How Books Were Made

Pictorial Webster's: Inspiration to Completion from John Carrera on Vimeo.

In the summer of 1995, bookmaker Johnny Carrera of Quercus Press found a tattered Webster's 1898 International Dictionary under his grandfather's favorite chair. He was fascinated with the thousands of engravings and spent the next decade of his life remaking the book using a Linotype machine.

The result is the gorgeous handmade Pictorial Webster. It's not just a book. It's an artwork. If you don't have a spare $3,500 to buy the deluxe full leather book, you can still get the great unwashed version for $23 at Amazon.

If you see only one video clip today, let this be it. Then check out the official Pictorial Webster's project page.

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As a bibliophile this really made my Saturday so much more awesome. I really appreciate the old method of book making and binding so much more visceral and enjoyable to hold, read, and keep. Great video!

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Wow!!It's amazing how much work was needed to make just one book. this man deserves a nobel price!!

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That was fun. It's amazing to me how much work it once took to physically make a book. And those engravings are fascinating.. flip open to a random page and enjoy.

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Fascinating video! It shows the history of how the old images were found and how old-fashioned bookmaking worked. I've always enjoyed the engraved images found in dictionaries.
BTW, the Amazon.com link (for the cheaper version of the book) allows you to "Look Inside".