When art and books are bound

24 Hours Employment, Iris Mizrahi, March 19, 2020

A rare but essential profession, traditional bookbinding has a bright future ahead of it, provided that the next generation is trained.

Behind a forest of legal documents hide oversized art books, Bibles with gnawed leather. The link between these disparate works? Binding. Filled with drawers containing all the tools, fabrics, glues and threads, punches and lead initials, the workshop alone tells the story of a craft that has become rare.

Artisanal binding always fulfills its function for sometimes complex work on unique works. Charles Duch took over his workshop in 2014. He was keen to train young people passionate about this rare profession. His last apprentice, Mélanie Zehfus, is already taking care of the important orders entrusted to the workshop. She should take up the torch and train in turn.