Monday, April 30, 2012

The Bookplate Collection

The Ex Libris (bookplate) illustrations below were selected from the first half of the enormous John Starr Stewart Collection at the University of Illinois. Will from 50Watts sampled the back half of the same database: [The Bookplate Collection: Second Half].



ancient-Egypt themed bookplate engraving

George Clulow (undated)
"Against starry sky, bare-breasted Egyptian goddess wearing ankh pendant and holding sheaf and quill; ouroboros (snake with its tail in its mouth) surrounded open book with owner's initials, book press and ink balls. Motto on banner: Lux in tenebris (Light in the shadows)"


stylised 1904 art nouveau ex libris illustration plate
Carolta Campins - bookplate by Joaquim Renart, 1904

"Tree eradicated (showing roots) with shield upon which is a lyre."



fun bookplate engraving with man reading book sitting in a triangle
Denver Athletic Club Library - bookplate by Leota Woy, 1904

"Within triangular space, bald man in waistcoat and checkered pants
reads a book; below, a man runs with football, 'DAC' on his jersey."



19th c. bookplate engraving : folded ribbon in ornate shell border
Henrietta Jane Adeane - bookplate by Harry Soane, 1883
"Printed in black and red. Within a picture frame, a lozenge escutcheon: vert (green) a chevron or (gold) charged with 3 mullets (stars) sable (black), between three griffin's heads erased or (gold). Banner with originator's name"


old bookplate (?18th c.) dove & ribbon banner
Robert Barclay - armorial (undated)
"Crest: a dove with an olive branch in its
mouth, perched on a straight wreath.
Motto: Cedant arma = Let military power give way"


engraved bookplate : ornate striped ribbon border topped by crossed quills
Barry H Jones (undated)

"Oil lamp, crossed quills, decorative border."



bookplate - Prussian eagle, ribbon banner + table with microscope and books
Arthur Wellington Clarke (1898)

**Who Borrow Books and Soon Restore
May Come Again and Borrow More**

"Armorial crowned eagle rising erased, above ledge
with books, scroll, ink pot and quill, microscope"



bookplate: Japanese themed with 3 ladies in traditional Japanese house
Mary Alice Ercolini - bookplate by SE Blake (undated)

"Japanese ukiyo'e scene with three women in a room.
Vignette lower left.
Note: Discolored by collector's glue."



stylised bookplate : clutter of abstracted letter, pictures, books, flowers and ribbon
F Bargallo - bookplate by André Henry(1895)
"Cipher: FB; books, music, portfolio of fashion plates; flower; snake and cup; Motto: Omnis homo mendax = Every man is a liar; In malis venenum, in mediocribus somnus, in egregiis solamen." 



b&w woodcut bookplate dominated by illustration of hanged man + flying bats
Georges Goury - bookplate by Georges Demeufe (undated)
"The motto, "Fert in omnia rutubam et tristitiam terribilis amor" (In all thing terrible love brings trouble and sadness"); depicts a man hanging from a gallows and a night landscape with trees, bats, and a crescent moon."



bookplate of solid blocked colourful illustration including armorial shield
H Danreuther - bookplate by Edmond des Robert
"Coat of arms. Armorial shield Crest: a woodsman holding an uprooted tree (also depicted on shield). Motto: Quantum est quod nescimus (How little we know). Multicolored. The motto was previously used by the Dutch scholar Daniel Heinsius (1580-1655)"



ex libris engraving : owl atop a tree held aloft by human arms
James T Tarbotton - bookplate by C Helard (undated)

"Raised arms hold uprooted oak tree with
owl in upper branch. Portrait bottom right."



Art Nouveau ex libris illustration - theosophical imagery + 2 women in mu-mu style ritual dresses
James Henry Darlington - bookplate by Louis Rhead, 1902

"Two women (Theology and Science) shake hands under symbol of the Holy Spirit"



dark, square-shaped ex libris illustration dominated by eagle head
Count Karl Emich of Leiningen-Westerburg - bookplate by A de Riquer, 1903

"Dramatic depicition of bird's head"



bookplate with stylised 'twee' putti in decorative fantasy setting reading books
Max Harrwitz - bookplate by SB (undated)
"Putto with open book; another putto on
chair of books; central tree with shield and motto.
(Harrwitz was a rare book dealer and publisher in Berlin)"


woodcut silhouette town scene within art nouveau-styled ex libris border/frame
Pio Freixa Aulet - bookplate by José Triadó (undated, ~1905)

"Town in winter landscape; shield with bars and wing."



engraving of home library scene with bookshelf, table, window - bookplate
Robert Hall, 1902
"Interior with wall of books, large reading table with
books (including open illuminated manuscript, chairs;
large window looking out onto building with spire tower."


fun, engraved bookplate scene - man running with book, hand reaching after him
Rudolf Benkard, 1895

Halt! Mein Buch!
Stop! My Book!

"Hand reaches out from cloud to nab a man running past "
a bookshelf with a book (Ex libris album) under his arm.



bookplate engraving : renaissance fellow (John Overholt) in library scene; title in ribbons
William Livermore Kingman - bookplate by David McNeely Stauffer, 1898

**I am but a Gatherer and Disposer of other Men's Stuff**
"Man in renaissance garb, with ruff, sash and sword; behind him, shelves of books, scientific instruments, decanter and glass; on the table, an envelope for prints marked 'Gravures', partially unfurled print marked 'H. Goltzius'; ink pot and quill, globe showing western hemisphere; open book resting on two closed books.
Note - Quote is by Sir Henry Wotton (1568-1639), from the preface to his Elements of Architecture (1624); name on print refers to Hendrik Goltzius (1558-1617)"


'busy' bookplate engraving with floral display, beehive + corner vignettes of books and musical instruments
SA Flint (undated)
"Floral frame with beehive against flint arrowhead in center; spires upper left; musical instruments upper right; books lower left; easel lower right, Motto: Sans hâte, sans repos (Without haste, without rest)"

4 comments :

Archidemon said...

Hi!

For H Danreuther, the motto should be: "QuaNtum est quod nescimus"

peacay said...

Thanks, fixed.

Susan Champlin said...

These are spectacular—thank you!

Katherine C. James said...

Gogeous! I am overwhelmed with the varied beauty. I'm also wondering just a bit about Geroges Goury and his ghoulish choice…

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