testimonials
“Just a quick note to record my appreciation and thanks for the fantastic restoration you have achieved with this 17th Century Dutch New Testament. I am particularly impressed with the way you have rejuvenated the original tooled leather and matched it with the new leather. The embossing on the new leather matches seamlessly with the original while the restored spine is beautifully done. The newly stabilised end papers seem much more robust as does the whole volume. So thank you very much indeed the original printers would no doubt be proud to know that this small book has been given another lease of life for perhaps the next 300 years.”
Mr. D. Russell
“Thank you so much for the restored Report on the loss of HMS “Atalanta”. It is truly beautiful and I can’t imagine how you rescued the acidic paper. I particularly like the very sympathetic way in which you’ve managed to reassemble the plans, which can’t have been easy seeing as they are all probably completely different in size. The leather and your tooling is quite outstanding. Both this and its predecessor are indeed two books to be treasured! Which all means that I’ll now be able to quietly sit, read and understand a very sad maritime event which has long puzzled me.”
Capt. M. Lowle
“Dropped off a really tatty leather bound box book packed with sentimental memories with Lancefield team.
They were brilliant in their communications with me throughout the process.
When our book box was returned we were both blown away with the quality of craftsmanship we could not believe that it could have been restored to that level.
Well done your were brilliant”Mr. P. Allen
“I contacted Lancefield Bookbinding to see if they could assist with the restoration of a book which lacked its spine. From their first email, they were friendly, professional and helpful. The work they have undertaken has far exceeded my expectations of what I thought would be achievable - a seamless repair with minimal loss of the original material. The work was of a very high standard, with faultless attention to detail.
I have every confidence that with this business no project is too small - if the item is important to you, then it’s important to them. The cost of the work was entirely reasonable, and I cannot fault the service I received. I would wholeheartedly recommend this business, and will not hesitate to use them again in the future.”Mr. P. Jackson
“I inherited a photograph album of pictures taken by my grandfather during his time in the Navy in the 1920’s. It was in poor condition and I didn’t know who to approach to get it repaired - who do you trust with something so precious? I saw R & L Lancefield’s appearance on ‘Bargain Hunt’ and a similar photograph album was featured. I immediately researched them online and contacted them. Their help and support was astounding. They replied to my emails immediately and answered all my queries with patience and honesty; they instilled confidence. I posted my album to them, they confirmed its arrival and gave me a price for repair. The album was repaired and returned to me packed so carefully. The album was amazing; it was repaired so that we can look at it without fear of damaging it but still maintains it’s history. It will easily last for another 100 years at least. I have no hesitation recommending that you entrust R & L Lancefield with your most precious items; they will treat both it and you with respect and courtesy. An excellent experience.”
Mrs. B. Alexander
“I have received the album back now. Words fail me!! Can it really be that poor damaged article which weeks before I had sent to you for your opinion and possible restoration.? Your beautiful work is beyond any expectation. Thank you and whoever worked on it…we are stunned, and very lucky to have found your firm.”
Mrs. J. Enright
“Having approached many book restorers, we are so pleased to have chosen Lancefield Bookbinders for the conservation of the original minutes book of our Governing Body, which had fallen into disrepair. With brilliant communication, and a consultative, creative approach, we cannot recommend them highly enough; and we are so pleased with the finished product. We now have a precious artefact, central to the story of our school, that will be treasured by future generations”
St Edward’s School, Poole.
I can thank BBC’s Bargain Hunt for pointing me in the direction of Lancefield’s, following a fruitless search elsewhere for bookbinders willing to undertake this sympathetic type of work. They happily gave me a “ballpark figure”, which enabled me to decide whether to have some beautiful Victorian volumes, which I had acquired in an antique/flea market, re-bound and conserved. They are a very friendly, approachable family-run business for whom an enduring love of books drives consummately skilled craftmanship. They sent me a very comprehensive and perceptive assessment of what needed to be done (within a realistic timeframe), all delivered with none of the condescension, which I had experienced elsewhere. Their straightforward estimate containing practical technical advice “ did what it said on the tin.” Much of the original was retained with very sympathetic binding and restoration of endplates and boards.
I was very pleased with their superb craftsmanship and excellent and empathetic restoration of my much-loved books, including my great-grandmother’s decidedly frail photograph album. These books have significant sentimental value and I am reassured that I can now pass them on to my son James for his “ further stewardship”. I have no hesitation in highly recommending them and am hoping to return towards the end of this year to arrange rebinding and conservation of more books. None of these books are particularly valuable but they have grown up with me and are an important part of my life.
Dr. Martin Sweatman