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Amanda Buck


My journey with Fine Bookbinding/Book Conservation began in Guildford, Surrey-England in 1991. At that time the Master Bookbinders in the region set up a two-year Program instructing students on becoming Professional Bookbinders under the British tutors, Maureen Duke, Lester Capon, and John Mitchell. I was lucky enough to get in on the final years before they retired. All aspects of Bookbinding were taught in their Program: History of Bookbinding, Basic Bookbinding, Fine Bindings in Paper, Cloth, Leather, Gold Finishing, Paper Conservation. Students from all over the World came to be in the Program.

Upon returning the United States, I briefly worked at Harcourt Bindery in Boston, MA., where I met Richard Lamb and we started up Lamb & Buck Bindery in Pownal/Bennington,Vermont. The 10-year Partnership was more of an Apprenticeship as you cannot call yourself a Fine Bookbinder until you’ve been in the Craft for at least 7 years. I owe a great deal of who I am today as a Fine Bookbinder to Richard Lamb. His work ethic is second to none.

I continued my work in Northern Kentucky, outside of Louisville for the next 6 years. This was probably the most pivotal time in my career. For the books in Kentucky were in the worst condition of any I have worked on to this day. I had to develop new skills to bring these books back to life. Any other Bookbinder in their right mind would have discarded the covers and started over with fresh bindings but I took on the tedious and difficult task of Conserving and Restoring books that were lost causes.

In 2010, I relocated to Dahlonega, GA. My time in Georgia has been the most rewarding of my Career. I still strive to raise the level of my work on a daily basis.
Times have changed in the business. My workload is based almost entirely on Rare and Heirloom Books. While it is a luxury to hire a Bookbinder at this stage, most Collectors, Sellers, and Families find it a necessity as well. Even though the work is extremely intricate and detailed and Archival/Fine Bookbinding Materials are on the expensive side, the process of preserving Antiquarian Bindings has never ceased to be extremely rewarding.

B.A. in History, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Certificate, Fine Bookbinding, in Guildford, Surry, England
Bookbinder, Harcourt Bindery, Boston, MA.
Partner, Lamb & Buck Bindery, Pownal, UT.
Bindery in Louisville, KY
Bindery in Dahlonega, GA

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Being a Fine Bookbinder, it is my passion to uphold the highest level of Craftmanship, using the best materials available World Wide. Each book is tended to individually whether it requires repair, restoration, conservation or rebinding. Integrity, flexibility, longevity, and beauty are my cornerstones.

-Amanda Buck

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