The rigour of Leather Marquetry

Around 1880 was the richest epoch of French book binding. The process of inserting small pieces of coloured leather into a leather cover is the technique called "inlay" or also known as the "marquetry technique". It was introduced to improve on the existing and impermanent process of using paint to create polychromed effects on leather covers.

This tradition has continued and exists in fine book bindings only, however its still largely unknown and rarely seen by the public. 

 This work demands an exhausting level of concentration; one wrong slip of the scalpel then process starts again.  

Acknowledgements: 

Constantinos Bouropoulos - collaborator, Garth Knight -photography, Juo Chun Chao - graphic design, Barbara Garlick - editor, and to Vavara and Lucretia. 

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