Outrageous Boxes

Hi, I’m Jan.

I’m a bookbinder and boxmaker from London and this is my website. Below are my most recent blog posts and some pictures from Instagram.

I hope you enjoy!

Blog Posts

Getting ready to get back into things!

Getting ready to get back into things!

I just spent the last two weeks at the @centrodelbellibro learning about French style full leather bindings from the amazing @suzanneschmollgruber. I ended up being at this course through a series of unforeseen events and arrived with some sadness for other plans that hadn't worked out but I quickly realised how lucky I was to have ended up here. I learnt an incredible amount in these two weeks and I can't wait to get home and start practicing and experimenting. Thanks Suzanne and thanks cbl! #bookbinding

I just spent the last two weeks at the @centrodelbellibro learning about French style full leather bindings from the amazing @suzanneschmollgruber. I ended up being at this course through a series of unforeseen events and arrived with some sadness for other plans that hadn’t worked out but I quickly realised how lucky I was to have ended up here. I learnt an incredible amount in these two weeks and I can’t wait to get home and start practicing and experimenting. Thanks Suzanne and thanks cbl! #bookbinding

My second attempt at using leather instead of mull as spine lining. Already a lot more successful but I think I need to sand it down even more at the head and tail. #bookbinding

My second attempt at using leather instead of mull as spine lining. Already a lot more successful but I think I need to sand it down even more at the head and tail. #bookbinding

Learning tooling with gold leaf from Nick Cowlishaw at the @southernbookcraftsclub #bookbinding

Learning tooling with gold leaf from Nick Cowlishaw at the @southernbookcraftsclub #bookbinding

My experiments in knife design continue: today, a combined straight and curved edge knife. The straight side is for paring edges and corners and the round side for thinning caps and getting rid of ridges. While the duct tape for the grip works surprisingly well, I'm still working on figuring out how to attach the wood to the metal directly. #bookbinding #knifemaking

My experiments in knife design continue: today, a combined straight and curved edge knife. The straight side is for paring edges and corners and the round side for thinning caps and getting rid of ridges. While the duct tape for the grip works surprisingly well, I’m still working on figuring out how to attach the wood to the metal directly. #bookbinding #knifemaking

A wasp being hypnotized by a Scottish wheel. Makes me wonder what this binding looks like through insect eyes. #bookbinding

A wasp being hypnotized by a Scottish wheel. Makes me wonder what this binding looks like through insect eyes. #bookbinding

Another attempt at making something useful with my 3d printer: a modular tool rack for my finishing tools. Each cell is printed individually so the height and width of the grid is adjustable and I can add columns as I get new tools. I tried making these hexagonal which would look cool and save space but the joinery would get much more complicated and I needed somewhere to store my tools. Maybe I'll go back to the design again at some point. #bookbinding #3dprinting

Another attempt at making something useful with my 3d printer: a modular tool rack for my finishing tools. Each cell is printed individually so the height and width of the grid is adjustable and I can add columns as I get new tools. I tried making these hexagonal which would look cool and save space but the joinery would get much more complicated and I needed somewhere to store my tools. Maybe I’ll go back to the design again at some point. #bookbinding #3dprinting

Five books that I bought over the last couple of months and that my parents brought from Cologne: La Reliure, technique et rigueur by Jacqueline Liekens, I was able to take a look at this book at the Bibliothèque nationale de France and found a second hand copy afterwards. This is an incredibly detailed description of the making of a French-style leather binding including a chemise and a slipcase with images on every page. My French isn't quite at the point yet where I can read this book fluently but I've already picked up a few tricks from it. Handbuch Buntpapier (Handbook of Decorated Paper) by @dominotier and @annak.hh, a fascinating overview of many different types of coloured paper, so many of which I wasn't aware of. This is a beautiful and very detailed book and I can't wait to try some of the techniques described in it. Werkzeuge und Hilfsmittel des Handbuchbinders (Tools and Aids of the Bookbinder) by Hans-Peter Preiß, this book is a fascinating collection of bookbinding tools, from the common to the obscure with many interesting historical or specialised tools featured. I learnt of this book from @jeffpeachey's feed because some of this tools are included. Reliures 2017 - 2020 by @louise.bescond, a catalogue of her incredible bindings with closeup photos and a short description for every book. Very inspiring (and intimidating)! and finally Anatomy of Bookbinding by @luigicastiglioni.bookartist which I saw recommended on @sfbookbinding's feed recently. This book describes a complete binding from start to finish with many pictures and descriptions of every step. Luigi has a free PDF on his website showing another binding from which I'd learnt a bunch of things like how the sections are sewn onto stubs which are then sewn, backed and glued but it's great to have some additional explanations which the book includes. #bookbinding #reliure

Five books that I bought over the last couple of months and that my parents brought from Cologne:

La Reliure, technique et rigueur by Jacqueline Liekens, I was able to take a look at this book at the Bibliothèque nationale de France and found a second hand copy afterwards. This is an incredibly detailed description of the making of a French-style leather binding including a chemise and a slipcase with images on every page. My French isn’t quite at the point yet where I can read this book fluently but I’ve already picked up a few tricks from it.

Handbuch Buntpapier (Handbook of Decorated Paper) by @dominotier and @annak.hh, a fascinating overview of many different types of coloured paper, so many of which I wasn’t aware of. This is a beautiful and very detailed book and I can’t wait to try some of the techniques described in it.

Werkzeuge und Hilfsmittel des Handbuchbinders (Tools and Aids of the Bookbinder) by Hans-Peter Preiß, this book is a fascinating collection of bookbinding tools, from the common to the obscure with many interesting historical or specialised tools featured. I learnt of this book from @jeffpeachey’s feed because some of this tools are included.

Reliures 2017 – 2020 by @louise.bescond, a catalogue of her incredible bindings with closeup photos and a short description for every book. Very inspiring (and intimidating)!

and finally Anatomy of Bookbinding by @luigicastiglioni.bookartist which I saw recommended on @sfbookbinding’s feed recently. This book describes a complete binding from start to finish with many pictures and descriptions of every step. Luigi has a free PDF on his website showing another binding from which I’d learnt a bunch of things like how the sections are sewn onto stubs which are then sewn, backed and glued but it’s great to have some additional explanations which the book includes.

#bookbinding #reliure