About the cover:

Full-grain binding Dark red maroquin French binding with smooth spine and hand-gilt title over a linear motif, hand-gilt linear star composition on both covers, gilt top edge, hand-stitched silk endpapers, gilt standing edges, blind-printed inner edges, mirror and flying leaf in greenish-beige silk, half-leather chemise, cover in yellowish laid paper, slipcase with leather-bound opening, covered in yellowish laid paper.

About the content:

Thorvald Henningsen: The bookbinder's handbook with drawings by the author

2nd edition of 5,000 copies, Rudolf Hostettler Verlag, St. Gallen 1969

In 1950, the first edition of Henningsen's bookbinder's handbook was published by Rudolf Hostettler and Hermann Strehler in the SGM library in St. Gallen. This specialised book proved to be a suitable basis for training throughout the German-speaking world. In 1969, the 2nd edition, expanded to include industrial bookbinding, was published by Rudolf Hostettler and Max Hettler Verlag in Stuttgart.

About the artist: Thorvald Henningsen was born in Lausanne in 1896 and completed his bookbinding apprenticeship with Konrad Häsler in Zurich from 1910 to 1914. He gained a wide range of professional experience at various workplaces in Switzerland. After qualifying as a master craftsman in 1921, he was the manager of the Schumacher bookbindery in Bern. In 1946, he took over a bookbinding workshop at Napfgasse 4 in Zurich's old town, directly above Café Schober. The years leading up to the sale of his workshop in 1972 were intense: in addition to managing his soon very renowned workshop, he taught at the arts and crafts schools in Zurich and Bern, gave evening classes for bookbinders and preparatory courses for the master craftsman's examination. He was on the board of the Cantonal Zurich Master Bookbinder Association and the Museum of Bookbinding, as well as being involved in promotional films and trade exhibitions. He became known beyond Switzerland as the author of specialist books and articles.