ALL book-plates which do not have the flavor of age about them, and which were made quite within the memory of the collector, are classed as recent plates. This is a term of doubtful application; but in a general way it has come to mean all plates made since about 1830. Their number is legion, of course, and no attempt is here made to enumerate them, or even a small part of them, but only to note briefly those of the more recent additions which are especially noteworthy. And now we part with the old styles of plates. The early armorial, with the profuse denticulated mantling, is never used, the pure Jacobean is not seen, the graceful Chippendale has been discarded, and the Ribbon and Wreath, with its fanciful festoons and garlands of roses, is also a thing of the past.
This is of course natural, as the armorial plates, which are the only ones demanding any of these styles of decoration, are very little used now. But we have still the Library Interior, the Literary, the Pictorial, and the Allegorical; but these have changed their appearance so much
image of book-plate not available: GeorgeH. Ellwanger
as to be hardly recognizable as the lineal descendants of those of the same type which went before. Indeed, the recent plates have little in common with the old,—new motives, new designs, new methods, and new conceptions of what a book-plate can be have come in, and the change produced is very marked.
Heraldic plates are still in use, and still being made, but the number of plain armorials is quite small. Usually, now, those who wish to show the family arms on the book-plate do not display it all by itself, but accompanied by literary accessories, or pictorial, or with decorative features to relieve what would to-day appear a bare and unfinished plate, but which in the older days would have been the pink of perfection.
Among the plain armorial plates of recent days may be mentioned that ofHenry B. Anthony, the late senator from Rhode Island, which, without even a motto, presents the arms of the family, with the crest, and the name. Another plain armorial plate is that ofJohn H. Buck, of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, and the author of “Old Plate.” This, too, is perfectly plain, with no motto.Frank House BaerandCharles W. Burrows, of Cleveland, both use the plain armorial style, relieved by slight mantling or scroll work, and with the mottoes on ribbons beneath the shield.Mr. Appleton Morganhas a plain armorial plate, quartering the Morgan and Appleton arms.Mr. Daniel Ravenel, of Charleston, also uses a plain armorial shield, relieved with sprays of marigold (the Huguenotemblem) and of wall-flower (the French name for which isRavenelle). A plain armorial plate, in colors, is used by the compiler of “America Heraldica.” An imposing helmet with blue mantling surmounts the shield, and the motto,Moins faire mieux faire, is given on a ribbon which encloses the whole design.Harry Allen Castle, of Hartford, uses a design borrowed from the plate of Mr. Thomas Bailey Aldrich. The castle on its wreath is enclosed by a square frame in which the name appears, with the wordsHis Mark. In the corners of this frame are the lettersI.H.S.V., standing for the motto,In hoc signo vinces. A punning friend, upon seeing this plate, remarked to Mr. Castle, that the letters would seem to mean, “I have some volumes.”Dr. J. S. H. Fogg, the late well-known collector of, and authority on, autographs, used a plain armorial plate, with the motto,Aut pax aut bellum.Prof. J. Max Hark, of the Moravian Seminary at Bethlehem, Pa., has a plain heraldic plate, with thin mantling about the shield. The motto occupies two lines above and below the shield, and is in imitation of the ancient manner.What mon anHonesteNamendoth owen, ToohymrychtglaedliemynBookesi loan. But so toolongenyeBookesbe kepit, He shal forsoothbe a Knaveyclepit.This is printed with red capitals, on very fine parchment paper with rough edges, and is a very pretty plate.Dr. Joseph Henry Dubbs, professor in Franklin and Marshall College, uses a plate which exhibits the arms on a shield which is fastened to a spreading oak-tree.
image of book-plate not available: ThomasBailey Aldrich His Mark
image of book-plate not available: MELVINH. HAPGOOD. HARTFORD, CONN., U.S.A.
