Bookbinding

Bookbinding

Category Rules: The category covers specifically the binding of books, not the processes that went into making the component parts of the book, such as the calligraphy and the illumination. The working definition of a book for the category is pages joined together in any fashion. The binding must have been done by the entrant, the text and illuminations are not required to be the entrant's work, although they can be. Any processes, such as embroidery, dyeing, leatherwork, decorative metalwork, lapidary or spinning that are intregal to the binding itself should be considered in judging only to the extent that they are a part of the bookbinding entry. It is the category's authors suggestion that judges take into account the entrant's level of experience when scoring in Scope. A novice bookbinder, ie. someone with little prior binding experience who is making their first entry in this category, should be judged less rigorously than an intermediate level binder and much less stringently than an expert binder. This is because the novice may be operating at their highest level of ablity to produce a fairly simple binding, even though the same project might represent only a middle level effort for an intermediate level binder. In the interest of fairness, the Scope score should be adjusted accordingly.

Documentation (0 to 4 points):

	0:		No documentation provided with entry.
	1:		Minimal information consisting of time, place and style.
	2:		As in #1, plus use of general sources; emphasis on tertiary sources with perhaps one second source (ex: use of encyclopedia articles with a possible additional use of a book or article that refers to a period source.).
	3:		As in #2, plus a developed discussion making use of critical references; sources are largely secondary (ex: sources refer to period references; documentation discusses, compares, and contrasts the source's views).
	4:		As in #3, plus explanation of original research/experiment and relation of source material to it. Primary sources, if available, are emphasized (ex: sources used are from the appropriate period for the entry, such as period manuscripts, paintings or artifacts).

Authenticity (0 to 4 points):

	0:	Entry is completely modern with no relationship to period elements or practices.
	1:	Use of modern materials and methods to produce a work that would not be accepted in period but either bears some relationship to an authentic work or which might be useful within SCA Culture.
	2:	Use of both modern materials and methods to produce a work that looks or feels authentic to the time period it purports to be.
	3:	Use of either modern materials or methods to produce a work that looks or feels authentic.
	4:	Use of totally authentic materials and methods (ex: real parchment or vellum, alum tawed leather in raised-cord binding, handspun thread for sewing folios or for embroidering the cover).

Scope (0 to 6 points): Rank the ambition, not the success, of the entry on a scale of 0 to 6 for each of the following elements and average for the total Scope score (Total of element scores divided by 5, 6 or 7).

Complexity of binding (Coptic < Japanese < raised cords).
Type and difficulty of materials used (vellum harder to work with than paper, full leather binding vs. half leather binding, gold stamping, etc.).
Construction methods used.
Number and complexity of techniques uses (complex = fully embroidered velvet binding on raised cord, larger number of folios).
Extent gone to ensure authenticity of techniques used.

If applicable:

Pattern or design.
Decoration.

Skill (0 to 6 points): How well is the entry made? Rank the success of the entry on a scale of 0 to 6 points for each of the following elements and average for the total Skill score (Total of element scores divided by 6, 7 or 8).

Appropriateness to time and place.
Realization of idea (does it do or look like what the maker intented?).
Functionality (is the binding too tight, too loose, does it seem durable?).
Application of construction techniques (score each technique used).
Choice and handling of materials
Finishing and neatness

If applicable:

Realization of intended pattern or design.

Execution of decoration.

Creativity (0 to 4 points):

	0:	Standard style with no innovations.
	1:	Logical combination of elements with some innovation or embellishment or techniques, all logical to period context.
	2:	Logical combination of elements with more innovation or embellishment or techniques, all logical to period context.
	3:	Same as #2, plus much individual intrepretation and interpolation logical to period.
	4:	Same as #3, plus each element is logically innovative to itself. Elements work together in a cohesive fashion.

Judge's Observations (0 to 6 points): Rank the entry as a whole. How well do all the separately judged parts fit together? The entry's overall effect is judged in this section. This is the only section of the Criteria where the judge may allow her/his personality, private opinions and personal preferences to influence scoring.

Contributors: graciee & Maeve von Drachenfels, 1995.

Editors: Melisande of Woodcrest, 1995; Thorhalla Carlsdottir af Bröberg, 1997

The Middle Kingdom Arts and Sciences Faire Judging Criteria, 1998 Edition.
Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 by the Middle Kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
Individual criteria in this volume may be photocopied and
disseminated for use within the Middle Kingdom Arts and Sciences Faire.