...and one for the crow images and words of ascent

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A Superb Custom Binding by Paul Delrue 1944-2024. 1996, Fine, half title, [12], 154 pp. Words and images of ascent, including 15 colour plates from the serious clowning collection of sketches and 40 black and white photographs by Roy Wood. Signed by both the author & binder. (291*206 mm). My binding was started in December 2005 and completed January 2006 at my bindery in Llandudno, North Wales. Delrue's lacunose design binding, only the second in 3 years since my move to North Wales - a large and heavy book - all greys and the hint of blues, an atmosphere of mountain delight, a feel of height and danger. A difficult binding - to strive towards a goal of getting to the top - I smell fear all the way, never to return to my simple life of treading on green earth. The edges of the book have been painted with acrylics in greys, hint of green and blue, with a little danger red; it adds to the overall feel of my binding. Inside I have added matted tooled grey doublures together with pigskin dark blue suede flyleaves onto light coloured endpapers. The book has been reseawn onto six heavy tapes. I have set the headbands top and tail with matching coloured silk of light greys, crimson and dark blue, toning with the edges and lacunose binding. The front cover has the figure of John Redhead climbing and clinging to his friend the mountain, making him part of the rock canvas. The binding has been housed in a protective box covered in black buckram with title in real gold on the spine and front cover.. The inside has been covered by pig suede I bought recently from America. Altogether I feel it has been a surprising success, in fact, heaven sent, a real trial of a binding. It is my first design binding of the year and I hope for an easier ride with other titles. But, it works quite beautifully, I'm so thankful. I only hope my customer likes it and thinks it well worth the challenge. Paul C Delrue. Llandudno 25th January 2006.