2010-10-03 | Backdoor Books

So I found this AMAZING bookstore, Oak Knoll Books and Book Press. Imagine this..... A 3 story book store with just books about books! And it's about 20 minutes from where I live. Kinda blows the mind. They specialize in used books on every conceivable subject about books.... Collecting, writing, printing, binding, illustrating, & paper making. If it has to do with the art of books it is there .

It was the coolest place. I found 2 treasures. One on making headbands and a cool hippy binding book from the 60's. I haven't poured through them yet because I had to jump online and share the experience with you guys as soon as I got to my computer. So as soon as I am done with this I am hoping in my comfy chair and delving into my new found treasures.

Please forgive the photos... they are from my iphone.

From Oak Knoll's website:
Oak Knoll Books was founded in 1976 by Bob Fleck, a chemical engineer by training, who let his hobby get the best of him. Somehow making oil refineries more efficient using mathematics and computers paled in comparison to the joy of handling books. Oak Knoll Press, the second part of the business, was established in 1978 as a logical extension of Oak Knoll Books.

Today, Oak Knoll Books is a thriving company that maintains an inventory of about 23,000 titles. Our main specialties continue to be books about bibliography, book collecting, book design, book illustration, book selling, bookbinding, bookplates, children's books, Delaware books, fine press books, forgery, graphic arts, libraries, literary criticism, marbling, papermaking, printing history, publishing, typography & type specimens, and writing & calligraphy - plus books about the history of all of these fields.

They also had some beautiful hand bound books on display. These books were amazing. All of them were constructed from precious metals and velvet. Next time I go. I promise to take my regular camera and I'll get some better shots.