The Glazier Codex

 Registration is closed for this event

July 31st, 2023 9:30 AM

  • Instructor: Michael Burke
  • Workshop Type: Binding
  • Workshop Status: Closed
  • Sessions: 5
  • In-person or Online?: In-person

Workshop Fee (includes materials fee): $795
50% scholarship available; click here to apply.


This is an in-person workshop. As of January 2023, masks are strongly encouraged but not required unless otherwise indicated. 


The Glazier Codex surfaced in the 1960s in such pristine condition that many experts initially found it difficult to believe it really does date from between the years 420 and 598. The professional consensus is that it is genuine. This 5/6th century book is a delight in both its fascinating structure and bizarre dragon design. From the leather hinging thongs to the serrated wrapping bands, this book is like no other in your library.

Our facsimile model will have all the features of the original. In addition to learning the sewing pattern and unusual leather spine structure, you will also cut, tool and weave the leather thongs, shape the boards, hone the bone clasps and much more.
 

>> Prerequisite: Bookbinding Core 1-4 or equivalent and experience with paring leather <<

Materials to Bring: 

  • Your bookbinding toolkit
  • Chisels
  • Hand drill and small bits
  • Paring knife and strop
  • Paste brush
  • Sanding block
  • Sandpaper, various grits
  • Scalpel and blades
  • Tweezers

Bring if you have:

  • G-clamps (2)
  • Hacksaw
  • Brockman or Schärf-fix parer
  • Japanese screw punch
  • Woodworker's block plane

Date & Time: Monday-Friday, July 31-August 4, 2023 :: 9:30am-5:30pm

Location: 375 Rhode Island St, San Francisco, CA 94103

NOTE: Please read over the SFCB Registration Policies before signing up for a class. Registration will close three days prior to the start date of the workshop to allow the instructor time to prep materials for class. 
 

About the Instructor | Michael Burke (he/him)

Michael Burke studied bookbinding with Dominic Riley and paper conservation with Karen Zukor. Michael lives in England, where he teaches bookbinding as well at events across the UK. He is a past chair of the North West and North Wales region of SoB. He has taught for diverse book arts groups in the USA, including Los Angeles, Seattle and Salt Lake City. In recent years he has taught at the Paper and Book Intensive, travelled to São Paulo to teach for the Brazilian group ABER, and in 2011 presented Byzantine binding at the Seminar of the Guild of Bookworkers. Michael researches the structures of ancient and medieval bindings and received his Masters degree in the History of the Book from the University of London in 2011.

Michael and Dominic are co-founders of Book Camp, an immersive residential bookbinding experience which aims to teach new generations of binders.

Past Student Reviews:

“I liked working through the incomplete and sometimes contradictory information available about the structure and figuring out how I wanted to recreate it.”

"Michael is very knowledgeable and was always able to answer my questions, even when they were esoteric.” 

“I loved this workshop. Michael was so knowledgeable, the teaching was really in-depth and the project we got to do was an incredible work of art in addition to being a historically important binding style."

375 Rhode Island St
San Francisco, CA 94103-5133
United States