Art of the Book, Vol. 8
- Zach Harney
- 2 hours ago
- 11 min read
Roger Grech - Bookbinder
From printmaking studios in Bradford to a thriving bindery that counts Suntup Editions, The Salvage Press, Nepenthe Press and St James Park Press among its clients, Roger's journey into the world of fine bookbinding is one of accidental discovery, hard-won craft, and quiet perseverance. What began as a self-taught curiosity, grew into a decades-long dedication to one of the most exacting art forms. With over thirty years of experience, Roger has become a trusted name in fine press circles, lending his hands to some of the most celebrated limited editions of recent years. He also happens to be one of the most fun and entertaining hangs in the fine press world! We sat down with him to talk about his origins, his process, the booming fine press market, and what it really means to make a book that lasts.
Q: Tell us about the earliest influences in your life and what pushed you toward a life in the arts? What were some of the pivotal influences and experiences that set you down that path?
I always felt my future lay within a creative field. I wasn’t particularly gifted academically, but I loved art classes and drawing. So, I pursued that avenue, and all my qualifications ended up being arts or craft based. Not very useful for getting a place at University but I did manage to get into an art foundation course. It was while on the foundation course that I was exposed to printmaking and etching in particular. I just fell in love with the process. I found all the stages of plate prep to the final printing fascinating. It was while on that course I taught myself how to bind.
I wanted to illustrate a book, and I thought it would be a good idea to present it in bound form. I went to the college library and picked up a copy of An Introduction to Bookbinding by Ivor Robinson. From then on, it seemed all my projects were in book form. I seemed to spend the majority of my degree based in the Printmaking Department. Bradford had one of the best print departments I have ever seen. Both my tutors, Alan Marks and Ian Colverson, were great mentors and helped to further my visual and technical education. I owe them a great deal.
Q: You have been bookbinding for over 30 years now, but specialized in printmaking in college. What drew you specifically to bookbinding as the primary focus of your career and was there a specific moment you knew that was what you wanted to do the rest of your life?
Bookbinding always went hand in hand with the printmaking at first. While at college, I was taught letterpress printing by our technician Barry Ingham and that meant I could now print my own text as well. My final degree work culminated in a large format illustrated version of Candide by Voltaire. All screen-printed typographical pieces with letterpress text on Nepalese tissue. It was purchased by the V&A Art Library and that gave me an appetite to explore the artist book world. That appetite didn’t last very long though. Bills needed paying and I’ve never been great at finding funding. If I’m honest I enjoyed the process of printing and making the books more than concepts behind them.
I then found gainful employment at Leeds College of Art as a print room technician. One of the main reasons I was given the post was the fact that I could bind books. As the years progressed, I became workshop manager and tasked myself with adding a bookbinding area within the facility. I think it was a good ten years before I even dared to try working with leather. The whole process of paring leather seemed unattainable. I couldn’t afford to go on any courses, so I decided not to bother for the time being.
A colleague of mine, Sarah Peel, appeared one day with a copy of Jen Lindsay’s book, and we both decided to follow it page by page. I was hooked from then on. I set up a small workshop at home with a small bench, nipping press, and whatever basic tools I had and practiced. It wasn’t much longer before the college decided that all the workshops didn’t need half the staff they had and I was made redundant. A devastating time, but in hindsight, one that changed everything for the better.
Q: Before you had your own bindery, what did your path look like? When you think back to your early days, what were you most uncertain about—and what kept you going anyway?
I was uncertain about everything! Could I make this work, was it viable, would anyone ever commission me? The questions were endless! Above all would I be able to contribute to the household bills at the end of every month? Nothing can prepare you for that kind of pressure, but thankfully, I had the loving support of my wife, Rebecca, and my children.
I think I applied for every fair going, making as many blank sketchbooks as I could. I also contacted every commercial bindery in the area but no one replied other than Stephen Conway. Stephen took me on to teach the weekend beginners courses. At the same time, I met my now close friend Nick Loaring of The Print Project. A letterpress printer specializing in beautiful posters, Nick asked if I could bind a small edition of his books. I bound those and found I quite enjoyed the edition process. The binding jobs weren’t coming in enough to pay the mortgage, however, and I decided to look for a more permanent solution. I became the print room technician for York College. Pretty much the same role as the Leeds job. I tried to juggle working at the college by day and binding by night and it kind of worked well for a number of years.