At either side, scrolls are drawn, which bear the motto,Ex recto decus, and the following dates, which refer to the migrations of the doctor’s ancestors:Styria, 1446;Helvetia, 1531;America, 1732. A plate of unique history is that ofThe Rawle Law Offices, Established A.D. 1783, Philadelphia. This inscription is given on a circular band which encloses the shield of arms, and the motto,Morte, Virtute. Below this, the name of the successive proprietors of the law-offices are given, as follows:William Rawle, 1783-1836,William Rawle, 1810-1858,William Henry Rawle, 1844-1889,William Brooke Rawle, 1867.Melvin H. Hapgood, of Hartford, uses an oblong plate, which exhibits the shield of arms at the left of the name space, and which is surrounded by a fine running vine which bears both fruit and flowers, and among the twistings of which the motto,Inter folia fructus, is woven. The implements of the architect, and the secondary motto,Penna ferro potentior, are also cleverly worked into the decorative frame.Monsignor Seton, D.D., of Jersey City Heights, uses a
image of book-plate not available: JosephHenry Dubbs D D
small heraldic plate, in which the arms are given in colors, and are surmounted by the clerical hat and tassels. A plain armorial plate is used byJohn F. Winslow, a descendant of Governor Winslow, and one to whose means and energy we owe the building of the first “Monitor.” Prof.Charles Eliot Norton, of Harvard, uses an heraldic plate, in which the crest only is given. Beneath this, a pile of books is covered by a scroll, which bears upon it the motto,Amici et amicis. TheRev. Morgan Dix, of Trinity Church, New York City, uses an heraldic plate, in which also the crest only is given. This is surrounded by a circular garter, on which the motto,Quod dixi factum est, is printed. This ends our list of plain armorial plates.
Whatever sarcasm and disgust may be stirred up by the assumption of arms by persons not entitled to them, no word can be said against the display of authenticated arms upon the book-plate. Many coats-of-arms run back for several centuries, and an honored ancestry has borne them. A rightful pride in such memorials of past family history induces many who are entitled to them to use their arms thus; and while the plain armorial plate has had its day, and has passed the stage of wide popularity, it is still in use.
Coming, now, to the Library Interior style of book-plates, we mention first the finest example of recent work in this style,—the plate ofRichard C. Lichtenstein, of Boston. Mr. Lichtenstein is one of the old collectors of plates, a member ofthe Council of the Ex Libris Society of London, and a recognized authority upon American plates. As we would expect, he has indicated his hobby in all details of his design. The scene is laid in the corner of the owner’s den, in which are well-filled shelves, framed prints, photographs, and the usual accessories. In the immediate foreground, a Cupid is seated at a desk, and in his outstretched hand holds a plate upon the globe which stands at hand, while he reads, from an open book, the description, presumably, of the treasure lately acquired. Two other Cupids are at his back: one bearing theJournalof theEx Libris Society, and the other returning from a successful quest for plates, if we may judge by the packet under his arm. The presence of the globe indicates the cosmopolitan character of the collection the Cupids are examining and adding to. A finely foliated border surrounds the interior picture; and in a space at the right side is a package of mounted plates; and on the left, a tied-up bunch of book-covers, in which Mr. Lichtenstein keeps his plates. The name appears in white letters upon a black scroll at the bottom, and behind it is seen a castle of white stone,—a play on the name of the owner. The plate is dated 1893, and is signed by the engraver, George Moore, and the designer, L. Y. Van Tiffele.
The plate ofJames Phinney Baxterreveals a most pleasing interior, which is probably from the actual room. A tall clock is flanked by long rows of books, a table and easy-chair are in the
image of book-plate not available: JamesPhinney Baxter.
foreground, andbric-à-bracis disposed upon convenient shelving. At the left of the picture, a portrait of the owner is given, with a fac-simile of his autograph. The following motto,Who learns and learns but does not what he knows, Is one who plows and plows but never sows, is also given in fac-simile of handwriting.
The plate ofWilliam Vanameeshows what is also an actual interior, probably. The stairs enter the room at the left, and the space under them is occupied by books. Pictures adorn the walls, and a cosey bench before the shelves invites the visitor to recline and read. The motto,Carpe diem, is given above the picture, and the name below, both in fac-simile of handwriting.
Actual comfort and enjoyment are expressed in the plate ofLouis J. Haber, of New York City. In this interior, a fire is blazing on the andirons; the drowsy dog lies asleep before it; the hanging lamp sheds a brilliant light over the room, and furnishes the means of reading which the owner is enjoying, as he sits in an easy chair, in lounging-coat and slippers. The rows of books at the far end of the room add to the effect of comfort, and the motto which envelopes the whole design—My silent but faithful friends are they—discloses the attitude of the owner towards his volumes.
