About Us
Based near Addlestone, Surrey, UK, The Otter Bindery was established in 1993 by Marysa de Veer. The Bindery is committed to keeping the tradition of craft bookbinding alive while also taking advantage of modern approaches to design, layout and print.
The majority of our business comes from repeat customers and word of mouth - a testament to the quality of our work and the high priority that we put into meeting customer needs. The bindery has featured in local press and BBC Southern Counties radio as well as Tatler magazine and the BBC. Our clients include book dealers, students, private collectors, Lambeth Palace, The Royal Star and Garter Home, the former Chief Executive of the Bank of Abu Dhabi, Loseley House, Metropolitan Police, literary agents, the University of London, as well as other Universities up and down the country.
About Marysa
Marysa trained at Guildford College under the tutelage of Maureen Duke and John Mitchell. Her time at college included a spell at Windsor Castle Bindery. During this time she was offered a short contract to work at the Royal Bindery. She was on hand during the great fire of 1992 where she formed part of the human chain that evacuated books from the Royal Library!
More recently Marysa has concentrated on the day to day running of the Otter Bindery where she takes a hands on approach, bringing her flair for design and enthusiasm for her craft to her clients' projects.
Marysa de Veer is a member of The Society of Bookbinders and Designer Bookbinders. In 2003 the Society of Bookbinders awarded her a highly commended certificate in Restoration. The restored book was exhibited in the National Library of Wales - click here to view details.
In 2003, Marysa gained a diploma in Chemistry for conservators from Hammersmith College.
She specialises in the restoration of antiquarian books and has restored and/or conserved a number of early bindings for various institutions including Lambeth Palace Library and The Royal Star and Garter Home, Richmond. She has extensive experience in repairing all manner of antiquarian books and has over the years repaired many Family Bibles, early cloth bindings, Victorian atlases and photo-albums.
Marysa is a practicing artist and member of the Chertsey Artists Group, where she regularly exhibits and sells both her art work and handmade books.
In 2007 she won second prize for restoration in the Society of Bookbinders Competition. See here for more information.
In November 2008 Marysa's binding of Daphne du Maurier's 'Don't Look Now and Other Stories' was "highly commended" in the Designer Bookbinders competition. You can see more pictures of this book here.
Marysa is also an experienced teacher and has been invited as a visiting teacher to Godalming College as well as Brooklands college where she taught the module entitled 'Business for Artists'. In 2009 she taught thirty eight year olds how to book bind at New Monument High School, Woking, Surrey. If you are interested in learning bookbinding, please click here.
In 2009, Marysa attended monthly masterclasses at Atelier d'Arts Appliqués du Vesinet with Sün Evrard.
The July 2009 issue of Crafts Beautiful Magazine published an article on bookbinding which featured Marysa.
Marysa is joined by Karen, who deals with a lot of the thesis binding and Joanne who is adept at print and graphic design as well as experienced restorers and gold finishers Steve and Royston part time.