Jack The Bookbinder

Jack Chitgian has operated the Beverly Hills Bookbinding Service, above The Cheese Store at 415 N Beverly Drive since 1967 and gives the Beverly Hills Historical Society a demonstration of what is becoming a disappearing and lost art.

[@BrakhianSoldier]

Its easy to recognize somebody who speaks with passion and love for his trade. I think thats what the world is missing nowadays. Things made with love and passion and dedication.

[@paulclemens7953]

Jack is as wonderful a person as he is a masterful craftsman. I've been collecting rare Edgar Allan Poe books and periodicals for 40+ years now and Jack has done some exquisite work for me, from stunning custom re-binding to creating gorgeous clam-shell boxes for some of my rarest editions. This man is a true artist. Also, appreciating his rare skill as I do, I was honored to have a personal glimpse into his workshop, much like the one in this video. And I value having gotten to know this warm and delightful man as much I admire the brilliant artisan. Long may you live and create, Jack!

[@mohamadyasinowadally8564]

Hello Jack you have a great God gifted craft...You are in fact reviving a great art...God bless..👍

[@calielaine7222]

I'd love to come and see his shop and watch him work.

[@charleshuggins7072]

Keep the good work going my good friend we need to inspire the next generation.Thank you C.E.Huggins Rare books

[@melissam0ss]

Thank you 🙏🏻 I praise you for putting this important info out to help people realize that this is a craft that needs to be SAVED! I would love to learn this craft and be able to use my creativity and love of putting art into each and every book!

[@grannyduck4841]

How wonderful. I think you are marvellous. Such skill and passion. I have just made my first hand made book with Sollas Books in the Hebrides. A wonderful experience. I also collect first edition children’s books and you have reignited my love of the art of books. If I lived there I would have to come and be your free assistant. Thank you for such a lovely video.

[@scribbleartie]

Wow, this guy is so passionate! Loving the old machines he uses, and also his work is utterly fascinating. Great art form and its very sad that the craft of bookbinding is dying out. I wonder if he has a son that would carry it on.

[@sabrinaelise7484]

the masters should make videos in order to preserve their techniques!

[@starruchan3798]

Sabrina Elise yes I hope they do

[@erykfreethinker7147]

Wonderful craftsman in a wonderful workshop, inspiring and satisfying. Many sources of rare materials, tools and components are being lost but they will return just as so many other crafts are constantly revived and just occasionally improved upon. I hope he has an apprentice to take the business further.

[@falconridgedesigns]

I use to work sat s fine press. Your shop reminds me very much of the place i worked. I love books and I loved watching this video, thank you so much for keeping the art of book binding alinve.

[@The_Butler_Did_It]

That 1922 signed copy of Mark Twain's must be extremely rare and valuable if he managed to sign it 12 years after he died.

[@tybronx2446]

That story about the paper marbler who went blind really made me sad. I hope videos like these make people interested enough to look for apprenticeships with jobs like these.

[@lisajarvis3820]

You have the same thoughts about bookbinding that I have ~ we need to keep this alive and train others to do this!

[@shivshivie]

Lots of respect sir. Your work is beautiful :)

[@bondbond12]

Would love to go learn from him for a few months , just did up a old JTM Series Hot Press , love old books and binding .

[@Stallnig]

My sister and her friend went to london (i believe) and visited some kind of bookmuseum or something. A guy working there just had taken out some fat old book from a showcase, put it on top of it and left a few seconds to aid a customer. My sister and her friend just had entered and thought the book was there on display. They opened it and brushed through some pages. The guy came back and was visibly in shock, but didn't say much, just quickly put it back into the case. He then told them that the thing they just touched was worth around 150'000€...

