Out of print and virtually unobtainable for many years, this facsimile of the 1950 edition with a new foreword by Maureen Duke, sometime chairman of the Society of Bookbinders, is a welcome reissue of one of the standard books on the craft of bookbinding. "Modern Bookbinding" deals in great detail with what used to be called the 'letterpress and stationery' branches of the trade and includes sections on finishing and design. This book is written by a practical craftsman who studied under Douglas Cockerell and won a scholarship to the Central School of Arts and Crafts and later to be employed by royal bookbinders Sangorski & Sutcliffe where he designed miniature buildings for Queen Mary's doll house. Eventually, Vaughan became a full-time teacher at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts and an examiner for the City & Guilds Bookbinding examinations. Even in retirement, he continued as a visiting teacher and taught binding apprentices at Hazell, Watson & Viney of Aylesbury. The detailed description of binding materials and technique also provide invaluable insight for the conservation of both hand- and machine-bound books.

Foreword by: Maureen Duke