BOOKISH TYPE: It may be the age of digital appointments, but not at Buckingham Palace, where the calendars are still printed — and made by hand — on an island in Essex, England.
King Charles loves paper calendars so much that he has handed a Royal Warrant to their maker, the Charfleet Book Bindery, which is owned by the retailer and brand-builder Simon Burstein.
The bindery is now an official supplier to the Royal Household, providing year-to-view wall and desk calendars to the palace. Charfleet has been working with the palace at least since 2015, when Burstein took the brand over. It may even be longer, but the records don’t go back that far.
Burstein called the Royal Warrant “an extraordinary honor and a testament to the dedication and artistry of our team. It is a privilege to carry forward the legacy of British craftsmanship and to serve the Royal Household.”
Burstein bought Charfleet, which is located on Canvey Island in Essex, as part of a career pivot after his family sold the London specialty store Browns to Farfetch in 2015.
He opened The Place boutiques in London and Paris, and acquired Leathersmith of London, a leather and stationery brand established in 1839, and Charfleet, where Leathersmith’s books are made.
Burstein later invested 2 million pounds in the bindery, and two years ago cut the ribbon on the newly refurbished, 8,000-square-foot facility alongside Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
The bindery employs 25 people and makes Bibles as well as notebooks and diaries for clients including Liberty and Fortnum & Mason.
Burstein said he bought the bindery for many reasons, but mainly because he couldn’t bear to see it run into financial difficulties, or shut altogether.
The new bindery is now busier than ever, and has recently been making books as part of a collaboration between Leathersmith of London and Bonfield Block-Printers. The guest and writing books, albums and journals draw inspiration from the English countryside, and are made using traditional techniques.