The plate ofAlbert C. Bates, of the Connecticut Historical Society, at Hartford, is a reproduction of an early woodcut which represents the interior of an old library (University of Leyden, 1614), with long rows of books chained to theirdesks. Globes are protected by brass covers, the patrons salute each other in apparent silence, and over all there is an air of repression and elevated learning. No seats are provided, and light is admitted through long windows filled with small lozenge-shaped panes of glass.
The beautiful colored plate ofGerald E. Hart, of Montreal, represents the interior of a cell in some mediæval monastery; for the tonsured monk is sitting upon his stone bench, illuminating a large volume. The Gothic window admits light through its highly colored design, and rows of vellum lie beside the desk of the old monk.
The plate ofW. E. Baillie, of Bridgeport, Conn., represents a corner of a modern library, furnished in the Louis XV. style, having some half-dozen frolicsome Cupids, rolling on the rugs, peeking out of the window, reading in arm-chairs, or discussing the volumes taken from the elaborately carved case. This plate is the second oneto make use of the half-tone process direct from the pencil sketch.
Continuing with the plates which come properly under the classification “Literary,” we find them to be very numerous, very various in design, and very unlike in shape and treatment. A plate which represents the past is used byHenry M. Brooks, of Salem, Mass. In this the old ink-pot and quill, the box of wafers, the wax and seal, and the sand for blotting are disposed about the letter, which, being used before the days of postage stamps and envelopes, bears the amount due and the address upon the back of the sheet. The address seen is that of the owner.
image of book-plate not available: Georg Wharton Edwards
Going still further back in historyE. Irenæus Stevensonhas brought the very serpent of theGarden of Eden, with the fatal apple of Knowledge in his fangs, into his book-plate. Slipping down between the open pages of a large book, we see this form of his Satanic Majesty, and read upon the apple which he offersEritis sicut Deus,Ye shall be as gods. This, from the Vulgate, is in Latin. Upon the open page we read in Greek,Be ye wise as serpents. The Shekinah blazes out all about the book. A very interesting and striking plate.
A very simple but effective reminder of the approach of old age is found in the plate ofGeorge Alexander Macbeth, of Pittsburgh, Pa. In this, an open book of coarse print lies upon the table, accompanied by a large pair of spectacles. The motto appears in the upper left corner,—Give me your favor: my dull brain was wrought with things forgotten.
Very many plates have a shelf of books, or a pile of them, accompanied with a favorite quotation, a bust of some author, the arms of the owner, or possibly his portrait. In the plate ofClifford Julius King, we see the row of books, the smoke from the waning cigar, as it rises across the open pages of a book, and the bust of Thackeray, while the motto,A jollie goode booke, whereon to looke, is better to me than golde, is suggestive of long evenings by the fireside, with choice editions to read and fondle.
The shelf of books in the plate ofNathaniel Paine, of Worcester, Mass., is enclosed within a frame which has suggestions of the heraldic shield. Behind it the palm branches are placed,
image of book-plate not available: MARSHALLCLIFFORD LEFFERTS.
and the motto is below, on a ribbon,—Duce natura sequor. The crest is found in its place above.
“Wrenwood” is the name of the home ofGeorge E. Leighton, if we may judge by the name which appears on the top of the shield, which rests against his books just inside the library window. The window is open, flowers peek around the mullions, and a wren has hopped upon the sill to examine the surroundings which have borrowed his name for their own.
A pile of three books, labelledBacon,Lamb, and “Punch,” is shown in the plate ofDavid Murray. The legend,Some books are to be tasted, some to be swallowed, and some to be chewed and digested, is given on the back of the books. Above the volumes, the scales carrying the heavy pen on one side, and the lighter sword on the other, is surmounted by a liberty-cap, behind which, in a blaze of glory, appears the motto,The pen mightier than the sword.
In the plate ofGeorge Imbrie Sill, three shelves of books are enclosed within a frame of scrolls which bear the name. A shield is placed across one end of the case, with the arms and crest upon it.
