Presentation Bindings by Chad Pastotnik
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A selection of various unique bindings I've done in recent years.
None of them are available to purchase, sorry - all are sold.

In addition to binding most of the standard edition books from my three imprints over the years I like to "play" sometimes too. I use all kinds of materials to make these special bindings, the primary leather used is vegetable tanned goat but also calf, pig, vellum and a few other exotic skins in addition to handmade papers and backed cloth. Many years ago I painted in oils and often my process of envisioning the final binding is similar but more like collage out of necessity of process. Keeping a large inventory of various skins on hand in many colors, textures and sizes is difficult, space consuming and also expensive. In recent years I have begun dying many fair goat and calf hides myself which has helped and also opened new possibilities. I actually really enjoy hand paring leather, very therapeutic, so I do many onlays in addition to inlay work with debossed areas.

The tooling is all done by hand with various brass pallets, wheels and ornaments - some of which I make myself. My binders mark is a small leaf cut in a brass rod I made which is usually stamped somewhere on one of these bindings. I'm fortunate to have a nice collection of brass type as well but with my Linotype machine I am also able to cast lines up to 36pt which helps diversify things. All these books are housed in drop spine boxes or a slipcase, usually with an additional folio of artwork with the former.

I usually set aside a small portion of my editions in sheets for sale to other binders. Its always a treat to see what someone else does and their interpretation of the books I choose to print.

Usually there is a backlog of these bindings commissioned, I am always thankful for the patience of those waiting for them.


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This last book is also my first editioned book from 1991 which included 37 of my intaglio prints - engravings and  mezzotints on copper in an edition of 30 books and my first introduction to letterpress in a small job shop on the west side of Grand Rapids, MI. A coptic binding with real amate paper traded directly with a Zapotec tribe in Mexico in the 80’s covering aromatic cedar boards and a copper plate with the title “Tree” hand engraved on the cover.

While I am still proud of this little book – it is curious. I took it to Codex in 2021 and showed it alongside my recent edition of The Wind in the Willows and it got almost as much attention. This, in my opinion, is sad. I have spent over 30 years trying to perfect the craft of bookmaking at every stage of production but now the circle has come back to conceptual book arts which celebrates an idea over craft. I’ll keep making proper books and continue a historic tradition, using archival materials and processes, which are now more in danger of being lost than ever before....




















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