Planning a doll's house size version of Crowley's *The Book of The Law* for an (adult!) friend.

The binding is proving a bit of a conundrum. The book is to be about 1in x 1in, 4.5pt, 80 pages, 5x4-sheet signatures. (typsetting done).

Because I want it readable, I really need to use Coptic binding. Tape-spine bound or perfect binding will break if opened. So it needs to lie flat.

But, I want it to look like a case bound book which means, first it needs a case, and second it shouldn't have the inter-signature gaps you get with Coptic.

So it's turning into a bit of a Frankenbook. I'll Coptic bind it and then use PVA & gauze on the spine like Perfect binding, to remove the gaps between signatures (just as an aesthetic thing so it's "white in the gap" and the signatures are held together).

Then I'll create a "fake" case, wrapped in fabric, without spine card, but maybe somehow stiffened. I'll make the Coptic boards as light as I can get away with and treat them as end-papers for the case.

First prototype went okay, with two problems: I was fiddling with it so much it's enmired in fingerprints and smudges, and I managed to tear the first page by not making sufficient room for slack when adding the case: that pulled the Coptic end piece away from the first signature on opening and tore the stitch. Next prototype incoming, 😄.

While prototyping I'm just using sheets with big numbers on, to avoid the hassle of the text until the book is ready.

#bookbinding #books #thelema