Five Cents

This archival album/scrapbook was made from custard colored Hahnemühle Ingres paper that was mould-made in Germany.  It is sewn with waxed Irish linen thread, in a pamphlet stitch through the binding to preserve space between its gatherings for additions adhered to its pages by its users.

Its spine is covered in goatskin, and its boards are wrapped in a 1953 blueprint showing the air duct and hanger design for the Babcock and Wilcox Kyger Creek Ohio Valley Electricity Corporation plant. The book is lined with Hahnemühle Ingres paper.

Treasure binding began with monks in the 6^th Century who would encrust volumes with jewels. During the Renaissance, there was a resurgence in treasure binding. This is a contemporary revival of the treasure binding in which a lucky charm has been embedded in the cover of this book.

 The talisman in this book is 19^th Century trade token. Trade tokens were locally-produced coinage that was useful in times of currency shortages.  This one is marked “78” on its obverse, so a merchant could track its use.  They were local tender, as opposed to legal tender. Worth depends on place and perspective.  Keep plugging at it.

This book is roughly 6.5 x 10” with 80 blank pages.