"Among the finer things of life there are few luxuries that can provide the same lasting pleasure as a beautifully bound book, hand crafted in linen or leather.

Under the careful and painstaking stewardship of founder Ian Barnes, Temple Bookbinders of Oxford has established a worldwide reputation in the antiquarian book trade for traditional craftsmanship of the very highest order.

While specialising in the restoration, preservation and re-binding of valuable antiquarian books and rare first editions, Ian and his small team of highly-skilled experts can also bind new books in antique and classical styles.

Boasting more than 100 years of experience between them, the team are regularly entrusted with the delicate task of refurbishing old and extremely valuable books, taking a single faded, dog-eared volume that is literally crumbling with age and restoring it to its former, gold-lettered glory.

Elsewhere in a workshop redolent with the sweet aroma of the finest quality calf and goatskin leathers, they can be found at various other times working on the overhaul of an entire library, binding a proud PhD student's university thesis or creating a gilt-edged presentation box for a signed first edition.

A collector himself, Ian Barnes began his career as a 16-year old apprentice and then worked for many years at one of Oxford's oldest-established and best-known bookbinderies before setting up on his own. Since then Temple Bookbinders has won plaudits from an increasing number of discerning clients."

 Journalist, author and publisher