ARS OBSCURA Bookbinders, Inc. opened its doors to the public full time in 1991. The bookbindery is owned & operated by the Master Bookbinder, Joel Radcliffe. His assistants are Ines Copas and his wife Mie Radcliffe. Naturally, everyday our visitors miss the diligent presence of our Public Relations Agent, Stigby, our dear departed, big black cat.

History:

Mr. Radcliffe began his career in bookbinding in 1975 at University Bookbinding Company. This was a hand binding shop operated out of the home of Mr. Rodney Oleson in the Wallingford District of Seattle. Although not many years were spent working in the trade at that time, it is here that he caught the binding bug. From 1981-1984 he worked with the Master Bookbinder, Jon Symon of Acorn Press from Canada. In one fashion or another he's been working as a binder ever since.