Now we come to a plate which takes us below the surface. A wondrous mermaid, at the very depths, flanked by huge dolphins, is receiving a perfect shower of books, which come tumbling down through the water. This is the plate ofH. W. Bryant, of Portland, Me.
Marshall C. Lefferts, of New York City, uses small leather labels on which an open book bearinghis monogram is stamped in gold. Different colors of leather are provided for different volumes. This is the only instance of the use of leather for a book-plate in this country, if I mistake not: a very handsome material, too, for the purpose, and meriting wider use.
image of book-plate not available: JOHNHERBERT CORNING
In the plate ofJohn Herbert Corning, of Washington, Atlas, with strained muscles, supports the world of letters.Litteraeis inscribed upon the immense globe which rests upon his shoulders.
Two children of the forest, a boy and a girl, with flowing hair and meagre garments, cometowards us in the plate ofA. L. Hollingsworth, of Boston, bearing between them a panel on which is carved the mottoUn bon livre est un bon ami. The dense forest is close behind them, and were it not for the reader, one feels as if no person would pass their way to see their lofty sentiment. So thick, indeed, is the tangle of brush, that the loss of their clothes must be laid to their passage through it.
image of book-plate not available: Dr Geo. L. Parmele, Hartford.
In the plate ofDr. George L. Parmelee, of Hartford, a herald in court costume is proclaiming, through his long trumpet, the loss of a book. The banner hanging from the horn shows the words he uses:Verloren! Verloren! ein Buch.
We are again taken far down below the waves, in the plate ofWilliam Ashmead Courtenay, of Charleston, S.C. Down indeed, to the very bottom of the ocean, where the weeds grow, and the dolphin feeds. Above, the waves are rolling, and a far stretch of water is seen. The view is enclosed within a square frame which bears the name.
TheRev. Wm. R. Huntington, rector of Grace Church, New York City, uses a design which is adapted from a frontispiece by Walter Crane for the “Fairy Tales” of the Brothers Grimm, and which represents a youth, with long curls falling from under his cap, opening the door of a house, with a huge key. Upon the roof, two cupids, in imminent danger of sliding off, are making music with lyre and voice. A few stars shine against the night, and the light of the moon falls across the face of the structure, revealing the huge orange-trees in fruit, which flank the doorway. The motto,In veritate victoria, is carved upon the steps, and the nameHuntingtonis given at the very top of the design.
Other plates whose principal features are “bookish” are those ofHenry A. Morgan, which has simply a large book, open, with blank leaves: on one is inscribedThe page in waiting; ofEdward Denham, which has an owl perched upon an open volume, upon whose pages are the following names,Bede,Camden,Bradford,Chaucer,Shakspere,Sandys, with the torch of knowledge and the wreath of victory behind it: the wreath is tied with a ribbon which bears the
image of book-plate not available: JOHNE. RUSSELL.
motto—Nulla dies sine linea:ofCharles F. Jilson, Chicago, on whose plate simply a closed book is seen, with a palette resting upon it; the brush and the drawing tools reveal the art of the owner, while the half-covered lyre upon the book-cover may be an indication of his hobby;—ofAlfred Trumble, of New York City, who displays a table whereon the bust of Minerva, the student-lamp, the scroll, ink-stand and quill, and the books jostle each other in delightful literary confusion;—of theHon. John E. Russell, of Boston, who shows the owl of Minerva seated upon the books of the scholar: the globe, materials for writing, and the lamp of knowledge are disposed about, and the whole is encircled by an oval wreath of holly.
The plate ofThomas J. McKee, of New York City, represents a volume of Shakespeare’s Works, open to the title-page, which is occupied principally by a portrait of the famous author playwright. The arms and name appear upon the fly-leaf of the book, other books are at hand, and the following lines are given at the foot:—
Tu mihi currarum requies, tu nocte rel atraLumen, et in solis tu mihi turba locis.
Tu mihi currarum requies, tu nocte rel atraLumen, et in solis tu mihi turba locis.
Tu mihi currarum requies, tu nocte rel atraLumen, et in solis tu mihi turba locis.
The plate ofPaul Lemperly, of Cleveland, designed by Garrett, shows the open book, with the serpent circled about it. The stars shine beyond, and the design is enclosed within a rectangular border of holly leaves.
