Aulwynd Bindery

Meet Hugo Stevensen

Founded in 2024 in the depths of East Anglia, Aulwynd Bindery exists to keep the ancient techniques of English bookbinding alive and make them available to any book lover.

As a lifelong collector of rare, fine and antiquarian books, Hugo started training in bookbinding to learn to design and maintain the books he was passionate about. He wanted to bridge the gap between the traditional, established bookbinders of the highest quality and the collectors who wanted, but could not afford, to use them.

Every aspect of Hugo’s work makes use of the ancient, slow and skilful techniques that were used to make high quality, long-lasting and beautiful books for centuries and that, since the introduction of mechanical binding machines in the 20^th century, have almost entirely been lost. These skills are the reason that our greatest libraries contain books that remain readable in their original bindings created back in the early Middle Ages. These bindings were also designed to be beautiful and, through their adornments, such as the emblems, borders and colours used on their covers, they convey aesthetic principles that accord with the written content they contain. They last because they are extremely well made using the finest materials; modern hardbacks produced in mechanical binding machines will not last beyond 50 years with regular use.

The creativity for Hugo also lies in the careful selection of materials, the design of the cover, the choice of sewing and binding styles and the unique decorative elements which can be applied. He particularly loves the process of thinking about what ideas or stories the author of a book has written about and devising a way to realise those principles through the aesthetics of the binding. He then enjoys the slow, precise process of using skills that have been passed down for centuries to bring that binding gradually to life.

When it is finally complete and the book is there before him, the sense of gratification at having made something that is all the more beautiful due to the collaboration between the author and Hugo is something he finds extremely satisfying.

Aulwynd Bindery is the product of years of training to be able to offer off-the-shelf books of the highest quality and bespoke bindings and rebindings that are available to all collectors, whatever their budget.

For ready-to-buy journals and other stationery please visit his Etsy page at aulwyndbindery.etsy.com.

For antiquarian repair work, rebinding, or bespoke bookbinding work please visit his website (link above).

Photography by Simply C Photography