BBC The Repair Shop wows viewers with mesmerising restoration of the 'smallest' dictionary ever handled
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The Repair Shop's latest challenge was to restore a tiny, damaged dictionary, leaving viewers spellbound. The pocket-sized book belonged to Stuart Taylor, who inherited it from his mother, Cherry, who had owned it since she was 13. Tragically, Cherry died of leukaemia at the age of 38, leaving the dictionary to Stuart.
"My sister saved a few items that she could then pass on to me and my other siblings later on in life," Stuart told expert Chris Shaw. He revealed he received the damaged book when he was 15 and wanted it repaired, reports the Express. "Goodness, well it's a little book but with big problems," Chris remarked as he began work on the dictionary.
He continued: "I never knew a dictionary, they came like this. It is the smallest dictionary I've ever worked on, but it is in such bad condition.". Upon closer inspection, the bookbinder noted the book was damp and had a "huge amount of grime on the leather".
Chris added: "There are so many complications with such a small book.". However, Chris skilfully managed to restore the pocket dictionary to an incredible standard. "I'm amazed that you were able to get it back to this condition," Stuart said when he saw his treasured book after the restoration.
Viewers of The Repair Shop were equally impressed by the restoration, with one person commenting on X: "I love the book restorations #TheRepairShop.". One viewer was captivated, tweeting: "Watching Chris repair books is just mesmerising. What he did to that dictionary was amazing! #therepairshop".