Another class of plates which claim attention to-day is that which is representative of either the hobby or the vocation of the owner. Forspecial collections, for certain kinds of books, plates are designed which express the particular line of reading, or of collecting, which they are to ornament. This style of plate is coming more and more into use, and earnest pleas have been put forth for its wide adoption; notably, one byHenri Pene Du Bois, in the “Book Lovers’ Almanac,” for 1894. In his worthy article on the “Art of the Book-plate,” this writer argues forcibly for the expression of a genuine idea in the book-plate. Not mere coats-of-arms, crests, pictorial designs or devices and ornaments which look pretty, seem to him suitable for use as book-plates, but an emphatic representation of an idea, a worthy idea, clad in suitable form. He argues for special plates for special collections, for a specific plate for a specific line of books; not an ornamental label simply, to be placed in each book in one’s library, but a different plate, with a reason for its existence, in each different department. Very few, if any, in this country, carry the idea so far; but many plates are now in use which convey at once an idea of the pursuit of the owner, whether it be in literature, art, science, or professional life. The plate ofGeorge Edward Sears, with its grinning skull, is perhaps at first glance unpleasant in its effect, but when one comes to unravel the plain meaning of the symbolism, the shudder dies away, and we are prepared to regard the plate as one of the very highest types, and most successful in its way. Mr. Sears has gathered a large collection of books relating to the “Dance of Death,” and finding in
image of book-plate not available: PaulLemperly
a 1754 edition of Matthew Merian’s work, this plate which seemed no part of the series but an impromptu addition, he adopted it for his book-plate. Mr. W. J. Linton engraved the block, reducing considerably from the original. This plate is used only in the books relating to the topic it suggests. In this plate the skull is placed upon an open book, between a lighted candle and a few flowers in a vase. A wreath encircles the smooth pate, and an hour-glass rests upon it, with the hovering wings of Time, and the scales, just above. The lower half of the plate has a very dark background, while the upper is filled with light.
Henry Blackwell, of New York City, uses a plate in his collection of Welshiana which was designed for the purpose. In this plate we see the sturdy oak raised in the centre of the scene. Upon the right side, the bearded Druid is lopping off the branches of the mistletoe, which seem to be growing with the oak. Opposite to him, the early Briton with his harp makes wild music. A circular medallion upon the tree represents the peak of Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales, and the motto,Cared doeth yr encilion, is given upon the frame. This plate, like that of Mr. Sears, was suggested by an illustration in an old book. A second plate is used for the literature upon the famous voyage of Madoc to our shores inA.D.1170. In this plate we see the old-fashioned, high-sided ship, with its bellying sails, plunging through the rolling waves, as it passes out to sea with the hardy adventurer and his crew.
image of book-plate not available: DeanSage.
image of book-plate not available: EXLIBRIS—JOSEPH H WHEELER
As examples of plates representative of the hobby of their owners, we have the following:Dean Sage; an angling plate, very simple in design and very fine in execution, with a large trout, and the rod and the landing net crossed behind it: an enthusiastic fisherman, and the author of a sumptuous volume on salmon-fishing in some of the Canadian rivers, Mr. Sage uses this plate only in the books of his library which relate to the gentle pursuit favored of Walton;—Howland; An angling plate of very handsome design: the shield of arms is surroundedwith the implements of the fisherman, with evidences of his success and with the weeds which grow by the water side: the mottoPiscator non solum piscatorfloats on a ribbon above;—Lucius Poole; the masks of Comedy and of Tragedy are brought together in this plate, as indicative of the books collected by Mr. Poole;—Arthur Robinson Stone: a folio volume of music is open to the Largo of the second part of the “Messiah,” by Handel, and is copied from the original score preserved in the British Museum:—in the plate ofMartin Haydentwo Cupids bear a shield on which the name is given: each little Cupid also manages to hold a mask: the motto,Upward, Onward.
Fred C. Schlaick: in this we see the uppermost part of a column and its Corinthian capital. A little Cupid flies away from the finished piece of work, carrying the veil which had concealed it from view. This design hardly needs the wordArchitect, which is added just after the name, to express the profession of the owner.
