{"id":924,"date":"2012-08-06T21:27:29","date_gmt":"2012-08-07T02:27:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/?p=924"},"modified":"2025-09-15T16:33:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T20:33:30","slug":"my-hand-flatland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2012\/08\/06\/my-hand-flatland\/","title":{"rendered":"My Hand…Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This fine binding of Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions<\/em><\/a> by Edwin A. Abbott was completed for the Guild of Book Workers National Traveling show ‘Horizon<\/a>‘. \u00a0The show opened on June 8th at The Great Hall at the Margaret I. King Special Collections Library in the University of Kentucky and will soon be traveling to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City for the grand opening of the Standards Seminar on October 11, 2012.<\/p>\n

I choose Flatland<\/em> (not only because it’s one of my favorite science fictions novels), but I wanted to challenge myself by creating a 3-dimensional cover for the binding. \u00a0Abbott’s novella is an observation on the social hierarchy of Victorian culture set in a fictional 2-dimensional world known as Flatland whose denizens are geometric figures which defines their place in the social ladder (women are depicted as lowly lines). \u00a0Readers are guided through the text by a Square who dreams of other dimensions and challenges the authority of the high class Circle. \u00a0As you move around the book, a sphere begins to emerge from the cover, illustrating the Square’s discovery of the third dimension.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The book has been bound in white buffalo skin, while the shapes are tooled onlays of both goat and buffalo with palladium outlines. \u00a0A plastic lens was mounted to bass wood to give the right dimension for the sphere and adhered to the front board before covering. \u00a0The order of the shapes was taken from the hierarchy listed in the book, while the layout was greatly inspired by Art Deco bindings of the early 1900s. \u00a0The edges of the text block are gilt with Palladium leaf over a base of graphite; headbands have been sewn to mimic the color pattern created by the shapes.<\/p>\n

The title was tooled with palladium using a series of line palettes and gouges to create a custom font.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

At the beginning and end of the text block a pop-up of a cube is revealed representing another opportunity to transform a 2-dimensional object into a 3-dimensional one. \u00a0The book is housed in an elaborate enclosure, in order to protect the raised area of the cover a spacer was constructed with a circle cutout. \u00a0The spacer is lined with leather and white suede on the side facing the book and paper on the other. \u00a0A chemise lined with white suede encompassed the spacer and book. \u00a0All three components rest inside a leather spine clamshell box. \u00a0The title and an image of the Flatlander’s home are tooled on the spine of the box.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This fine binding of Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott was completed for the Guild of Book Workers National Traveling show ‘Horizon‘. \u00a0The show opened on June 8th at The Great Hall at the Margaret I. King Special Collections Library in the University of Kentucky and will soon be traveling to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[68,8],"tags":[1867,191,173,117,67,188,190,189,75],"class_list":["post-924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookbinding","category-my-hand","tag-bookbinding","tag-edwin-a-abbott","tag-erin-fletcher","tag-exhibition","tag-fine-binding","tag-flatland","tag-guild-of-book-workers","tag-horizons","tag-leather"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Btis-eU","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4754,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2013\/03\/05\/horizon-online-catalog\/","url_meta":{"origin":924,"position":0},"title":"Horizon: Online Catalog","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"March 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"After waiting patiently for months, the catalog for the Guild of Book Workers Traveling Exhibition: Horizon is now online!! I am so honored to be apart of this show, exhibiting with other binders and book artists whom I respect. Here are a few of my favorites from the show: 1.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bookbinding"","block_context":{"text":"bookbinding","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/bookbinding\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Flatland-ErinFletcher.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Flatland-ErinFletcher.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Flatland-ErinFletcher.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1515,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2012\/09\/17\/my-hand-fantasy-nonsense-exhibition\/","url_meta":{"origin":924,"position":1},"title":"My Hand…Fantasy & Nonsense Exhibition","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"September 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library is hosting an exhibition from September 7th - November 4th showcasing bindings of the set book\u00a0Fantasy and Nonsense printed by Tryst Press; my binding will be included in this show. If you happen to be in the area during the second weekend\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bookbinding"","block_context":{"text":"bookbinding","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/bookbinding\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/DSC8401b-1024x664.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/DSC8401b-1024x664.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/DSC8401b-1024x664.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6161,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/07\/bookbinder-of-the-month-coleen-curry\/","url_meta":{"origin":924,"position":2},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Coleen Curry","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"July 7, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"W.W. Elliot's Grand and Sublime Scenery was bound by Coleen Curry in 2008 as a French-style fine binding, sewn on cords with lace-in boards. Covered in black Morocco goatskin with matching edge to edge doublures; cover has an embedded Colorado agate. The head edge is decorated with graphite and title\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/grandandsublimescenery-coleencurry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/grandandsublimescenery-coleencurry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/grandandsublimescenery-coleencurry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/grandandsublimescenery-coleencurry.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6285,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/28\/bookbinder-of-the-month-coleen-curry-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":924,"position":3},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Coleen Curry","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"July 28, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Every three years, the\u00a0Guild of Book Workers offers a national traveling exhibition based on a general theme. In June 2012, Horizon, the most recent GBW exhibition began it's journey across the nation starting at the University of Kentucky. The exhibition is currently on it's way to the University of Denver\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/tamalpaiswalkingdetail-coleencurry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/tamalpaiswalkingdetail-coleencurry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/tamalpaiswalkingdetail-coleencurry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/tamalpaiswalkingdetail-coleencurry.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8024,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/18\/bookbinder-of-the-month-monique-lallier-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":924,"position":4},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Monique Lallier","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"May 18, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"In Flight\u00a0ran from 2003 - 2005 as the triennial traveling exhibit organized by the Guild of Book Workers. For the exhibit, Monique Lallier bound The Phoenix. The most obviously astonishing design element executed by Monique on this binding is the use of two separate leathers with a seamless connection down\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/ThePhoenix-MoniqueLallier.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6199,"url":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/14\/bookbinder-of-the-month-coleen-curry-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":924,"position":5},"title":"Bookbinder of the Month: Coleen Curry","author":"Erin Fletcher","date":"July 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"West of the Plains was a juried exhibition put on by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers\u00a0between 2008-09. Coleen Curry submitted two fine bindings to this exhibition, Desert Dreams\u00a0by Lawrence G. Van Velzer with illustrations by Peggy Gotthold\u00a0and Grand and Sublime Scenery\u00a0by W.W. Elliot.\u00a0 In 2008,\u00a0Desert\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "binder of the month"","block_context":{"text":"binder of the month","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/category\/binder-of-the-month\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/desertdreams-coleencurry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/desertdreams-coleencurry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/desertdreams-coleencurry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/desertdreams-coleencurry.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/924","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=924"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/924\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11089,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/924\/revisions\/11089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=924"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=924"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.herringbonebindery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=924"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}