History
Ruth Scott Blackson began her book binding journey over 5 years ago when she moved to Philadelphia from England. She has worked at various establishments as a binder (bench trained), including a stint in the conservation laboratory at The American Philosophical Society. She now does work on a freelance basis for a number of universities and institutions in the city, as well as working with private clients locally and nationally. Ruth is also a long- standing active board member of The Delaware Valley Chapter Guild of Book Workers.
Specialties
Bookbinding is not simply the skill of the hands. Many of the books that pass my workbench have a history and story to tell. Books that have been read a lot may have suffered wear and tear over the years and thus need to be repaired. My aim in restoration is to keep the original appearance intact to maintain the binding's integrity. Sometimes restoring books means celebrating their history by replacing original materials with conservation grade and archival ones that will give the book structural stability for generations to come, all while taking care to maintain the original appearance.