Clamshell Boxes

Event Info

This two-day, in-person workshop takes place at CBA on Saturday and Sunday, June 8th – 9th, from 10am to 4pm ET.

• Saturday, June 8th, 10am to 4pm ET
• Sunday, June 9th, 10am to 4pm ET

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on May 25th, at 11:59 pm.

About the Workshop:

This in-person class at Center for Book Arts is taught by instructor Carolyn Chadwick.

Boxmaking is an essential skill for any bookbinder. The clamshell box is a terrific way to protect and preserve a first edition, an antiquarian book, an artist’s book or a suite of prints. It keeps out light, dust and prevents the wear and tear on the shelf. This class will focus on the basic techniques – accurate measuring, cutting, and gluing. The critical aspect of making a clamshell box is precision in measuring. The 1st tray needs to hold a book or sheets without rubbing but without room for movement. The 2nd tray needs to fit the first. And the cover needs to pull it all together so it opens and closes properly and stands up straight. Participants will come away with a finished clamshell box to hold a book — great opportunity for book artists and bookbinders!

Required Materials:

• A book or stack of sheets you would like to make a box for (no larger than 11″h x 8.5″ wide x 1.5″ deep)
• Bone folder
• scalpel

All other materials will be provided by Center for Book Arts at no additional cost.

About Carolyn Chadwick

Carolyn Chadwick has been bookbinding since about 1980 when she signed on to work with English trained bookbinder Mark Tomsett in New York and worked with him for 12 years, learning on the bench. She moved on to the Conservation Department at NYPL and then to self-employment. Carolyn has taught throughout her career at a number of institutions including The Center for Book Arts, The Craft Students League and The Brookfield Craft Center.

All images courtesy of the instructor.