Course:LIBR548/2012WT1/Bookplates

Definition

Bookplates are printed labels that are commonly attached to the inside front covers of books to identify ownership. They are also known as ex libris, from the Latin for “from the books of”.

Early Bookplate History

Bookplates are derived from the medieval practice of painting portraits inside the front of prayer books as a way of marking ownership. The first printed bookplates originated in Germany ca. 1450, not long after Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press and moveable type. The earliest examples of bookplates from other countries indicate they were being used in France by 1529, in England by 1574, and in America by 1622.

Like books, bookplates were considered prestigious items and were a mark of high social standing. As their personal libraries began to grow, the literate elite needed a way to mark ownership of their books; therefore, many wealthy book owners began commissioning artists to design personalized plates for their books.

Early bookplate design reflected the importance of lineage: the majority of plates were heraldic and featured the owner’s coat of arms. These early bookplates were highly ornamental and usually hand painted to mimic illuminated manuscripts. The heraldic style would remain the prominent form of bookplate design until the 1850s, when the market for bookplates opened to the growing middle class. Many middle class professionals did not have their own coats of arms. They preferred their bookplates to showcase their personal achievements and accomplishments instead of their lineage. As a result, the pictorial bookplate rose to prominence by the 19th century, depicting images from the owners’ personal lives.

The Golden Age of Bookplates

The golden age of bookplates (18750 - 1920) was a period of serious study and interest in collecting bookplates. Many individuals started amassing large collections of bookplates. As David Pearson (1998) bemoaned, the most avid collectors resorted to “mutilating” books—vandalizing books by removing valuable plates they wanted for their private collections. The majority of collections, however, were built through the exchange of duplicate prints, and most collectors commissioned the design of multiple bookplates for trading purposes.

Many ex libris societies were founded throughout Europe and America during the golden age, most of which published their own journals. Not surprisingly, the literature on bookplates, both historical and contemporary, began to flourish. Annual bookplate exhibitions were held around the world, drawing large interest from the wider public. The number of artists interested in designing and printing bookplates also seems to have diversified during the golden age. Well-known illustrators such as Randolph Caldecott, Kate Greenway, and Arthur Rackham tried their hands at designing bookplates with much success.

By the mid-1920s, the golden age of bookplates came to a close. Public libraries were flourishing and people did not see the need to build large personal collections of reading material; consequently, they did not need so many bookplates. Furthermore, changes in technology and merchandizing meant bookplates could be mass-produced, and it became possible for anyone to purchase cheap bookplates in most stores. These labels had a space to fill in one’s name and featured poor quality knock-off designs. Bookplate collectors and artists refer to these bookplates as “universal ex libris” because anyone can purchase them. True or legitimate ex libris are those high-quality artist-designed bookplates commissioned by an individual book owner or made for a particular library.

Contemporary Bookplates

From the 1930s on, high-quality bookplates were produced on a smaller scale, predominantly for serious bibliophiles and collectors. By the 1970s there was a bookplate revival that coincided with a renewed interest in wood engraving in the art world. A number of new societies and journals were formed as scholarly and collecting interest in bookplates emerged again. Today, bookplates societies exist in more than 50 countries around the world. An abundance of information about bookplates is also accessible on the web, including: bookplate society websites, information and digital images of bookplate collections at libraries and museums, and blogs from bookplate enthusiasts.

Artwork

There are three main categories of bookplate styles: heraldic (armorial), pictorial, and typographical (calligraphic). Heraldic bookplates typically depicted coats of arms or other symbols of heraldry. Pictorial bookplates are made from drawings, the range of which is essentially unlimited – although engravings depicting animals, scenes from nature, and characters from legends are the most popular. Typographical bookplates are comprised of text with the focus on choice of typeface and composition. Many bookplates incorporate a mix of styles, chiefly pictorial and typographical.

Techniques used to create bookplates are varied, but have generally included: etchings, engravings on metal or wood, woodcuts, and silk-screens hand printed on the finest quality papers.

Bookplates are meant to enhance the beauty of books, but beyond their aesthetic qualities, bookplates hold great significance for the study of provenance. They are the most familiar and obvious signs of book ownership and their study can unlock the mysteries and patterns of book ownership over time.

Annotations

Butler, D. J. (1990). Modern British Bookplates. Cambridge: Silent Books.

Bookplate art history with profiles of designers. Emphasis on contemporary British bookplate designers.

Hopkinson, M. (2011). Ex Libris: The Art of Bookplates. London: The British Museum Press.

Introduction to bookplate history with a focus on the art and design of bookplates from the British Museum Collection.

Pearson, D. (1998). Provenance Research in Book History: A Handbook. London: Oak Knoll Press.

Compendium of information on provenance research. Includes a detailed section on bookplate history and a bibliography of resources for indentifying ex libris.