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The Nation's Leader in Quality Book Binding
& Post Press Services Since 1985

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First Book Ever Printed in America up for Auction

The first book ever printed in what was yet to be the United States of America is going up for auction at Sotheby’s auction house in New York tomorrow, and is expected to go for anywhere between $15-30 million on the auction block.

The book, commonly known as the Bay Psalm Book and officially known as the Whole Book of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre, was first printed by Stephen Day in 1640 in the Pilgrims’ colony in Massachusetts. The first edition featured 1,700 copies of the 300 page book, which were translations from the Book of Psalms in Hebrew Scriptures. The Pilgrims had brought psalm books with them from England, but wanted a more faithful translation of the original, as well as one that was more conducive to congregational singing.

There are only 11 known copies of the first edition in existence, most of which are housed in libraries and major collections. Two belong to Boston’s historic Old South Church, which is putting one up for auction in order to pay for operating costs. Though the book has been criticized in the past for a lack of editorial oversight and a mediocre printing standard, its historical significance as the first book printed in America could make it the most valuable book in the world. If the Bay Psalm Book sells for the price estimated by Sotheby’s, it will break the record of $11.5 million which was paid for a copy of John James Audubon’s Birds of America in 2010. Keep an eye on our blog to see how much the book goes for!

Update: The Bay Psalm Book sold for $14.2 million! Not too shabby.

 

Bay Book of Psalms

 

 

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.

Keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Source

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25045283

Famous Bookstores Worldwide

If appreciate the sight, feel, and smell of a good hardcover or paperback as much as we do, you’ll love these photos of 16 bookstores you have to see before you die. Featuring famous bookstores from around the world, these photos give a great view into some of the most architecturally interesting bookstores ever designed. From El Ateneo in Buenos Aires, which is housed in what was formerly a theater, to Selexyz in Holland, which makes use of a soaring medieval cathedral, these bookstores are visually unparalleled. Some other highlights include Cafebreria El Pendulo in Mexico City, where indoor plants and even a large tree play prominent roles in the design, and Livrari Lello in Porto, Portugal, which features an M.C. Escher-esque staircase that takes a second look to wrap your head around. The United States makes the list with the Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City, with a classic design that exemplifies the elegance of New York.

If you visit any of the European or Latin American bookstores on the list, don’t be surprised if you find yourself tilting your head to the left instead of to the right. Titles there are printed bottom-to-top on the spine, with exception of Scandinavia, the British Commonwealth, and books printed in Dutch.

 

famous bookstores

 

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.

Keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Custom Books Make Great Holiday Gifts

It might be the middle of November, but before you know it the holidays will be here. If you’re looking for a new and unique gift idea for a friend or family member this holiday season, consider a custom book from Advantage Book Binding! We’ve got lots of great custom book options that make for great gifts and treasured possessions.

For those with a favorite antique book, custom book boxes make a great gift. They offer great protection for old books with sentimental value, and you can customize the box to add a nice personal touch to the gift. Individual namestamps also make nice gifts for friends or family members who like to add their own touch to their favorite books. Advantage Book Binding offers custom journals, which are great for an avid writer. If a loved one has a family Bible that could use a facelift, we offer Bible repair services to restore Bible’s to their former luster.

Family tree books are another great gift for family members. You can document your family’s history with old photos, photocopied documents, and personal histories in a customized family history book that family members will love to have. In addition to specialized book gifts, we also offer custom photo albums, which are great for documenting weddings or family reunions. Shadowboxes are another gift that can commemorate a graduation or military service.

Too many gift book options to choose from? Don’t worry, we also offer gift certificates. Get in the holiday spirit with custom book gifts from Advantage Booking Binding!

 

custom book box

 

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.

Keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

 

Book Binding Exhibit at The Walters Art Museum

The Walters Art Museum is featuring a great exhibit of ornate book bindings from the late 19th and early 20th century. This time period was a heyday for book binding, as binders made increasingly lavish and complex book bindings that were works of art in their own right. There were even separate movements within the binding community. According to The Walters, “Some binders strove to execute traditional designs at the highest levels of technical proficiency and artistic elegance, while others chose to break away and explore new emerging styles influenced by the Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements.” The exhibit will feature 20 binding examples from the Walter’s rare book collection, and runs from now until next May. For more information, check out their official website.

179094006

 

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.

 

 

Keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments. 

 

 

How Physical Books Help Us to Get to Know the Story

The ebook revolution isn’t without its good points, but it has also left many readers missing elements of their old hardback and softcover books. When the physical element of a story is taken away, readers are reminded of how much the physical book can actually do to complete the story contained on the pages inside.

Book covers set the tone for a story. Upon first glance, they can pique a potential readers interest, and later on, once the reader is engaged in the story, a reference back to the cover can reveal clues as to how the story might unfold. The author puts a lot of thought into a well-chosen cover design, and it’s as much a part of the story as the words themselves. Even on their own, many book jackets are intricately designed, and meant to be admired in one’s hands instead of on a screen.

