BIO
Maria Ruzaikina is a London-based traditional and designer fine bookbinder. She has a particular focus on hand-gold finishing using genuine gold leaf. She began her training at the age of fifteen in Moscow, apprenticing under her father, the master bookbinder Alexander Ruzaikin, and went on to work for many years within the family practice. She graduated from Moscow University of Printing, specialising in Graphic Design and Book Printing.
After relocating to London, she completed the Fine Binding course under Kathy Abbott and continues to study restoration following the British manner with Flora Ginn, who is educating her in the use of tools appropriate to the period of the book. She runs a private practice and mainly undertakes commissions in traditional leather bookbinding and restoration work. In addition to the traditional British school of bookbinding techniques, Maria also employs methods from Continental Europe, primarily from the French and German schools.
Maria was elected as a Designer Bookbinders Licentiate in 2026.
The Lost, Last Words of Mies Van Der Rohe: The Lohan Tapes From 1969 by Fritz Neumeyer
DOM Publishers, Berlin
200 x 210 x 23mm
Bound in 2022
Bound in ivory calf, silk endbands, onlays of black goat skin, concertina sewing, all edges gilt.
The title on the spine is hand-tooled with palladium gold leaf and black foil.
In this work, a modernist approach to design has been employed, incorporating some of Mies van der Rohe’s favourite architectural motifs, as well as his preferred colour palette.
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones
Illustrated by Alison Bryant
The Folio Society, 2023, London
220 x 160 x 28mm
Bound in 2023
Bound in dark green morocco. Leather onlays, end-to-end red leather doublures. The binding has double-cord hand-sewn silk endbands. All edges gilt. Decorative motifs, reminiscent of magic wands, have been hand-tooled with gold leaf. Individual hand letters used for the spine lettering.
A fairly restrained design was chosen for this project so as not to compete with the rich illustrations by Alison Bryant. The design incorporates classic symbols of magic, sparkling stars, and the dynamic geometry of magic wands.
Bookbinding, Old and New by Brander Matthews
George Bell & Sons, London
195 x 155 x 35mm
Bound in 2023
Full dark green Morocco with leather onlays, tooled and lettered with gold leaf, end-to-end burgundy leather doublures, double-cord hand-sewn silk endbands.
Modern fine British bookbinding without raised bands, incorporating 19th‑century French decorative motifs. An attempt to merge classical and modern elements.
GET IN TOUCH
Email: maria.ruzaikina@gmail.com
Instagram: @maria_ruzaikina
Website: https://pimlico-bookbinding.co.uk
Accepts Commissions: Yes
