Douglas Cockerell’s Bookbinding, and the Care of Books (1901) is the enduring practical handbook of the craft, written by one of the leading binders of the Arts and Crafts movement. It walks the reader step by step through folding and sewing, forwarding, covering in leather and cloth, and finishing, with clear diagrams and an emphasis on sound, honest workmanship over showy decoration.
Beyond technique, Cockerell devotes careful attention to the preservation and repair of books and to the qualities that make a binding both beautiful and durable. Long a standard text for students and professionals alike, it remains a cornerstone of the bookbinding literature. This free EPUB download is cleanly formatted for any e-reader.