Recently, as I was searching the archives, I came across a box of bookplates which had been collected during the early 1900’s. It seems that at some point, Marcia Noyes had advertised in the Maryland Medical Journal that she was collecting bookplates, and many people responded!
The plates are being scanned into digital files so that they’re not lost. The plates are in small paper folders, each with notes about the donor and other details. However, many of the files are empty, and have a written note that the plate were added to a book – perhaps a ledger or a scrapbook. Of course, I’ve not found that, but that’s not to say it doesn’t exist!
Here are some of the plates I’ve scanned to date.
I still have four more folders to look through and scan the interesting bookplates. Let me know which one you like the most!
Hello Meg, I think an exhibit would be a great idea, and you can't lose with any of these. Enlargements would work well, and be a visual pull, but also include the original plates. Part of the attraction of bookplates is being drawn into the miniature world of these tiny works of art.
ReplyDeleteI agree- an exhibition would be swell! Coincidentally, this past week I have been working on a collection of bookends!
ReplyDeleteI like them all but I like the one with Hebrew lettering on top. Yes the idea of an exhibition is very important.
ReplyDeleteThese are so beautiful! I visited an exhibit of bookplates at the National Gallery in Ottawa last summer, it was pretty great. They were simply laid out under glass but your idea of enlarging some of them to poster size would have quite the impact, are you still planning the exhibit? It's a terrific idea and I can't choose a favourite each one has charm!
ReplyDeleteFound one of the Osler Ex-Libris in a book I just acquired. Thanks for the resources! Dr. Miranda.
ReplyDeletehttps://clinanat.com/mtd/842-interesting-discovery-in-an-ex-libris