Jan Sobota
2003 WINNER: Judges' Distinction for Interpretation

From 1954 to 1957, I studied with Karel Silinger in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, and in 1957, I finished my studies at the School for Applied Arts in Prague. In 1969, I received the title "Master of Applied Arts," and ten years later, the title of "Meister der Einbandkunst." My work has been exhibited in countries on four continents, and I have received 18 prizes.

DESIGN PROPOSAL. Triple cover board Sobota's Binding Structure. Hand sewn headbands with green and blue silk. Top edge painted dark brown. Navy blue goatskin for the top cover, dark green goatskin for the doublures. Brass strips attached to edges of cover boards. Relief onlays of 20 different colors and grains of goatskin for decoration of cover. In the front doublure is a "window" with a print of Mark Twain covered with transparent vellum. Oil color marbled paper flyleaves. Sample shows how brass strips would be attached to boards.

SAMPLE BINDING. Pierre Louys. Les Chansons de Bilitis. Translated from the Greek. Illustrations by G. Barbier engraved on wood by Francois Schmied. Paris: Pierre Corrard, 1922. Number 94 of 125 copies.
 
Triple cover board Sobota's Binding Structure. Gold leather headbands, top edge gold. Brown Harmatan goatskin for the top cover, gold leather middle, and dark blue goatskin for the doublures. Blue suede leather flyleaves. Multicolor onlay on top color. Cut through technique used for doublure design.