[Leica] Leather Binding

[buzz.hausner at verizon.net (Buzz Hausner)]

Trust me, Dan, it is easier to make a living as a photographer than
binding books.  There are only three or four binders active in the US
who can command those five figure payments for their work.  There must
be many more photographers getting US$20,000 for a wedding shoot.  The
vast majority of binders toil away in the basements of libraries doing
basic book repair at US$10.00 an hour.  Others of a more independent
streak run their own shops doing drudge work rebinding the dreaded
family bible, favorite tomes from childhood, doctoral dissertations, and
hideous stacks of legal journals...neither enriching nor satisfying
work.

        Buzz

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf
Of Dan Post
Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 9:04 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Leather Binding

Buzz Hausner wrote:

>Among other endeavors, I am trained as a hand bookbinder.  I can assure
>you that to have a proper leather binding done for "This Is Our Work,"
>with a minimum of decoration, would cost in excess of four hundred
>dollars.  There are many things that masquerade as "fine" bindings
which
>are not and cost a good deal less.  If you wish to have extensive gold
>tooling done on the binding or to have colored leather on-lays applied,
>the cost can soar to astronomical levels.  If you want the binding
>designed and executed by one of the better known binders at work today,
>you can expect to pay in the low five figures (to the left of the
>decimal point).
>
>       Buzz Hausner 
>
Buzz-
Sheesh! I am in the wrong line of work! :o)
Is there that much of a demand for that sort of thing? I had figured 
that the quest for quality like that was even less prevalent than that 
looked for by the LUG!
It gives me a healthy respect for my old leather bound volume (It seems 
a lot of old books were thusly covered!)  from 1817- "La Baume's 
Definitive Narrative of Napoleon's Campaign in Russia" . The inscription

declares it was bought originally for 14 shillings, New York money.... I

wonder what that would be in todays currency?
Dan