Edward Stratton Holloway: in this design, the owl is perched upon a limb, with the palette, brushes, sketch-book, and pencils of the illustrator within his clutch.
A most happy plate is that ofMr. Richard Hoe Lawrence, which is designed for use only in the library housed at his country seat, “Oscaleta Lodge,” and which is mainly botanical. In this plate the partridge-vine,Mitchella repens, is shown in its proper colors, and is surrounded by a double border of red lines, within which the motto, from
image of book-plate not available: FRED C. SCHLAICH. ARCHITECT
Rabelais,Fay ce que vouldras, is given in yellow. The plate was designed by Miss Mary S. Lawrence.
For a Philatelical library, the plate ofMr. John K. Tiffanyis exceedingly appropriate, the design being enlarged from the old and rare St. Louis Postmaster’s stamp of 1845. The book-plate was cut on wood by the same man who designed the original stamp. It is an exact fac-simile of the old stamp, giving the two bears holding between them the circular frame which encloses the arms.
A very good example of the Allegorical book-plate is that ofGeorge H. Ellwanger, of Rochester. This is designed to illustrate the LXX sonnet of the Amoretti, of Spenser. With all the charming freshness of the early vernal season about her, we see Spring, in graceful drapery, carrying buds and blossoms in her hands, and crowned with a wreath of flowers, approaching us. The garlands, the numerous birds, the new leaves upon the trees, and the sense of warmth in the scene, clearly depict the meaning of the artist.
Turning, now, to the pictorial plates, we find their number rather small. Decorative features, bits of landscape and of interiors are found in many plates; but these little ornamentations do not constitute a real pictorial plate. One of the finest examples is the plate ofE. G. Asay, of Chicago. In this we find ourselves intruding upon the councils of the Muses; for we see Art seated upon a throne, with the palette and brushes idle in her lap, while about her, in graceful manner, recline History, Music, and Literature.The lyre of Music is quiet, as, with her hand affectionately placed upon the shoulder of History, she listens to the reading of the just-inscribed record. Art likewise gives interested attention to the recital; and Literature, with her book closed, leans upon the convenient globe, and listens.
image of book-plate not available: CHAUNCE LAWRENCE WILLIAMS
Wholly different is the plate ofAllen Wallace. In this, one of the Naiadæ reclines upon the
image of book-plate not available: ArthurRobinson Stone.
over-turned urn, from which the never-ceasing flow of water falls over the rock, and slips away in a widening stream. With one hand she caresses the limpid flow, as it emerges from the urn. At either side, below her, two dolphins discharge quantities of water from their mouths into an immense shell which receives the stream from the urn as well. Tall sheaves of wheat rise above them, and directly behind the head of the Naiad is the motto,Nil clarius aquis.
Mr. H. E. Deats, of Flemington, N.J., has a most beautiful specimen of steel engraving which he uses in his numismatic library. In this, we see a female figure clad in classic costume, with a diadem on her brow, sitting on the clouds, and having at her side an oval shield, on which a very important peacock is depicted as using the globe for his perch. On either side, cornucopiæ of fruit and flowers barely hold their quantities of produce. The motto,Instauratio saeculi felicis, is placed upon the edge of the shield.
The plate ofFrances LouiseandCharles Dexter Allenrepresents a female figure in classic robes seated upon a stone bench at the foot of tall trees. It is twilight, and the glint of the weakening light is seen through the leaves. Books, manuscript, and scrolls are strewn around the solitary figure. The motto,Sapientiam veram petimus, is carved along the top of the wall behind. One arm of the figure is thrown across the top of an open book, on which the names of the owners are given. This plate was suppressed at the request of the publishers of a magazine inNew York City, as it so closely resembled the design on their cover.
image of book-plate not available: SAMUELWESLEY·MARVIN
A very effective plate is that ofF. W. Hoyt, of Albany, N.Y. In this an Ionic column forms the whole design. Very beautifully engraved: the lamp of Knowledge is continually burning, and continually fed on the top of the capital, while the names of the “Immortals” are bound around the shaft on a ribbon,—Homer,Dante,Cervantes,Shakespeare,Shelley. The name of the owner is carved upon the base.
