George Bayntun

George Bayntun is a British antiquarian bookselling and bookbinding firm based in Bath, England. It operates one of the world's most famous antiquarian bookshops and is home to the Bayntun-Riviere bindery, a hand-binding workshop whose roots reach back to 1829. The firm specialises in fine bindings both old and new, first and illustrated editions, with a particular emphasis on English literature, and it sells books and prints in the best possible condition. Its stock of many thousands of volumes and prints is spread over three floors of a listed building in central Bath, less than fifty yards from Isambard Kingdom Brunel's railway station. The business began with George Bayntun himself, born in Bath on 4 August 1873. He served his apprenticeship with the Taylor family in Trim Street and started his own bookbinding business in Northumberland Place in 1894. He brought London binders to Bath to raise the standard of craftsmanship, moved to a larger workshop in Walcot Street, and in 1920 bought the business of George Gregory, acquiring a stock of books that filled 23 rooms. In 1939 the Bayntun and Riviere binderies were incorporated into the present premises in Manvers Street. George Bayntun died in 1940 at the age of 67, having built a world-famous business whose final years were crowned by the frequent patronage of Queen Mary; in 1950 she granted the firm the appointment of Bookseller to Her Majesty. Today the firm combines two closely linked activities. The bookshop sells antiquarian books, first and illustrated editions, and secondhand books, both through its catalogues and online via AbeBooks, while the bindery creates new Bayntun-Riviere leather bindings, boxes and slipcases, and undertakes restorations for individuals and institutions around the world. The bindery prides itself on binding entirely by hand, using traditional methods and the highest quality materials, including edges gilded by hand with 23½-carat gold, a range of over 40 colours of premium goat and calf skins, and a vast selection of hand-marbled papers. It claims the largest collection of hand tools and blocks in the world — over 15,000, some dating back to the eighteenth century and all still usable. The firm remains in family ownership and is described as the last of the great Victorian trade binderies still in family hands. It exhibits at major book fairs such as Firsts London at the Saatchi Gallery and the Bath Book Fair, and its premises feature in the Pevsner Architectural Guide to Bath. George Bayntun is thus both a celebrated retail destination for collectors and a working craft bindery, preserving traditional bookbinding skills while serving a global clientele of collectors, dealers and institutions.

George Bayntun was born in Bath on 4 August 1873. He served his apprenticeship with the Taylor family in Trim Street and started his own bookbinding business in Northumberland Place in 1894. He employed London binders to raise the standard of craftsmanship and soon moved into a larger workshop in Walcot Street. Book Auction Records for 1906 recognised his success: "He has brought intelligence into play as well as high craftsmanship". In 1920 he bought the business of George Gregory, with a stock of books filling 23 rooms, and in 1939 the Bayntun and Riviere binderies were incorporated into the present premises in Manvers Street. George Bayntun was fondly described by Wilmarth Lewis in Collectors Progress (Constable, 1954): "He wore a smock in the shop and after selling a certain number of books took snuff. The sneeze released fresh energies". Questioned about his adherence to traditional techniques he responded, "We work in the old way. Machine binding? Ah yes... but not for us". He had an especially good relationship with many of the pre-eminent American dealers, and Arthur Brentano, Maurice Inman, Nat Ladden and Dr Rosenbach hosted a lunch in his honour on a visit to New York in 1936. George Bayntun died in 1940 at the age of 67, having built a world famous business. Wilmarth Lewis wrote "After twenty seven years his books are sound and with any kind of care they will remain so forever". George Bayntun's final years were crowned by the frequent and knowledgeable patronage of Queen Mary, who spent the war years at Badminton, near Bath. In 1950, she granted the firm the appointment of Bookseller to Her Majesty. During the Second World War the Admiralty commandeered half of the new Manvers Street property and most of the staff joined the services. The bindery's roots reach back further still: Robert Riviere founded his bindery in Bath in 1829, and George Bayntun followed his example in 1894. Bayntun-Riviere is now the last of the great Victorian trade binderies still in family ownership and prides itself on continuing to bind entirely by hand. The firm claims the largest collection of hand tools and blocks in the world (over 15,000), some dating back to the eighteenth century and all still usable. It insists on binding in the traditional manner, using the highest quality materials — for example, the edges of all of its bindings are gilded by hand using 23½ct gold (which it prefers to 24ct). It has a range of over 40 colours of premium quality goat and calf skins, and a vast selection of hand-marbled papers. Designs range from historical to modern. The bookshop is located in an imposing listed building less than 50 yards from Isambard Kingdom Brunel's train station in the centre of Bath. It features in the latest Pevsner Architectural Guide to Bath, written by Michael Forsyth: "Bayntun's Bookshop and Bindery by F. W. Gardiner, 1901, originally the Post Office sorting office, and externally unaltered. It has big, arched ground-floor openings, first-floor mullioned and transformed windows, four gables and nice rainwater hoppers and original pairs of gates and railings – a bold and convinced statement, conceding nothing to the Georgian tradition. Mowbray Green & Hollier converted it in 1938". Little inside the shop has changed since 1938, at which time most of the furniture was already antique, and the binders still work at the benches originally used to sort the mail. Visitors are invited to browse through a stock of many thousands of books and prints, spread over three floors. Some are catalogued and listed online, whilst many more can only be found by searching the shelves. Today the firm continues both to sell antiquarian books, first and illustrated editions, and secondhand books, and to create new Bayntun-Riviere leather bindings, boxes and slipcases, and to undertake restorations for individuals and institutions throughout the world. It exhibits at major fairs including Firsts London at the Saatchi Gallery and the Bath Book Fair.

• 2026

  The firm exhibits at Firsts London at the Saatchi Gallery and at the Bath Book Fair.

• 1950

  Queen Mary grants the firm the appointment of Bookseller to Her Majesty.

• 1940

  George Bayntun dies at the age of 67.

• 1939

  The Bayntun and Riviere binderies are incorporated into the present premises in Manvers Street.

• 1938

  Mowbray Green & Hollier convert the former Post Office sorting office into the present shop and bindery premises.

• 1936

  American dealers host a lunch in his honour on a visit to New York.

• 1920

  He buys the business of George Gregory, with a stock of books filling 23 rooms.

• 1906

  Book Auction Records recognises his success: "He has brought intelligence into play as well as high craftsmanship".

• 1894

  George Bayntun starts his own bookbinding business in Northumberland Place, Bath.

• 1873

  George Bayntun is born in Bath on 4 August.

• 1829

  Robert Riviere founds his bindery in Bath, the root of the later Bayntun-Riviere bindery.

World-renowned antiquarian bookshop and the last great Victorian trade bindery still in family ownership, offering fine bindings, first and illustrated editions, and hand craftsmanship.

• Antiquarian books

  A selection of antiquarian books for sale, with an emphasis on English literature.

• First and illustrated editions

  First and illustrated editions in the best possible condition.

• Bayntun-Riviere leather bindings

  New hand bindings in the traditional manner, using premium goat and calf skins and hand-gilded edges.

• Boxes and slipcases

  Custom boxes and slipcases made in the bindery.

• Restorations

  Book restoration for individuals and institutions throughout the world.

• Secondhand books

  Secondhand books sold in the shop and online via AbeBooks.

• Prints

  Prints among the stock spread over three floors.

1. 1George Bayntun — official website homepagegeorgebayntun.com
2. 2About us — George Bayntungeorgebayntun.com
3. 3About the bindery — George Bayntungeorgebayntun.com
4. 4About the bookshop — George Bayntungeorgebayntun.com
5. 5George Bayntun — Wikidatawikidata.org