Bayntun's Bookshop

Bayntun's Bookshop, trading as George Bayntun, is one of the world's most famous antiquarian bookshops and the home of the Bayntun-Riviere bindery, a hand-binding workshop whose roots date to 1829. It is located in an imposing listed building less than 50 yards from Isambard Kingdom Brunel's train station in the centre of Bath, Somerset, England. The shop occupies a former Post Office sorting office designed by F. W. Gardiner in 1901 and converted for the bookshop in 1938 by Mowbray Green & Hollier; little inside has changed since then, and the binders still work at benches originally used to sort mail. The business was founded by George Bayntun, born in Bath on 4 August 1873. He served his apprenticeship with the Taylor family in Trim Street and started his own bookbinding business in Northumberland Place in 1894. He employed London binders to raise craftsmanship standards and soon moved to a larger workshop in Walcot Street. In 1920 he bought the business of George Gregory, acquiring a stock of books that filled 23 rooms, and in 1939 the Bayntun and Riviere binderies were incorporated into the present premises in Manvers Street. George Bayntun died in 1940 at the age of 67, having built a world-famous business. The shop specialises in fine bindings both old and new, first and illustrated editions, with an emphasis on English literature, and familiar and unusual books, all in the best possible condition. It sells antiquarian books, new Bayntun-Riviere leather bindings, boxes and slipcases, and restoration services. The bindery is described as the last of the great Victorian trade binderies still in family ownership and prides itself on binding entirely by hand. It claims the largest collection of hand tools and blocks in the world — over 15,000, some dating to the eighteenth century — and uses 23½ct gold for hand-gilding edges, more than 40 colours of premium goat and calf skins, and a vast selection of hand-marbled papers. Besides binding books for the shop, it undertakes work for individuals and institutions worldwide. George Bayntun's final years were crowned by the frequent and knowledgeable patronage of Queen Mary, who spent the war years at Badminton, near Bath. In 1950 she granted the firm the appointment of Bookseller to Her Majesty. During the Second World War the Admiralty commandeered half of the new Manvers Street property and most of the staff joined the services. Today the shop welcomes visitors to browse many thousands of books and prints over three floors, with some stock catalogued online and much more discoverable only on the shelves. It exhibits at fairs such as Firsts London and the Bath Book Fair, and maintains an active presence through catalogues and online listings.

The story of Bayntun's Bookshop begins with George Bayntun, born in Bath on 4 August 1873. He served his apprenticeship with the Taylor family in Trim Street and, in 1894, started his own bookbinding business in Northumberland Place. He employed London binders to raise the standard of craftsmanship and soon moved into a larger workshop in Walcot Street. Book Auction Records for 1906 recognised his success: "He has brought intelligence into play as well as high craftsmanship". In 1920 he bought the business of George Gregory, with a stock of books filling 23 rooms. In 1939 the Bayntun and Riviere binderies were incorporated into the present premises in Manvers Street. Robert Riviere had founded his bindery in Bath in 1829, and George Bayntun followed his example in 1894; the combined Bayntun-Riviere bindery is now described as the last of the great Victorian trade binderies still in family ownership. George Bayntun was fondly described by Wilmarth Lewis in Collectors Progress (Constable, 1954): "He wore a smock in the shop and after selling a certain number of books took snuff. The sneeze released fresh energies". Questioned about his adherence to traditional techniques he responded, "We work in the old way. Machine binding? Ah yes... but not for us". He had an especially good relationship with many of the pre-eminent American dealers, and Arthur Brentano, Maurice Inman, Nat Ladden and Dr Rosenbach hosted a lunch in his honour on a visit to New York in 1936. George Bayntun died in 1940 at the age of 67, having built a world-famous business. Wilmarth Lewis wrote: "After twenty seven years his books are sound and with any kind of care they will remain so forever". George Bayntun's final years were crowned by the frequent and knowledgeable patronage of Queen Mary, who spent the war years at Badminton, near Bath. In 1950, she granted the firm the appointment of Bookseller to Her Majesty. During the Second World War the Admiralty commandeered half of the new Manvers Street property and most of the staff joined the services. The shop is located in an imposing listed building less than 50 yards from Isambard Kingdom Brunel's train station in the centre of Bath. It features in the latest Pevsner Architectural Guide to Bath, written by Michael Forsyth: "Bayntun's Bookshop and Bindery by F. W. Gardiner, 1901, originally the Post Office sorting office, and externally unaltered. It has big, arched ground-floor openings, first-floor mullioned and transformed windows, four gables and nice rainwater hoppers and original pairs of gates and railings – a bold and convinced statement, conceding nothing to the Georgian tradition. Mowbray Green & Hollier converted it in 1938". Little inside the shop has changed since 1938, at which time most of the furniture was already antique, and the binders still work at the benches originally used to sort the mail. Today the business continues as a world-renowned bookshop and bindery. It specialises in fine bindings, both old and new, first and illustrated editions, with an emphasis on English literature, and familiar and unusual books, all in the best possible condition. In the bindery, craftsmen and women bind and restore books for sale in the shop and for customers all over the world. The bindery claims the largest collection of hand tools and blocks in the world (over 15,000), some dating back to the eighteenth century and all still usable. It insists on binding in the traditional manner, using the highest quality materials — for example, the edges of all bindings are gilded by hand using 23½ct gold (preferred to 24ct). It offers a range of over 40 colours of premium quality goat and calf skins, and a vast selection of hand-marbled papers. Designs range from historical to modern. Besides binding books for sale in the shop, the bindery undertakes work for individuals and institutions throughout the world. Visitors are invited to browse through a stock of many thousands of books and prints, spread over three floors; some are catalogued and listed online, whilst many more can only be found by searching the shelves.

• 1950

  Queen Mary grants the firm the appointment of Bookseller to Her Majesty.

• 1940

  George Bayntun dies at the age of 67.

• 1939

  Bayntun and Riviere binderies incorporated into the present premises in Manvers Street.

• 1938

  Mowbray Green & Hollier convert the former Post Office sorting office into the bookshop and bindery.

• 1936

  American dealers host a lunch in his honour on a visit to New York.

• 1920

  Buys the business of George Gregory, with a stock of books filling 23 rooms.

• 1906

  Book Auction Records recognises his success: "He has brought intelligence into play as well as high craftsmanship".

• 1894

  George Bayntun starts his own bookbinding business in Northumberland Place, Bath.

• 1873

  George Bayntun born in Bath on 4 August.

• 1829

  Robert Riviere founds his bindery in Bath.

World-renowned antiquarian bookshop and the last great Victorian trade bindery still in family ownership, specialising in fine bindings and English literature.

• Antiquarian books

• First editions

• Illustrated editions

• Bayntun-Riviere leather bindings

• Boxes and slipcases

• Book restoration services

• Prints

1. 1George Bayntun — official websitegeorgebayntun.com
2. 2About us — George Bayntungeorgebayntun.com
3. 3About the bindery — George Bayntungeorgebayntun.com
4. 4About the bookshop — George Bayntungeorgebayntun.com
5. 5Bayntun's Bookshop — Wikidatawikidata.org