Hey everyone!
Having my books custom bound has been on my mind a while, so I contacted this company and they replied. I think it might be interesting to see the reply if anyone is interested. First, their site:http://www.customboundbooks.com/
Now the reply (I think my questions are obvious from it).
Quote:
Dear Mohamed,
I would need to know the sizes of the books. Being that they are
mostly paperback am I to assume that many are smaller? Rebinding
paperback books with a hardcover does not always give the best re-
binding, since paperbacks are generally perfectbound. Also, as
regards embossing; since the embossing method requires heat,
generally a faux leather material will not work, as it is usually
synthetic or some kind of plastic material—it melts. Leather of
course does require an additional expense, but there are many grades
of leather, and a plongé type leather might work very economically.
One can even get different colors of plongé.
The custom design is not a problem, but would require artwork from
you and the expense of having a die created for the embossing of the
cover and/or the spine (depending upon the size of the die it could
range from $50-150; one time charge of course). I assume you would
want the title of the book embossed on the spine at least. Gilt
stamping is nominally more expensive than blind bossing, as far as I
am concerned, perhaps $1-2 per book.
Off hand, without knowing more, I would guess the cost to rebind that
quantity of books, with plongé leather and gilt embossing, with a
ribbon marker in each book, and simple endpapers, would cost in the
neighborhood of $38-45/book, die and shipping extra. A normal leather
rebinding of a single book is usually anywhere from $60-90 to give
you an idea.
Thank you for your interest. Please let me know if I can be of
further service.
Kindest regards,
Dave Keyston
CustomBoundBooks.com
208.255.2407
Since this price is reasonable (for like 1 or 2, 3 at most books!) I am going to have my most prized book (World Encyclopedia of Flags, by Alfred Znamerowski, started my interest in this wonderful heraldic world) bound thus, as I just bought a fresh copy from Borders a few weeks ago, as my previous book was full of little comments etc. in the margins (you can tell how much I loved it!).
And since I want my entire library thus bound (live the life of an aristocrat, eh? If only I can afford a signet ring as well 
)
Cheers,
MohamedHossam wrote:
And since I want my entire library thus bound (live the life of an aristocrat, eh? If only I can afford a signet ring as well),
Dear Mohamed,
I will take it upon myself to break the bad news to you, that living the life of an aristocrat is much more expensive than the costs of a signet ring and armorial book bindings. If it could only be so easy!
ACtually, I was only joking about that. What I meant was having things with my coat of arms on it, which I term, I guess erroneously, the life of an aristocrat.
Sorry for the mixup. Always happens when I try to be funny! 
Cheers,
Armorial binding of HIM Emperor Franz Joseph II of Austria-Hungary, 1867: http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=empereur2dv3.jpg
Armorial binding of HM King George IV of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland & King of Hanover, 1820: http://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lloyd1zf6.jpg
Armorial binding of the College of Grasse (France), 1551: http://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=appianus2xf9.jpg
Armorial binding of a Catholic bishop or Apostolic Protonotary (not sure what the heraldic distinctions were at this time), 1765: http://img145.imageshack.us/my.php?image=officia1nl8.jpg
Armorial binding of Thomas Philip Wallrad d’Alsace-Boussut de Chimay, Titular Cardinal-Deacon of San Cesareo in Palatio, Archbishop of Mechelen, Primate of Belgium, circa 1721-1733: http://img145.imageshack.us/my.php?image=petra4le7.jpg
Armorial binding of a Spanish Duke who was a Knight of the Military Order of Calatrava: http://img83.imageshack.us/my.php?image=e141a6151100001ju6.jpg
Wow! Very nice, thanks.
I especially like the last two, even more "Armorial binding of a Spanish Duke who was a Knight of the Military Order of Calatrava".
I think this is the style I am going for, the arms very simply and elegantly gold embossed on the front cover. I was thinking of having both front and back covers, since some of my books are in Arabic (right to left) and I don’t want to have it seem like my books are "Some this way" "Some that way"...
