Need an extra special gift for an extra special person or occasion?  We have an option you have probably never considered.  

A totally customised, deluxe binding.

This customised, fine leather binding of Pinocchio was created as a Christening gift for a precious addition to the customer's family.  What started as a regular, hard covered edition of a beloved children's classic, has been given a luxe makeover, stripped back and rebound in fine goatskin leather.  

The leather colour was chosen by the customer, while the gold blocked title and blind embossed Pinocchio silhouette were created to compliment the stunning illustrations and typography within the book.

A custom designed box was also crafted to house the book - incorporating the same colour and blind embossed silhouette.  To say this binding was well received would be an understatement.

Imagine the sheer delight.   Receiving a one-off creation like this - an heirloom to be proudly treasured and passed on for generations.

You can create a stunning heirloom gift that will be treasured forever by just considering a few things:

Select a book they love.

For a child - say a first birthday, newborn gift or Christening - you can't go wrong with a children's classic.  Our absolute favourites feature the stunning illustrations by the award-winning Australian illustrator Robert Ingpen.  Pinocchio, Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland and the Secret Garden are just a few of the titles in this highly acclaimed series.  Other children's classics we love to recommend are The Adventures of Blinky Bill, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (or any of the May Gibbs titles) and of course anything by Beatrix Potter.

If selecting for an adult - you might consider their favourite novel - or some of the literary classics. It could be a book about a place they love, or a place they'd love to go.  

You can purchase the edition yourself or leave it to us.  Just remember, to create a 'deluxe' binding, the book block itself is equally important as the binding.  Some things to look for when selecting the edition are; beautiful illustrations, pages sewn in sections, heavier than average paper and the actual 'feel' of the pages.

Match the colour to the book or their personality.

This doesn't need much explanation.  It's as simple as thinking about a colour you think the recipient would like or looking at the images or illustrations inside the book.  Select a colour that compliments both the person you are giving the book to and the look and feel of the pages inside the book.  The endpapers of the book are often a good place to look for inspiration.  You might opt to keep the original endpapers - if they have beautiful illustrations or patterns on them - or have something more ornate and grand added.

Add a special message, monogram or other personalisation.

In addition to creating a customised binding you should also consider adding some further personalisation.  This could be as subtle as the recipients initials blind stamped on the spine or back of the book.  Another option is to write a special tribute or message in calligraphy to place inside the front or back cover - we can even bind an entire page into the book.  

Let us weave (or bind) our magic.   

We can design the typography and other embellishments, - whether you want something classic or elaborate - we'll discuss the design with you to ensure that the book is perfect.  You can also decide if you would like the book housed in a slipcase or a matching box.  

Want to see more Custom Binding?  We have a other examples to view in our Custom Binding Gallery.

Got an idea or question?  You can contact us here.