In the plate ofSamuel Wesley Marvin, is depicted the sleeping knight, to whom come
image of book-plate not available: FW. HOYT.
Pleasure and Knowledge, each with her offer of satisfaction and reward. The motto,Courage le diable est mort, is seen on the broad ribbon which is laid about the picture.
image of book-plate not available: VA
The plate ofAdam Van Allen, of Albany, is copied from the plate of the brothers Goncourt, and represents the left hand with a pair of dividers held by the third and fourth fingers, while the first and second are placed upon a sheet of paper bearing the initialsV A.
Several peculiar plates remain to be mentioned, which belong to no style, but are examples of the individual taste of the owners, which is now so marked a feature of book-plate designing. Not, as formerly, are we controlled as to the style which we shall adopt, but each book-lover can,without appearing eccentric, place whatever design he chooses within his book-covers.
The plate of the well-knownlitterateur,W. Irving Way, of Chicago, is simply a very small bit of paper with his initials in cipher upon it. The plate ofFred J. Libbie, of Boston, one of the largest collectors of plates, is a cryptogrammic arrangement of the letters forming his name.
An old plate ofRichard Hoe Lawrencecaricatures each of his three names: the first, by the “dickey bird”; the second, by the agricultural implement suggested by the middle name: and the third, by a picture of the emaciated Saint Lawrence frying over a fire of flaming fagots. As he fries, he reads from a book entitled,Lawrence on Gridiron.
The plate ofMarcus Benjamin, of New York City, is a punning plate, and represents the gentleman himself riding his hobby-horse, which is in the form of a big folio. With a long quill for a lance, and wearing a crucible for a hat, he rides his horse, full merrily. The plate ofJ. Hiestand Hartman, of Lancaster, Pa., is very curious. In this, the shield is borne by a skeleton, who stands erect, with the lance resting in the right arm. A banner floats from the lance-head, ribbons rise in profusion on either side, and the grinning sentinel is enclosed in the fluttering ends.E. A. Hitchcock, of the United States Army, has a plate of peculiar and hidden meaning. In this, the prominent feature is a huge dragon, winged, scaly, with forked tail and snakelike head. With the end of his tail in his mouth, he forms a frame ofoval form, and repulsive kind, for a picture of a little girl, who seems to be sitting upon a honeycomb, and who holds a necklace in her left hand. The motto,Non nisi Parvulis, must contain some reference to the event recorded in the book-plate.
image of book-plate not available: MarcusBenjamin.
The plate ofGeorge Dudley Seymourhas the unusual feature of a large representation of an old door, with its carved posts, and pediment of high-boy style. In the centre of the design, above this, at the right, a small view is given of the whole house from which the door is taken, and in the opposite corner a scroll bears the words:Captain Charles Churchill, hys house at Weathersfield in the Colony of Connecticut in Newe England, 1754-1885. This plate is byW. F. Hopson, of New Haven, Conn., and is very effective.Mr. Hopson’sown plate is also a very beautiful specimen of his skill. In this, the central panel is filled with three old folios in aged condition, tumbled together upon the table. In the upper corners, a press for plate work and a painting on an easel are seen. Below the central space, a closed portfolio affords space for the record of the number of the volume. About all, are elaborate scrolls of rustic design. Over the space, a small kettle holds a number of fine brushes, and the motto is on a ribbon which is well carried through the scrolled sides. The motto is an adaptation of one of older date, and reads as follows:Old books to read, old prints to scan, old wood to carve, old friends to greet.
As yet, we have but one example of the work of C. W. Sherborn, the celebrated engraver, of London, among our American book-plates. This is the beautiful plate of Mr.S. P. Avery, of New York City. This is not heraldic, but of a decidedly personal bent, and very indicative of the special lines of collecting to which the owner is devoted. The upper part of the plate is filled with a conventionalized tulip design, which is extremely rich in appearance and graceful in disposition. A ribbon bearing the name,Samuel Putnam Avery, flutters in and out among the curves of the tulip stems and leaves. Grouped at the lower edge of the plate are a number of books, in artistic bindings, one being noticeable as having a Grolieresque design. The titles of most of the books can be read, and among them
image of book-plate not available: GEORGEDUDLEY SEYMOUR.