It was during this time that I met Pat Randle, who happened to be a friend of Nick. He offered me the job of binding Hannah Cousins' Coastline. I think I can safely say that it was this edition that changed everything for me. That and spending more time at Stephen's bindery in Halifax. Stephen needed help with some new editions coming in and I was able to drop a day at the college to help him. Everything I needed to know about the editioning process I learned from Stephen. My time there was invaluable. Not long after Pat asked if I would bind 2020 Vision, I decided that I could no longer work at the college, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Q: What does a typical day in your bindery look like now, and do you work mostly from careful plans, or do you leave room for intuition and improvisation?
Mostly, a typical day consists of working on an edition or planning another. Each edition evolves from a conversation with the client, with input from me as to how we feel the book may work or look better. Mock-ups are made and the design will undoubtedly evolve and change as these are made. Once everything is agreed upon, then the careful planning and preparation for the edition can begin.
Q: You have contributed bindings to more recently established small/fine presses like Suntup Editions, St James Park Press, Nepenthe Press, Nomad Letterpress, Salvage Press and others. With so much work coming from presses that have just started in the last 5-10 years, what has changed in the way you work with clients over that time?
Back in the early days of the bindery, I couldn’t work on a complete edition due to the lack of space. Everything had to be done in batches, which wasn’t a major problem as I could comfortably work on one edition at a time because I didn’t have a lot of clients on my books. As time progressed and I gained clients like Paul Suntup, the much larger numbers meant I had to move my workshop to a much larger space.
This meant that I could work on the whole edition at once and have other editions on the go at the same time. With more space it's meant that I have been able to buy pieces of machinery that can speed elements of the process up making everything slightly more efficient without taking away the integrity of a handbound product.
Q: What excites you most about this explosion of new presses and the interest in fine press books? Are there any presses you have yet to work with that you would like to collaborate with on a project?
I think we’re living in very exciting times for the Fine Press trade. It seems new presses are popping up every month! It’s good to see all the new publishers producing wonderful reprints of classic titles. All these new presses are good news for the industry as a whole, and I am happy to be part of it. I do hope that some of the new presses take a chance on some of the new young binders starting out as well. There is more than enough work out there and plenty of new blood in need of a leg up. If Pat hadn’t taken a chance on me with Coastline and 2020 Vision I wouldn’t have had half the commissions I’ve had the privilege to work on.
Q: Since I have you here and you bound one of my favorite fine press books of all time, can you tell us a little bit about the process of working on 1984 with James Freemantle of St James Park Press? What were some of the unique challenges and what were your impressions of the project overall?
1984 was a huge endeavor. From the day James delivered the sheets, I knew it was going to be a beast of a project. It all arrived in three large plastic crates accompanied with a hand-drawn mock-up. This was essential as there were many images that either needed tipping in or hooked around sections. I think the collating and tipping in took at least a month alone. Once all the forwarding had been done, I could put the twelve deluxe editions aside so I could concentrate on the fifty-nine numbered. The binding for these went pretty smoothly, then came the small matter of fifty-nine solander boxes. The twelve lettered had to wait as the numbered edition took up a great deal of space.
The deluxe took much longer as James wanted me to make a design binding for this part of the edition. I think I created around ten different designs before I was finally happy with the outcome. Even the final design changed as I worked on it. It’s a project that never felt like it would end. The book was finished, then I had to make three other volumes and a folio box, not to mention the final solander boxes, and each element took more space on my bench or the shelves. The whole thing weighed a great deal.
Overall, I’m pretty proud of it. There are elements I would possibly change, but on the whole, I’m happy to have been associated with it.
Q: How would you describe your philosophy of binding to someone who has never thought much about how books are made, and has this changed over time?
I think my philosophy is to simply to do the best I can on every job I do. And to make sure each copy is as good as each other. I want all the customers who have preordered a copy and waited for, however long it’s taken, to know that their copy is the same as their friends copy. Not like when you go into a bookshop and reach for the copy a few books deep because you think it might be less thumbed or a crisper edition. Don’t tell me you don’t do that!
