does any body else collect leather bound books

[Mario]

does any body else collect leather bound books I have only just started in the last year or two they are genrally very expensive but are very nice to own I have some medlar ones and cocky bundy books and harper fine angling my favourite being while my float still cocks what have you got

[Loop Erimder]

As nice as they are I'd rather the cloth editions and spend the money on fishing tackle

[Mario]

ive couple of nice reels but I tend to be heavy handed with rods and such like and I think you can have too much rods I know I don't use half of what ive got but I get lot pleasure out of my books its horses for coarses

[Mario]

here is my collection

[Mark]

A lovely selection there Mazza.

[Mario]

I normally buy the hardback first then if really grabs me I buy the leather

[Pedro]

I would love to own some leather books but to be honest I just cannot afford them.
A true luxury item
Maybe in the future if I win the lottery

[Nailbourne]

Personally, I wouldn't waste my money on modern leather-bound books. Not that they're not beautiful - they are - but the way in which they're bound.

Most modern books (both hard and paperback) have their pages set in a glue matrix, rather than being stitched in sections that allow the book to open flat without strain on the spine. A glue-set book will eventually crack and the pages will fall out.

The cost of a leather cover is not significantly higher than one of buckram or cloth, not is there much more skill involved. The skill (and, hence, the cost) lies in assembling and stitching the sections and attaching them to the cords or tapes that hold the pages in the cover.

I'm not being a know-all about this - a girl-friend of many years ago was a professional book-binder!

[MrCrabtree]

Hi Mazza
I have a fascination for fishing books and have more than 1500 in my personal collection and probably have another 200-300 spare copies.
Some of these are leather editions which I absolutely love, however what I really enjoy is having old books rebound by a professional bookbinder. As long as I have obtained the books cheap and they are in poor condition I am willing to pay for their restoration. I prefer them to be rebound in half leather ( spine and corners) but have the remainder of the outer cover in marbled paper. To me they look stunning.
It usually costs between £50-£65 for a restoration.
If I can figure out how to add photos I will post them on the website.
An example of one restoration book i have is a 1st Edition of "Drop me a line". I paid £1.00 at a boot sale and it cost £57 to restore but it looks great.
So if you ever obtain a well written book but in tatty condition I certainly recommend having it rebound.

[Steve Reed]

I have 1st editions of 'Confessions of a Carp Fisher' and 'Drop me a Line' that I have thought about getting restored. Both are a bit tatty and without dust jackets. Any recommendations on a good restorer to approach?

Thanks

Steve