are De Bury, Shakespeare, Goethe, Emerson, Montaigne, Ruskin, Bewick, and Washington Irving. Rembrandt’s “Three Trees,” also found among the accessories at the foot, is indicative of the collector of etchings. The graver, eye-piece, cushion, and block on which the portrait of Washington is cut, denote the art of engraving, and the head of Minerva, which rests proudly upon the volume of Ruskin, represents the patron of Art. This plate is a fine example of the peculiar personal flavor which Sherborn has infused into his revival of this particular kind of German work. The grouping of the books at the bottom is excellent, and the graceful sweeps of the tulip pattern, as it fills the upper two-thirds of the plate, are very pleasing. The motto,Far more seemly were it for thee to have thy Study full of Bookes than thy purse full of money(Lilly), is placed beneath the design.
Two specimens of the work of Paul Avril, for American owners, are of exceeding daintiness and delicacy in design and execution. The plate ofClarence H. Clarkrepresents Venus in gauzy drapery, with a looking-glass in her hand, reclining upon a pile of books, some of which are closed. A fragment of the scroll of a Chippendale frame, with one or two roses about, complete the decoration. The motto,Amat victoria curam, is seen upon the open page of a folio volume. The plate is very light and pretty.
In the plate ofGeorge B. De Forest, by the same artist, we are ushered into the library of the owner. Here a cherub draws back the curtain,and affords a view of the treasures upon the well-filled shelves, not only to the beholder, but also to a scantily clad female who, with one foot upon the step of the shelf-ladder, appears to halt in an ecstasy of delight. An open book on the floor, and a portfolio standing near the shelves, complete the accessories. The whole is surrounded by a frame of foliated scrolls.
In the plates ofDr. Henry C. Enowe have examples of the owner’s personal skill as an etcher. In one design, a lighted candle is placed upon a closed book, which is labelledEx Libris Volume, and is presumably filled with rare treasures among our very early American plates. The second plate represents a lighthouse, with rolling waves at its foot. The broad bands of light stream from the lighted lantern, across the black night. The scene is enclosed within a circular frame. This is set upon a background, which may represent a fish-net, and is finally enclosed by a border of rope. A bit of rope tied in a sailor’s knot lies under the lighthouse picture, and supports the name,Ex Libris H. C. Eno.
Among collectors, there has been of recent years a strong desire to secure specimens of the plates of the ladies. In England, where the heraldic features of a lady’s plate are required to be in some respects very different from those of the gentleman, they may be said to constitute a class by themselves. But with us, while of equal interest, they do not show any marked difference in their design from the gentlemen’s. Indeed,most of them, if not all, would serve just as well for one as for the other. The plate ofCharlotte Cushman, which is heraldic, is incorrect, if judged by the rules of the art. The arms are not in a lozenge, the crest is given, and the motto is displayed. But the plate has none the less a deep interest to the American collector, who indeed can well afford to overlook any trifling irregularities which may be pointed out by a student of a science not in vogue with us.Habeo pro jus fasqueis the motto on the plate. Two other heraldic plates are now used by American ladies. The plate ofMrs. E. H. L. Barker, of Warren, R.I., is designed by Mr. J. McN. Stauffer, and is heraldically correct, in that no crest is given, and that the frame enclosing the arms is of the required form. However, the motto is given, and the animal of the crest is made to do service as a supporter of the rod on which the shield rests. The plate is small, and very neat in appearance. The plate ofMiss Jessie Brewster, of Shelton, Conn., is a plain armorial, displaying the arms claimed by the descendants of Elder William Brewster of Massachusetts. Another Rhode Island plate, and one which is representative of the hobbies of the owner, is that ofMrs. Alonzo Flint, of Providence. This is a large plate, in the centre of which is an arrow-head of flint, in reference to the name of the owner. In the corners are displayed books, easel and palette, violin, music and ‘cello, and two cathedral spires,—all indicative of the likings and pursuits of the user of the plate. A wreath of ragged chrysanthemumsand ivy leaves surrounds the central design, on which a beehive is placed, among hollyhocks. This is, as was intended, a plate whose every part is illustrative of the interests of the owner, who was also its designer.