Workshop on parchment

Parchment Making with Jesse Meyer
A GBW Workshop offered by the Delaware Valley Book Workers

A Two-Day Field Trip to the Richard E. Meyer and Sons Tannery in
Montgomery, NY
Friday and Saturday, May 20-21, 2005

   "That stouffe that we wrytte upon: and is made of beestis
    skynnes: is sometyme called parchment/ sometyme velem/ somtyme
    abortyve/ somtyme membraan."

        --Vulgaria uiri doctissimi Guil Hormani, 1519

Parchment, or vellum, is one of the oldest and most durable of
bookbinding materials, both as a covering material and as a text
support. It was the principle "plastic" material of the Middle Ages,
and remains one of the strongest, most sensuous, and most archival
of natural materials available to the bookbinder and calligrapher.
Its alkalinity makes it an ideal material for conservation purposes.
Join the Delaware Valley Chapter as we make a field trip to the
Richard E. Meyer and Sons Tannery, where we will spend two days
producing vellum.

On Friday we will be involved in "wet work", taking the fresh skins
through the dehairing stage to the point of stretching and scraping
them on the frame. We will also learn about the dyeing process.
Saturday will be spent on the "dry work", the finishing processes of
the skins, and will end with sanding the skins to proper thickness
and trimming.

We will also get a tour of the complete Tannery facilities. Jesse
Meyer's family has been in the leather tannery business for 450
years. They have been tanning in this country since the early
1800's, and since the 1500's in Germany. Jesse brought his lineage
and expertise into the craft of parchment making.  For years he has
been the leading parchment maker in the United States.

This event is both a unique opportunity and a rare bargain. Every
participant will come away with two vellum skins: one dyed goatskin
and one fair calf.

Montgomery, NY is located under 2 and half hours from Philadelphia.
Carpooling will be arranged from other areas.

A listing of hotels and B and B's and hotels is provided below for
those wishing to stay over Friday night.

2 Bed and Breakfasts, in particular, are close by within the town of
Montgomery:

    The Mead-Tooker House
    136 Clinton Street, Montgomery
    <URL:http://www.meadtooker.com>
    845-457-5770

    Pioneer Cottage
    30 Paul Lane
    Walden NY 12586
    914-542-9934
    845-778-5743
    <URL:http://www.pioneercottage.com>

    The Pioneer House
    Rte. 208, Montgomery
    845-778-5743

A list of other B and B's can be found at:

    <URL:http://www.new-york-inns.com>

and hotels:

    American Budget Inn:    845-783-3211
    Comfort Inn:            845-567-0567
    Marriott Courtyard:     845-567-4800
    Howard Johnson:         845-564-4000
    Ramada Inn:             845-564-4500
    Holiday Inn:            845-564-9020

A preview of Jesse's parchment making facilities can be seen at
<URL:http://www.pergamena.net>

The workshop fee is:$175.00 GBW Members, $190.00 non-members.
The materials fee is: $35.
A check holds your spot. Fee is non-refundable after May 9.

To register for this workshop please send the form below with a
check made payable to the Guild Of Book Workers and mail to

    Jennifer Rosner
    c/o The Library Company
    1314 Locust Street
    Philadelphia PA 19107

Questions:  Call Denise Carbone at 215-440-3413 (day) or
856-784-7526 (eve)

    Name
    Address
    Phone:
    E-mail:
    Member
    Non-member

Denise Carbone
Book Conservator
The American Philosophical Society
105 S. 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-440-3413


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:48
                  Distributed: Monday, April 11, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-18-48-009
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