Holding a book can also gives readers a chance to use their sense of touch to get to know the book better. Holding your finger in the book to mark a page lets you know how far along in the story you are. Watching the pages slowly disappear as the story builds to its climax is almost as exciting as the climax itself. This feeling just isn’t quite the same on an ebook, where you can read the page number, but you can’t feel how far along you are with your hands.

The argument has often been made that while technology has brought us closer together with social media in the virtual world, it has also caused us to become more withdrawn in the real world. If you see someone reading a book you like or an author you like, you might be inspired to start a conversation and ask them about it. On an e-reader, you never know what a person might be reading, or if they’re even reading at all. They might just be checking their email.

 

ereader

 

 

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.

 

Keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

 

Source

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pam-allyn/why-ive-gone-back-to-print-books_b_4136219.html?utm_hp_ref=books

New Book Celebrates a History of Book Design

The internet has ushered in a new age of consumption in the written word, both online and offline. While the argument has been made that the internet is bringing an end to the age of offline, physical consumption of written media, it appears that it may actually be having the opposite effect. As digital media consumption increases, readers whose reading habits have shifted to the virtual spheres are remembering the value of holding an actual book or newspaper in their hands. Custom and specialty book binding services are making a comeback, and their craft is now celebrated as an art form with a rich history.

 

A new book entitled Fully Booked – Ink on Paper showcases book unique book covers and designs from around the world and throughout history. One example displays the many covers and bindings of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel, The Great Gatsby. Famous book cover designers such as Penguin covers designer Coralie-Bickford Smith are also profiled. The book is almost 300 pages, and features a very clever introduction that reverses the paradigm that exists between physical and virtual media. Find out more information at this link.

 

 

179301348

 

 

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.

Keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

How Physical Books Differ From E-Readers

One question that has been raised as a result of the new popularity of e-readers such as Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Nobles’ Nook is, how does the value of these devices compare to books, specifically, with regard to their physical nature? An e-reader may have the ability to store thousands of books for quick and easy access, but it sacrifices the physical qualities that make the stories it contains not just stories, but books.

Books contain stories for us to enjoy, but the physical book itself has a story to tell as well. Maybe it was a gift from a close friend, or perhaps borrowed from the library and never returned. Maybe it has a coffee stain on it from a reading session in a cafe in a far away locale, or maybe the reader marked it up in his or her inimitable handwriting. Books have smells and textures and earmarks and even sounds from a binding that creaks when opened after years on the shelf. These are the things that make their histories come alive for anyone who picks them up. The collection of books that a person owns speaks volumes (if you’ll pardon the pun) about who they are.

E-books have their benefits, but they won’t tell you the nature of the relationship between the reader and the stories he or she read. Physical books give this relationship a physical and tangible quality, and that’s something that really can’t be replaced. In an interview (link to interview here) concerning e-books, columnist Danny Heitman talks about how physical books allow us to experience this relationship from a third party perspective. In this quote from the interview, he talks about how the books he received from an aunt in her will gave her more insight as to who she was. “Whether she was reading about poetry or about history or about art, she had an enormous curiosity. A library is really a tangible testament of intellectual adventures that we have, and it is an open invitation for us to extend that legacy. By dipping into these books and reading the same words that our ancestors read, it’s a wonderful thing.”

 

 

ereader vs book

 

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.

Keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Source

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/08/12/inherit-e-books

Advantage Book Binding: For All Your Book Binding & Post Press Needs

Advantage Book Binding is your source for all of your book binding and post press needs. We’re an established business that continues to grow due to the quality of work and attention to detail that we provide in all of the many book binding and post press services we offer.

Our primary focus is to offer you the best book binding services available, including hardcover, softcover, and mechanical binding. Our hardcover binding services include Smyth sewn hard cover books, adhesive bound hard cover books as well as fully concealed wire-bound hardback books. Our soft cover binding services, also known as paperback, include perfect binding, PUR binding, lay flat binding, notch perfect binding, and Smyth sewn glue-on cover binding. Mechanical binding options include wire-O binding, plastic coil spiral binding, fully concealed wire-bound hardback books, and plastic comb binding. We work for all kinds of clients, from small, local publishers, to government contracted work.

 

book binding

 

Advantage Book Binding also offers custom book products through The Book Boutique for specialty finishing and binding that will satisfy even your most specific needs. Our book repair and restoration services will restore your old books and Bible’s to their former glory. We also offer a number of addition services that cover everything from special binding requirements to shrink wrapping and specialty packaging.

Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While those who are more shortsighted have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. In an age when our interactions with virtual media are becoming more transient and impermanent, we think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves. There’s a lot to be said for books, and we’re looking forward to using our blog as a platform to say it. Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments!

 

Welcome to our new website!

Advantage Book Binding is proud to announce the launch of its new and improved website! Take a look around and see all of the wonderful new features and information on our website. Check back soon for more news and updates!