Monique Lallier

Bound in a single piece of black leather; covers and spine have onlays of gold and multicolored leather; decorations continued on black leather doublures; colored headbands; gilt top edges; in a decorated leather pull-off case. 

Born in Montreal in 1941, Lallier studied bookbinding first in Montreal with Simone B. Roy, then finishing in Paris with Roger Arnoult, with Edwin Heim on basic raised cords, French technique binding at the Centro Del Bel Libro in Ascona, and with Hugo Peller in Solothurn, Switzerland on limp vellum binding, paper binding, twin binding and boxes. She has participated in almost all the major exhibitions in America and Europe in the last twenty years and says that “I have always enjoyed participating in an exhibition where the same title is bound by different binders. As Don says, ‘you can tell a binder by the cover.’ My bindings are part of many Institutions and private collections in Canada, United States, Europe and Japan. I have been practicing bookbinding for more than twenty-five years and my studio is always a very joyous and comfortable place to be. For the last nine years my interest in conservation has grown, and my time is now divided between fine bindings and conservation work. I enjoy the challenge of learning how to preserve for future generations what was done centuries ago. It teaches you humility and a great respect for the quality of the workmanship and the materials the old binders used.” She currently works from her studio in Summerfield, North Carolina.

BINDING

“The first request from Mel was that Don and I do one binding in collaboration. I thought that would be fun to do; two brains, two styles, four hands, one pencil and one…eraser! Woof…Then Mel called back and said that he really wanted one binding from each of us…maybe next time. I like black leather for the cover. I think it is a wonderful background for a colorful design. Every color gives its own brilliance and personality freely. I wanted gold, onlays, texture, forms within shape, blind space and color stamping to illustrate what modern design binding can be with the utilization of traditional material and techniques. The outside, inside and fly leaves are all covered with one piece of leather: there are no cuts from one side to the other. The design is continued on the inside of the boards and the fly leaves. The interlocking box reflects the same spirit. I love to bind miniature books. Thank you Mel for the opportunity.”