The stationery binding is a unique, understudied body of hand-bound blank-book bindings representing a quintessentially quotidian element of the medieval to 19th century bookkeeper’s life. Join us at The National Archives, Kew, as we map the birth and development of the late medieval (1300 – 1500) English stationery binding’s structure from roll to codex through a series of presentations, open object displays and a bookbinding workshop.
The symposium will be split into two segments, where participants will be given an overview of early modern archiving practices, and how they led to the formation of the late medieval English stationery binding structure. The series of talks will also cover the influences of English bindings’ Italian counterparts, and the unique features and characteristics found and documented on limp parchment bindings in The National Archives’ collection.
The talks will be followed by an open display of select bindings from the collection, catered lunch and a tour of the Collections Care studio or bookbinding workshop (limited spaces available).
The optional bookbinding workshop will focus on the construction of a late medieval English limp parchment binding, featuring elements of both English and Italian traditions.
Speakers
Paul Dryburgh - Paul Dryburgh is Principal Record Specialist (Medieval) at The National Archives. He is an archivist and historian who specialises in government and society in the British Isles in the 13th and 14th centuries. Prior to joining The National Archives as a Medieval Record Specialist in 2014, Paul worked as an access archivist at the Borthwick Institute, University of York.
Paul’s current research interests include ecclesiastical records, medieval Ireland, and the materiality of collections.
He is currently Co-Investigator of the Medieval Exchequer ‘Gold Seam’ on the Beyond 2022: Ireland’s Virtual Record Treasury project, funded by the Irish Government and General Editor of the Pipe Roll Society, Honorary Secretary of the Lincoln Record Society, and President of the Mortimer History Society.
Stefan Holz - Stefan works as an archivist at the State Archives of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart. He is responsible for archival appraisal and modern records. Prior to his archival training in Marburg and Stuttgart, Stefan studied at the universities of Jena, Basel, Heidelberg and Poitiers. He obtained a PhD in History from Heidelberg University with a thesis on the record-keeping practices of England’s financial administration under Edward I. Stefan is publishing on thirteenth- and fourteenth-century England, as well as on the history of South-West Germany
Katherine Beaty - Katherine Beaty is a rare-book conservator in the Weissman Preservation Center, Harvard Library's special-collection conservation facility. Prior to her appointment at Harvard, Katherine worked at the Duke University Library and at the Etherington Conservation Center preprogram, and interned at the Library of Congress, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the New York Academy of Medicine, and the Harry Ransom Center. Katherine received an MA in art conservation with a specialization in book conservation from the SUNY Buffalo State College, Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Art Conservation program and is a professional associate of the American Institute for Conservation. She has spent the last 7 years working on collections of early Italian account books at Harvard Business School's Baker Library.
Holly Smith and Katerina Williams –
Holly Smith is Senior Conservator of book and paper material at The National Archives, where she has been based since 2014. She is an accredited member of the Institute of Conservation since 2017. Holly graduated with an MA in Conservation Studies from West Dean College, UK in 2011 and has since worked in a variety of conservation studios including Tate Museums, PZ Conservation CIC and the Sussex Conservation Consortium. Holly’s current research interests are English stationery binding styles and their development.
Katerina Williams is a book and paper conservator at The National Archives. She was awarded an MA in Conservation Studies, specialising in book and library materials, from West Dean College, Sussex, UK. Katerina’s research interests lie in the development of the limp parchment binding style within The National Archives’ collection, as well as the development of conservation documentation using linked data and the Semantic Web.
