” said bookbinder Kate Holland, co-organizer with fellow binder Sue Doggett of the biennial competition. “We’re really keen to encourage new people and the younger generation into the profession so it’s exciting that there are lots of new names in this year’s entries and awards.”

The two major awards were won by Thomas Hosking for his goatskin binding of Mort by Terry Pratchett featuring a scythe-shaped void, and Miranda Kemp whose bradel structure binding of the set text Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck with unsupported link stitch included imagery of the baking California sun on ranch buildings with prairies in the distance. Best newcomer went to Ted Bennet whose binding featured rough cut book edges sprinkled with gold ink.

The full list of prizewinners:

Mansfield Medal - Thomas Hosking
The Folio Society 1st Prize Set Book - Miranda Kemp
The Folio Society 2nd Prize Set Book - Laura Jamieson
The Clothworkers 1st Prize Open Choice - Thomas Hosking
The Clothworkers 2nd Prize Open Choice - Richard Beadsmoore
Sally Lou Smith Forwarding Prize - Glenn Malkin
Bernard C. Middleton Finishing Prize - Jeanette Koch
Elizabeth Greenhill Prize for Gold Tooling - Andreas Maroulis
J. Hewit & Sons Prize for Interesting Use of Leather - Miranda Kemp
Harmatan & Oakridge Prize for Sympathetic Handling of Leather - Amy Kitcherside
Maggs Bros Judge’s Award - Richard Beadsmoore
John Purcell Paper Prize - Clare Bryan
Ratchfords Non Leather Prize - Rebecca Price
The Circles of Art Prize for Artistic Innovation - Laura Jamieson
Ash Rare Books Lettering Prize - Sarah Williams
Shepherds Prize for Book Arts - Richard Beadsmoore
Lisa Von Clemm Prize for Best Newcomer - Ted Bennet
ABA Highly Commended Certificates - Pamela Richmond, Nesta Davies, Miranda Kemp, Jeanette Koch