Books don’t leave the workshop unless I’m happy with them, and that has never changed.
Q: What are some specific details about a binding that most people never notice, but that matter enormously to you?
The main detail or element for me is the basic structure of the book. It can have the most beautiful leather work and design but if it can’t be opened and read then, in my opinion, it has failed. The forwarding is key. Without good forwarding, it’s not really a book anymore. I hear again and again from young binders that they don’t want to do what I do. They want to be artists and design binders. But they don’t seem to want to put in the time and effort to learn the craft. Put in the hours and ‘graft’, then you will have the knowledge to produce design bindings that transcend beyond just a pretty face.
Q: What are some of the bindings you’re especially proud of? Are there any other bindings from your peers that you wish you could claim as your own?
I’m still pretty proud of the Deluxe copy of 2020 Vision. The layered box alone. I tend to prefer the numbered editions of the projects I work on, to be honest. The 1984 Numbered just works. I personally like a book with its box or slipcase. No other ephemera or fuss. Life of Pi for Paul Suntup is one I keep going back to. Seeing that many books stacked up on your bench gives you a great sense of achievement.
More recently I’ve really enjoyed working on the Nepenthe Press short story editions. The Fall of the House of Usher and The Music of Erich Zann. I found the format and production of these a real joy to work on. Well designed and printed using metal type. Beautifully illustrated and produced. Clean, no fuss or gimmicks.
As for particular bindings from other binders, I couldn’t say really. I’ve been pretty lucky to have worked on some great titles. I do admire a great deal of other binders though. Everything that comes out of Jacek Tylkowski’s bindery is superb. Amy Borezo’s work is a source of delight whenever a new project is shared on Instagram. Rich Tong producing epic edition after epic edition is surely an inspiration to any young binder starting out. I’ve been really impressed with Lorna McCurdy’s work with Metier Press recently as well. Really lovely work. There are far too many to mention here but I’m sure they know who they are as I comment on their work whenever I can.
Not to mention the wealth of bookbinders on the social media network who are willing to share their knowledge over a private message. I’ve had lovely discussions on technique with many binders, including Kate Holland, Luigi Castiglioni and Ben Elbel. Rich Tong alone has had his ear bent on many occasions, sorry Rich!
Q: At this stage in your career, what feels most important to you in your work? What has working so closely with books taught you about patience, failure, or excellence?
The most important thing to me now is to enjoy the project I’m working on. There is nothing worse than working on something you feel obliged to complete. Thankfully, I think I’ve got to the stage where I can be a little more picky and choose the projects that interest me or the publishers I like to work with. I enjoy working on projects where classic texts are reimagined but I get more pleasure from working on new original material where I get to work in collaboration with the printer/publisher. For example, working with Pat Randle on Hilary Paynter's Moving. A beautiful project.
Working on the larger numbered editions has taught me that you can’t rush the work. It takes as long as it takes. I totally understand why customers can get a little restless when they have to wait a long time for their book. Frequently, titles are announced before they’ve even gone to the printer. If you’re asking about patience, then I think that question needs to be addressed elsewhere.
Q: When you imagine the next five or ten years, what do you hope they look like personally and professionally? Are there “dream projects” you still haven’t had the chance to do?
To be honest, I’m just happy to be working! I do have several projects lined up that I’m really looking forward to. One being the new Paul Kershaw, Cuillin of Skye. That’s going to be gorgeous. Other than the lined-up editions, I do have some future ideas for the bindery but I’ll keep them to myself for now.
Q: Do you think about legacy—what will remain after you’ve stepped away from the bench and how future binders and fine press enthusiasts will remember your work?
Oh, I don’t know, as long as I’m talked about without too much profanity, I’d say that’ll do.
This interview was done in a series of communications back and forth with Roger and we want to give our sincerest thanks for his willingness to take the time to participate in this interview. If you want more information on Roger Grech and his bindery, then check out his website or follow him on Instagram.
Interview by: Zach Harney co-founder of the Collectible Book Vault