Pergamena – Old style publications

We are a publishing house and at the same time an artistic studio that, like a reconstruction group, creates publications in the old style. In them, we refer to the works of old masters of printing and bookbinding art. On the contemporary editorial market, both Polish and global, our publishing house is a unique phenomenon. We are the forerunners of stylized publications with such a wide range of publishing categories. We started our activity in 1999. After years of creative work, we can boast over a thousand different publishing items and a recognizable brand on the market with an original style of binding and forms of editorial expression. We have received many valuable awards and completed many prestigious orders. In 2009, our publishing house was awarded the “Pro Memoria” medal for special merits in perpetuating historical memory. For a quarter of a century, through the beautiful words, symbols and images contained in our publications, we have been sharing with you timeless values, treasures of European culture. The main mission of our activity is to promote Polish tradition and national heritage. In addition to the features described above, there is something exceptional in our publications, which the poet Jerzy Liebert called “inexpressible yet existing yet invisible”. Our recipients have also expressed this intuitively in three charming words – Pergamena is a publishing house with soul.

Our workshop and creative craftsmanship

The editorial forms used centuries ago in the form of scrolls have become a publishing obsolete with progress, but they have not lost their charm and originality. That is why we reached for the source and create stylized publications, subjecting them to a slight technological facelift. We have introduced many original decorative concepts and manufacturing solutions. Most of the bookbinding work is done by hand, but we use the latest technological achievements, especially in the field of graphic design and printing techniques.

Original binding on rollers or rods

The form of binding maps and boards is modeled on the traditional way of hanging wall publications on wooden strips, but we have used our own modification in them. The upper and lower sleeves containing the supporting rods are connected using decorative metal rivets. We used wooden rollers to bind occasional publications and small literary forms (poems, prayers, messages…). They refer to the scrolls of Roman letters or the Jewish Torah. All of our publications are of course adapted to be hung on the wall using decorative strings attached to wooden and metal decorative ends.

Decorative paper

The main part of our publications is printed on original decorative paper, similar in its texture and properties to handmade papers used in the early days of papermaking and printing. An additional characteristic element of our editions are the ragged edges of the printed sheets. This effect, stylistically reminiscent of the appearance of old papers affected by time, is achieved using a special method developed by us. All wall publications are coated on both sides with a refining, matte laminate, which makes the paper similar to original parchment, and additionally strengthens it and protects it from moisture and dust.

Seals

One of the hallmarks of our publishing houses are hand-embossed seals in a mass resembling sealing wax. Attached to maps or boards, they add charm and bring to mind old writings from the beginnings of our writing and editorial culture. We have dozens of seal dies of various sizes and purposes. We have dies with initials, coats of arms, logos and various symbols. We use them to press seals that we hang on decorative strings under publications or directly on paper. However, the pride of our collection are copies of seal dies made based on impressions taken from original seals from historical documents. The most valuable ones include the dies of the majestic seal of King Władysław Jagiełło with a diameter of 12 cm. At the request of our clients, we also make authorial stamps intended for signing personalized or advertising editions.

Artistic book bindings

We create original bindings for books, chronicles, commemorative books and albums. True to tradition, we treat the dust jacket as a gateway to the content of the bound volumes, a gateway that with its charm is to encourage you to open it. Our bindings are the works of masters of the dying craft of bookbinding. We begin the creative process with the selection of leathers, choosing the type, texture and size to suit the needs of a specific project. The next stage of creating the binding is veneering the unfinished dust jacket with special balms with an admixture of beeswax. They bring out the natural texture of the leather, giving it a unique look and charm. We try not to use leathers commonly used in bookbinding, varnished with opaque paint of uniform colors, because they make natural leather look similar to artificial leather. We emboss decorative ornaments, personalized inscriptions or other dedicated signs on the impregnated dust jacket. The penultimate step in the finishing process is attaching metal fittings to the covers. Hand-cast with jeweler’s precision, the details once served primarily to protect priceless works, and their decorative function arose somewhat as an incidental element of protecting the book. Today, the roles have reversed and the fittings are basically just a stylized decoration of the books, but they do it with great charm. As a result, after many actions, processes and craftsmanship, the masterful hands of the goldsmiths and bookbinders of our workshop produce top-class works of editorial art.

Packaging – boxes, tubes

Each of our publications is packed in cardboard protective boxes in a truly old style.
So that our slogan “Old-style publications” is not empty talk, this somewhat side assortment of our offer is also made using old methods. This is possible thanks to our collection of old printing and bookbinding machines, and in particular a fully functional 19th-century engraving machine, which we use in the packaging production process. So, be aware that each box in which we pack our publications is manufactured on an old, historic machine.

There is a link to a film next to it, where you can see the process of engraving cardboard.

We also offer elegant tubes with wooden stoppers (top and bottom) and a handle made of decorative string. They can be a tasteful complement to both gifts and more formal occasions, e.g. when handing out occasional prints such as diplomas, certificates of award, honorary titles…