I’d like to have a floral border around the edge like in HM King George IV ‘s bookbinding, but at that company’s rates, I think I will have to sell my clothes and computer to get something like that. But who am I to complain :D!
MohamedHossam wrote:
I’d like to have a floral border around the edge like in HM King George IV ‘s bookbinding, but at that company’s rates, I think I will have to sell my clothes and computer to get something like that. But who am I to complain :D!
If you sell your clothes be sure to specify that the book bindings must be made in matched pairs with sturdy belt loops so that they may be worn as basic coverings so that you can continue to attend school. Do not waste your money on pocket sized armorial book bindings or you might find yourself sent home in search of a set of dictionaries.
Mohamed,
I think that embossing your books with your arms on front and back might be overkill. Remember, simplicity goes a long way. There is nothing wrong with having the books embossed differently. After all, you open them that way and the title of the book is on different covers! Just my opinion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelisli:
After all, you open them that way and the title of the book is on different covers! Just my opinion.
I’m not quite sure what you mean, I am either 1) having trouble visualizing what you are saying or 2) Very tired.
And David, you do know that I am just joking about that. I mean what kind of person complains that armorial bookbindings are expensive when there are people who can’t afford to eat. Guess my humor needs some practice, eh?
Cheers,
MohamedHossam wrote:
And David, you do know that I am just joking about that. I mean what kind of person complains that armorial bookbindings are expensive when there are people who can’t afford to eat.
Did you realise that I was just kidding with you, in full knowledge that you were kidding with me? As to the cost of bookbindings over feeding the poor, this country is full of people who would rather have custom bindings than feed the poor or heal the sick. We do after all have an economic system based on greed and a culture centered around self indulgence.
I think we have sufficiently delved from the main topic of this post
Cheers,
I was wondering if I was alone in this. I have a bookplate, I have them printed and cutout and ready to paste inside my books. I just can’t bring myself to put them in the books!
Why?
What factors have led you to this? Quality of the books? Or the bookplates? Or is it maybe the nature of the book? Not saying it is inappropriate or anything, but my view (which I admit is a bit narrow minded) is that a heraldic bookplate would be best suited to say "Complete Works of Shakespear", or "Plato’s Republic" and not, say "101 Uses for Ketchup" or even "The Complete Pokèmon Guide" (which I confess to actually having a copy of )
Cheers,
Honestly, I think it’s just because I’ve tried so hard to keep my books free from defects and bent pages and the like. I just have a hard time brining myself to deface them, even with a heraldic bookplate!
Defacing!!! That is too harsh a word! Bookplates really add to the aesthetic appeal of books, IMHO.
Just look at them in use:
http://www.dsloan.com/Auctions/A15/NewA15Images/A15Lot39ChevBkPlt30x460x650.jpg
I’d be really interested in finding out more about the process of your getting bookplates, including but not limited to:
1) Who designed them, with pics of course!
2) How/where did you get them printed/cut out?
3) What are you going to do with them?
Cheers,
http://www.heraldrysociety.us/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=156&d=1171464319
That’s a link to the bookplate that Brian did for me a little while back. I like the artwork, and I like the design. I just can’t bring myself to paste anything in my books! Brian had laminated three of the printed bookplates for me and I’ve been using them as book markers which is a novel (no pun intended) way to use them. I can’t take credit for it tho, it was his suggestion.
Andrew J Vidal wrote:
Honestly, I think it’s just because I’ve tried so hard to keep my books free from defects and bent pages and the like. I just have a hard time brining myself to deface them, even with a heraldic bookplate!
IMHO, to purchace something (including a bookplate) and not use it is a waste of money. Use the bookplate. You won’t be defacing your books; on the contrary, you’ll be marking them as uniquely yours. You will also be starting quite a number of lively conversations! :D
