Bruce Peel Special Collections

Hand bookbinder and book conservator Alexander J. McGuckin and Bruce Peel Special Collections have been successful partners for many years. McGuckin's Edmonton bookbinding atelier specializes in period bindings (a type of restoration in which a book is rebound in the style of the period during which the book was originally published), and the library has commissioned many projects from the local artisan. Along with period bindings, McGuckin has provided services in book restoration, design bindings, clamshell and presentation boxes, and special commissions. McGuckin's work is visible throughout the Peel library's collections, as he has helped to restore and preserve many special and rare materials. McGuckin's bindings and boxes are of an outstanding quality. Not only do they showcase and preserve the codices within them, but they also serve as beautiful examples of his creative vision and artistry. Some special projects McGuckin has worked on for the Peel library include his first commission, a design binding of John Bunyan's The Holy War (1790), presentation boxes of the first editions of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1813) and Sense and Sensibility (1811), and an elaborate English restoration binding of The Historical and Chronological Theatre of Christopher Helvicus (1687). A testament to his craft, McGuckin makes many of his own tools by hand, some of which have been generously donated to the Peel library. McGuckin's high standards of excellence, inspired designs, and exceptional technical expertise in the restoration of rare books have made him a valuable partner.

Collection Formats: Books, Limited Edition Books, Specialty Bindings -- click to see other collections with this format