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Explore the life and work of internationally renowned bookbinder Roger Powell, whose work on exquisite books out of his Froxfield bindery transformed the knowledge of bookbinding for generations.

Tradition and innovation connect the work of internationally renowned bookbinder Roger Powell (1896 – 1990) with William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, the Book of Kells at Trinity College Dublin, conservation work on flood-damaged books in Florence in 1966 and outstanding contemporary bookbinding today. Bound Together: Modern British Bookbinding will tell the fascinating story of Roger Powell, a leading British bookbinder and conservator who lived and worked in Froxfield near Petersfield, through a selection of rarely seen fine bindings from private collectors.

Powell’s remarkable career spanned over five decades from the 1930s, initially working with leading bookbinder Douglas Cockerell (1870-1945). Powell established his own bindery in Froxfield in 1947 and over the years, Powell and his business partner, Peter Waters, worked on numerous important commissions from prestigious institutions, libraries, and collectors worldwide, including the conservation and re-binding of the Book of Kells for Trinity College Dublin.

In 1966, when the River Arno in Florence flooded and caused unprecedented damage to thousands of books of the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, Roger Powell and Peter Waters were closely involved in the conservation of thousands of valuable books. This project transformed the technical knowledge of book conservation for future generations.

Respect for traditional techniques and materials combined with a sensitive response to the text continues to inform bookbinders today, as seen in the work of members of Designer Bookbinders, one of the foremost societies devoted to the craft of contemporary bookbinding.

An accompanying exhibition of over 20 uniquely bound books by members of the Designer Bookbinders will showcase the extraordinary design and skill of many of today’s leading contemporary bookbinders.