[@Belialith]

Beautiful work. I know how much hand work goes into a project. I have to figure out how to piece certain colours of fabric together because I don't have enough whole fabric to cut the remainder of the dress I'm making, so I have to do a lot of creative thinking and hand sewing to piece all these specific type of fabric together to make it. Hah! You give me inspiration! (haha, and it has to look like I originally thought it up JUST LIKE THAT! )

[@salimchishti3991]

Very nice Brother Hats off for you love from India

[@bdgoins1]

A true Craftsman and Artist Thank you

[@marycozzensauldridge6634]

you do wonderful work. I do hope you take young people to be apprentices, so your craft will live on.

[@inezgriffiths5190]

Fabulous insight, but your workshop needs a good tidy! 😊 I love bookbinding, keeps me sane!

[@RafaelToscano]

"...trying to get one inch better; one millimetre better than you did last time" - perfect!

[@isaian2e]

this is so fascinating. ty for the post.

[@a.sionefonua3562]

Hi Jack, please I have the same Bible that your holding on 12minutes 10secs of this video... it's an old family Bible from my Great Great Grandfather and I'm quite keen to restore / fix the Bible to the level you have done... I take that's your address on top and I will come and see you with regards this year some time... Thank you for keeping the art alive.

[@mr.klutchrednose2700]

A. Sione Fonua WHERE U ABLE 2 HAVE YOUR BIBLE RESTORED MY FRIEND 🤔🤔🤔🤔 N HOW U LIKE IT IF U HAD THE MASTER BOOK MAN DO IT 4 U

[@dchino8679]

What a treat to watch, wow!

[@donipancake]

i'd looove to learn the bookbinding methods and how everything is done in tiny details !! it's so inspiring

[@livi116]

Keep going pleaseeee your work is amazing

[@salimchishti3991]

You are speaking from your heart

[@tybronx2446]

"A lot of the time people who have electric cutters have fingers missing" WHAT 🤣

[@therussian572]

What's the marbled paper called? I have been looking for that exact type for a couple of years since I found a specimen of it in a book from the late 19th century for restore, and fell in love with it.

[@talkingfish7901]

A true artist.

[@inkland2003]

it is so sad that the handmade books are suffering. we must admit that the so-called modern technologies have helped to make better phones, but not better books.

[@starruchan3798]

I want to be an apprentice

[@NineEyedOracle]

I'm not one to marry a person for their trade, but this is one man I would totally husband-up!!! hahaha Just kidding, but seriously WOW!!

[@NineEyedOracle]

Hahah yeah :P

[@RFazor]

A master

[@leesanders6490]

Mark Twain died in 1910.

[@Raatcharch]

That's all I could think as well. Either someone made a bad forgery or someone made a very expensive typo.

[@crixxxxxxxxx]

How did Twain sign a book from 1922? He died in 1910.

[@georgedickens9737]

you can bind just using glue, its just as good, look it up,

[@clivemarshall7503]

Wherever does all that gear come from

[@mohammedHassan-kj1qv]

تسلم ايدك انا تعلمت من حضرتك اشياء جميله مهنيا بس للا سف لا اعرف غير اللغه العربيه فاعزرنى انا مجلد واحب التجليد جدا وبشكر حضرتك على الفن الى انا شفته فى الفديو الخاص بك وشكرا

[@PriestPhotios]

How can we contact this guy?

[@justelvin]

Any relation to Hrach?

[@vynyx5393]

anyone else deaf in the right ear?

[@georgedickens9737]

no left

[@natjp0rter630]

Ok I know this absolutely crazy but do you do books in language not yet known. Sorry for talking cryptic about this but I don't know how else to explain it.

[@spoooderminlovesdolantrump4635]

Constructed languages?

[@mikiknops9667]

From glue applying machine to binding machine etc, you are not doing everything by hands. I ve been working as book binder for 2 years 20 years ago when i was young, we had only 1 machine and that was guilotine for cutting the paper. Everything else was done without machine, just with hand tools. I don't mean to disrespect his work, its beautiful, but just wrong claim that everything is done just by hand.

[@redblue40rc33]

$600?

[@luiseduardo586]

10:33 KKK's reemergence....

[@nashvillain171]

*"...had been quashed."*