Marquetry Book Box

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Once upon a time I was a bookbinder before I started woodworking. This is a very rare book I was able to purchase when I worked as bookbinder. “The Art of Bookbinding” by Joseph W. Zaehnsdorf, a treatise on bookbinding from 1880. The details of the binding are astounding and are some of the reasons I wanted to work with my hands so much. 
I had some fun and made a marquetried display box for it. The marquetry is from a woodcut that Zaehnsdorf bindery would use in their bindings. I chose  the EZ monogram in the woodcut to represent Joseph’s son(Ernest Zaehnsdorf) as I believe his signature is in the front pages of this book. 

19 Comments

Cool project looks great and a wonderful way to show off a book of that caliber. 

Main Street to the Mountains

Welcome aboard Ryan. You know I love the box.😉👍👌

The early bird gets the worm but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.

That is a very creative display box. Nicely done!
so beautiful.  to me marquetry is the ultimate  art in wood working.
That looks amazing, cool marquetry and always good to see the screws clocked in for us OCD types ;)
very fine work.

No Bees. No Honey. Bees Lives Matter

Beautiful work, an obvious labor of love and respect. It’s a fitting home for a cherished book.
Very nicely done. 

Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".

Absolutely astounding workmanship !!
 a very fitting home for a special book. it blows my mind when i think of the time you guys that do marquetry spend on these projects. the results are awesome though.

working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.

Beautifully done.  Lovely home for the rare book.  
Thanks everyone. It took me a while (I love to procrastinate) but have eventually got on here. Shipwright taught me the ways of French Marquetry and the chevalet and put that passion of craftsmanship back into me with his courses. I used to be a bookbinder and love the similarities with woodworking and marquetry hit the spot.  

" a very fitting home for a special book. it blows my mind when I think of the time you guys that do marquetry spend on these projects. the results are awesome though" is the exact reason I love it so much, it has taught me to slow down and enjoy what I am doing (more like Shipwright taught me that, but we get the point)!

Quality wins over quantity every time. Exceptionally well done!!!
Ryan is one of CSFM’s most talented graduates. He’s just getting started here.😉

The early bird gets the worm but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.

What a wonderful box, no better place for a rare book. Years ago when I was looking at the North Bennet Street School website, I saw the book binding classes and thought I would love to do that, but my career path was already chosen. Our whole family loves to read and I can tell you you'll never see me reading a book from a kindle, there is just something about having a real book in your hands. 

-- Paul--- Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. — Scott Adams

I worked in a bindery (McCalls, then was Dayton Press) off and on for 7 years while I was going to school. Nothing I bound looked anything like this. Great work Ryan.