Toben Lewis
Baile Mòr Books
biog
Toben Lewis is a lifelong bibliophile and professional biblioplegist, which are both just fancy ways of saying he is a gigantic book nerd.
Most of his working life has been either directly or tangentially related to books in some form. Toben’s career started as a graphic designer in the publishing and advertising industries and has evolved to focus on bookbinding and repair/restoration.
A little over six years ago he discovered a talent for and deep love of the physical act of binding books. Since stumbling into this world of bookbinding he has studied the subject intensely, the physical craft and engineering of it alongside the history of the practice worldwide, and produced hundreds of books for others to enjoy.
Humans have been creating books for thousands of years and Toben takes great pleasure in employing the same techniques and skills that generations before him have honed and passed on. He uses conservation techniques and materials when working on older books, in keeping with the binding and in order to preserve it for many years to come. When working on artist books and commissioned design bindings, he delights in slightly subverting these techniques with unique and contemporary materials and themes.
Baile Mòr Books is a wee bookbindery and book design studio based on the Island of Iona, providing custom design bindings, book repair and restoration, and bookbinding workshops.