Herringbone Bindery
Erin Fletcher : Fine Binding & Edition Binding
Front cover of Dune on a white table. Front cover of Dune on a white table. Close-up of front cover of Dune on a white table. Edge of Dune on a white table. Interior of Dune on a white table. Box edge of Dune on a white table. Box interior of Dune on a white table. Box spine of Dune on a white table.
Dune - by Frank Herbert
Chilton Book Co., Philadelphia, 1965
First edition

Private Collection, US

French-style fine binding with laced-in boards. Bound in tan goatskin with a back-pared embroidered onlay. Dark brown gold tooled onlay with concentric gold tooled circles. Title and author tooled on spine in gold using line palettes and gouges. Blind tooled onlay on spine and back board in light pink buffalo skin. Edges decorated with sponged-on gouache and elements of gilding and painting in dark brown. Hand-sewn double core French headbands in cotton embroidery floss. Matching edge-to-edge doublures gold tooled. Flyleaves in dark brown suede and handmade Katie MacGregor paper endpapers.

Book is housed in a clamshell box covered with terracotta goatskin and brown Canapetta bookcloth. Leather spine embroidered and title tooled in same fashion as binding. Trays covered in handmade Katie MacGregor paper and lined in dark brown suede.

21.3cm x 14.3cm x 4.7cm - Completed in 2015



Exhibition History
  • Exhibited in Guild of Book Workers Traveling Exhibit: Vessel (2015-2017)
    • California State Polytechnic University, Kellogg Gallery
    Rochester Institute of Technology, Cary Graphic Arts Collection
    North Bennet Street School, Windgate Gallery



Artist Statement
Inspired by the theme vessel, I chose to illustrate the mind altering substance melange or "spice". However, the Bene Gesserit, a powerful matriarchal group, uses the spice to enhance and control their mental abilities. Ingesting the spice can allow one to visit prior generations.

Read about the binding process of this book on my blog.