Milton Watkins
Master Bookbinder
Helping people keep their memories of the past last many more lifetimes
Click the above links to see a page that may interest you or
Scroll Down further for more information about who I am, my Work & my Bindery.
Milton Watkins
Master Bookbinder
Professionalism & Excellence in all aspects of Bookbinding & Book Restoration.
With 40 years experience, over this time I have become a reputable and well-known Master Bookbinder, repairing paper from the 13th Century to Restoring books from the 16th Century right up to repairs for current modern day books I have come aross them all. A Specialist in Fine Leather Bindings to simple repairs to a paperback, Custom Bindings are Bound with the skill and experience my clients have come to expect.
I want my customers to be more than just satisfied with my Binding work, which is why I provide an open communication channel throughout the duration of each Binding. My Custom Bindings have been Bound for the Movies & Movie Stars, Pop Stars, Prime Ministers, King Charles and even the Pope,
and also George in Karatha Western Australia, with a simple Paperback that was falling apart,
no job is too big or too small.
Scroll Below, you may like to see some videos about my Bookbinding Work.
Scroll further down where there are various areas of my website to Bindings that may interest you, from Old Family Bibles, Family History Bindings, Book Boxes, Paperback Repairs to Custom Leather Bindings, they are all here below.
Videos You May Like To Watch
This video was aired on the 28th of November 2021, and the video was shot in February 2021, was not easy answering all the questions asked of me, and some editing does not match what I was handling in some shots, but generally I was happy with the outcome and appreciated Channel 9 showing this on
their TV Show MY WAY.
Many Thanks for watching, sorry the sound is not great. Thanks also to my wife Levella Watkins for doing what she does well, being there with me.
This video was shot by myself back around 2010, it shows myself restoring an Old Family Bible from when the Text Block was prepared and ready for a New Leather Cover, this shows myself Binding a New Leather Cover with Raised Bands and Gold Trim, I sped up the video so you can watch it over a couple of minutes here in my Bindery was over a two day period.
Notice my 23 Year Old Bindery Cat called Pixy, she often joined me in my Bindery when she wanted company.
This video was produced by myself, this Solander Box was Custom Bound for a customer who wanted to further protect his Mothers, Grandmother's Study Bible, I first restored this Study Bible Binding a New REAL Leather Cover in a Yapp Style, with raised bands and Gold Tooling on the spine, and then duplicated this onto his Solander Box. The Definition of a Solander box, or clamshell case, is a book-form case used for storing manuscripts, maps, prints, documents, old and precious books, etc. It is commonly used in archives, print rooms and libraries. It is named after the Swedish botanist Daniel Solander (1733–1782),[1] who is credited with its construction while working at the British Museum, where he catalogued the natural history collection between 1763 and 1782. Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/monument-music/b... License code: KVZHUOJAG7NXZE8I
Please click any Title Text or Pics below to view
more info & Pictures of My Work.
Old Family Bibles
Old Book Repair & Restoration
Bespoke Custom Bindings
Repair of Paperback Books
Study Bible Repair & Re-Cover
Modern Book Repair or Re-Cover
Family History Books
Bespoke Slip Cases
Bespoke Solander Boxes
Bespoke Book Boxes
Leather Desk Top Restorations
Menus & Display Folders
Gold or Silver
De-Bossing & Embossing
Thesis Bindings
Sorry if the last few links do not work, I design and edit my own website and have so many more images to upload and more links to add, in time they will be here on my website for you to view, please email me for more info. Thanks and regards Milton Watkins.
My Specialty, Old Family Bibles from the 16th Century to the 20th Century
Bring Your Family Bible Back to Life & rekindle your Family History, using the original covers and spine covering I can bring new life back to your Family Bible to a point that it will last several more life times.
​
PLUS
I can Scan your Original Family History Pages and edit the pages leaving your period border decorations with clear areas to continue on with your Family History and the originals can then be sewn back into their original place in your Family Bible. Your Newly printed pages can be sewn back into your Text Block so that your Family History can be complete and ready for new entries.
​
Or maybe you have purchased second hand one of these beautiful Family Bibles and wish to start your very own Family History.
Another of my Specialty Repairs,
Study Bibles Re-Covered
Yes, is your Study Bible falling apart, pages falling out? Cover coming adrift? You certainly don't want to loose all your Highlighting and markings, comments and the like, how long would it take to transfer these across to a new study Bible for it to happen again....ahhhh!
Send your Study Bible to me and I will remove your awful fake leather cover, as all Study Bibles purchased over the last 90 years use imitation leathers, NO MATTER WHAT FALSE INFO IS WRITTEN ON YOUR BOX, Book Manufacturers love Leather on a Roll and is far cheaper and more cost effective for them to have it Bound in their machinery, the Binding machines in factories cannot use REAL Leather.
Check out some of the Study Bible Rebinds I have have Bound, All using REAL Leather, Soft Bound, Yapp Edged, Raised Bands with Gold Tooling and Title on the spine is a Standard of my Study Bible Bindings, Bound for lifetimes of use, no longer will you have to replace your cover, and your pages will stay where they are meant to be, it will feel great in your hand, it will look great and as all my work is, a One Off Hand Bound Book Bound by me,
Milton Watkins Master Bookbinder.
Bespoke Solander Boxes
Bespoke Solander Boxes, Custom Bound to protect your valuable books and documents.
Bespoke Display Boxes
Display Boxes of all Kinds Custom Made to Your exact specifiications
Menus & Display Folders
Have a Book Box Custom Bound by Me, for You, to hold Your Book or other valuable items and keep them safe.
Gold or Silver De-Bossing, Embossing
Personalise your Diary, Wallet, Passbook etc.
​
My Customers and what they have to say,
please refer to Google Ratings, to my Customers, thank you for the privilege
of giving me the opportunity to give your book new life.
THANK YOU
The menu covers are amazing! Thank you so much for your fine craftsmanship!
Dardee Layne USA 2017
THANK YOU
​
Got my boyfriends leather guitar strap personalised. Looks amazing!! Excellent professional!
Beatriz Frias Aust. 2020
THANK YOU
Just to let you know that the small manuscript and the compendium have arrived. Many thanks, well done!
There will be another manuscript in the mail in the next couple of days.
Dr. J V Johnson, Canberra 2019
THANK YOU
Hi Milton, They have just arrived and they look amazing! The client is very happy. I will be in touch when we have finalised Volume 2. Thank you again with all your help.
Rebecca Moore | Legal Secretary Melbourne VIC 2017
THANK YOU
Milton, What can I say, my vary rare Cadillac Master Parts Manual is now protected for the next generation of car enthusiasts.
Tom. Brisbane 2018
The below Video was produced by the Team at Granddad Jacks Distillery in Miami & Brisbane Queensland
They asked me to Bind a very special edition book for them to hold a very limited edition Bailiff Whisky, the first part of the video is about the Cooper making the Barrels and then myself about the Custom Binding of the Books that held this very limited edition bottle of Whisky.
