William Younger Fletcher

“ The work of Bedford is not excelled by that of any English bookbinder of his time. If not distinguished by much originality, it is always in good taste, and although it may not be quite equal in finish to that of the best of the contemporary French binders, for soundness and thoroughness it could not be surpassed. Bedford appreciated tall copies, and a book never came from his hands shorn of its margins. ”

“ The number of volumes bound by him is very large, and for many years a continuous stream of beautiful bindings issued from his workshops, the great majority of which are now to be found on the shelves of the finest libraries of England and America. ”