Drawing inspiration from one of the earliest Eastern book forms, this concertina book is a meeting of history, sunlight and handcraft. Every book is made by hand, slowly and thoughtfully, a labour of love that honours traditional technique and natural beauty.
Price: $70
Materials cost: $15
Donation to charity: $55
Time to create: 5 hours
Materials & method
• Inspired by the ancient concertina book form, first created in the Eastern bookbinding tradition centuries ago.
• Each book measures 150 x 100 mm (height x width) and contains a six-page text block made from European 200 gsm cotton rag pape, machine made but rich in the character and texture of handmade paper.
• The lignin-free paper ensures longevity, resisting the yellowing and brittleness of time.
• The continuous concertina pages form a flowing cyanotype, a photographic process invented in 1841 that captures the silhouette of foraged foliage using sunlight and chemistry.
• Each image is created using foliage gathered from the garden at Thrums, often featuring native Australian plants, making this an especially meaningful gift for those travelling abroad.
• The covers are crafted from archival card and wrapped in Japanese Chiyogami paper, made from mulberry fibres using methods dating back to Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868).
• Adhesive is handmade from wheat starch, cooked and prepared by hand following traditional Japanese techniques.
• Perfect as a “keep forever” gift, a collective message book for retirements, anniversaries or milestones, or as a freestanding display piece, opened to showcase its rich blue artwork.
• Though cyanotypes are light-sensitive, their deep blue can be restored simply by resting the piece in a dark place for a time. Much like me some days.
• Every book is unique, its details shaped by sunlight, season and the hand that made it.
Drawing inspiration from one of the earliest Eastern book forms, this concertina book is a meeting of history, sunlight and handcraft. Every book is made by hand, slowly and thoughtfully, a labour of love that honours traditional technique and natural beauty.
Price: $70
Materials cost: $15
Donation to charity: $55
Time to create: 5 hours
Materials & method
• Inspired by the ancient concertina book form, first created in the Eastern bookbinding tradition centuries ago.
• Each book measures 150 x 100 mm (height x width) and contains a six-page text block made from European 200 gsm cotton rag pape, machine made but rich in the character and texture of handmade paper.
• The lignin-free paper ensures longevity, resisting the yellowing and brittleness of time.
• The continuous concertina pages form a flowing cyanotype, a photographic process invented in 1841 that captures the silhouette of foraged foliage using sunlight and chemistry.
• Each image is created using foliage gathered from the garden at Thrums, often featuring native Australian plants, making this an especially meaningful gift for those travelling abroad.
• The covers are crafted from archival card and wrapped in Japanese Chiyogami paper, made from mulberry fibres using methods dating back to Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868).
• Adhesive is handmade from wheat starch, cooked and prepared by hand following traditional Japanese techniques.
• Perfect as a “keep forever” gift, a collective message book for retirements, anniversaries or milestones, or as a freestanding display piece, opened to showcase its rich blue artwork.
• Though cyanotypes are light-sensitive, their deep blue can be restored simply by resting the piece in a dark place for a time. Much like me some days.
• Every book is unique, its details shaped by sunlight, season and the hand that made it.
