Alison Abel Smith Decorative Bindings

Twenty years ago, when I was looking for an occupation I could combine with raising a family I decided to rediscover my bookbinding skills. I trained first at Roehampton then Guildford College and afterwards was apprenticed to an antiquarian book dealer in London.

In 1992 I joined Makers, a craft co-operative in Taunton, which allowed me to showcase my range of handbound photograph albums, watercolour books, scrapbooks and recipe/certificate files.

Since 1998, I have based my work at my bindery in Oxford, where my range of decorative stationery continues to develop. The latest addition is the inkjet photo album, which uses a fine art Hahnemühle paper and allows all your favourite digital photographs to be printed off your computer, on to the same acid-free paper used by professional photographers and fine art galleries.

My recipe and certificate files contain clear plastic wallets and are both practical and attractive. My watercolour books use a professional standard 290g/m mouldmade paper. All my books and albums (unless they are sewn) are extendable, allowing extra pages to be added. All items are bound in either bookcloth or leather and Italian decorative papers.

I am also trained in restoration and have been fortunate to restore some fascinating old books, including volumes from the libraries of James 1 and Charles 1, as well as any number of family bibles!

Alison Abel Smith