Keith A. Smith~ New York

200 Books: An Annotated Bibliography
Written by Keith Smith and illustrated with over 500 photographs, this is a retrospective of the artist's previous 199 editioned and unique books. In essence, all of Smith's books comprise one book, an ongoing dialogue with the form. The author, who has been plying his craft since 1967 and who is extremely articulate about process, provides us with background info about himself as is relevant to the making of books. He regularly describes the technical and emotional inspirations for his works. His books range from artist's books to poetry to textbooks to dictionaries. Most of the more than 150 one-of-a-kind artist's books are in his own collection and have been seen by only a handful of people; however, the are well-represented here in pictures and text. Smith enables us to follow his development as an artist, including moments of frustration and excited discovery. Numerous technical references and concepts of book structures are provided. Detailed descriptions of how some imagery was technically achieved, darkroom manipulations, and various silk-screen monoprint techniques are touched on. Smythe sewn hard cover. First edition of 1000 copies with an additional 100 copies available unbound, folded and gathered for those who wish to sew their own. (336 pp.) 2000. $35
One copy each hard cover and unbound:
$60

Book Binding for Book Artists: Sewn and Pasted Cloth or Leather Bindings Requiring No Special Tools or Equipment
By Keith A. Smith and Fred Jordan. Preliminaries cover material and tools, proportion on the board, archival materials, paste, paper traits, sections, imposition and sewing preparation. Includes practical advice on grain of paper; how to mark, score, cut and tear paper; compiling folios and folding down a sheet; sewing stations, thread, knots and tension sewing. Three bindings are described in detail.

The first, Pamphlet Binding with Boards, is useful for a book of four to thirty-two pages. When only a few pages are needed, this hard cover binding with endsheets is a beautiful, substantial presentation.

Flat Back Cased-in Codex is ideal for a book of a few dozen pages or as many as a few hundred. This is the hardcover binding most often used by artists for one-of-a-kind or small production books. It is described with quarter, half or full cloth and an exposed cloth hinge. It is also described with the more traditional endsheets as pastedowns.

Tight Back and Hollow Back result in rounded and backed books of thirty-two to several hundred pages. It is described as a simple quarter, half or full leather binding with no paring of leather and no sewn endbands. Cloth covering can be substituted.

Book Binding for Book Artists also features over 400 elaborate illustrations to augment the text, plus 60 photo reproductions of books by nineteen contemporary binders and book artists. Sources for paper and leather are also listed. Soft cover. (432 pp.)
$35

Non-Adhesive Binding Volume I: Books without Paste or Glue
In four parts: Introduction to hand binding; detailed instructions for 33 simple to complex bindings; Describes covers, tape supports, interlocking tabs, turns-in and spine-pleats; Contains references, with Glossary of Terms, Notes, Index of Terms and Reference of Photographic Illustrations.
$30

Non-Adhesive Binding Volume II: 1- 2- & 3- Section Sewings
320 pages. In cream wrappers with black lettering & design. "Thorough text for sewing one, two, or three sections onto continuous support paper or vellum covers... described by text, diagrams and photographs."
$30

Non-Adhesive Binding Volume III: Exposed Spine Sewings
315 pages in gray wraps. Three parts: Introduces how to use the sewing frame, how to round, to pack, and dying of cords and thread; Variations on raised support sewings, described by text, diagrams and photographs; Demonstrates simple to elaborate sewings, across, rather than along the spine.
$30

Non-Adhesive Binding Volume IV: Sewing Single Sheets
Keith Smith's fourth book in his widely distributed series on non-adhesive binding methods is now available. The sewings in this volume can be used to bind single sheets of paper, board, Plexiglas or even metal. The bindings open flat to any page, unlike more commonly used and traditional post or stab bindings. This attribute makes handsome and functional albums for photographs. Smith devised these sewings to make one-of-a-kind books from large inkjet prints. Several Coptic sewings are described and diagrams of raised cord sewing and sewing onto tapes are included. In each, the book block can be single sheets or a combination of sections and sheets. Pasting and gluing for covering the separate side covers are described. Includes 111 diagrams plus 179 photographs of books by contemporary book artists and binders. (336 pp.) Available in Smythe sewn paperback or in unbound sheets. $30
One copy each paperback and unbound:
$50

Non-adhesive Binding Volume V: Quick Leather Bindings
Hard cover quarter leather bindings using archival pressure sensitive sheet adhesive. Here we have Keith Smith's 211th volume and the fifth in a series of how-to volumes. And the first with a color front and back cover! As Smith says in the Preface, his aim is to strip away unnecessary steps and to speed up those steps he cannot omit. The first throw away is rounding and backing, wheat paste as well as glue, etc. This volume is a must for the bookmaker — whether advanced or just beginning. In an edition of 2000, but as might be expected Smith has saved 200 for those who would do their own (quick leather) binding! (320 pp.) 2002.
$30

Text in the Book Format
1997. 6 x 9", 127 pp. In cream wrappers with black lettering & design. Writing in the book format, as opposed to a running manuscript, brings to the reader a book experience.
$17.50