Reading by the Fire

Bookplate for W.E. Kelley

The more bookplates one acquires for their collection, the more one begins to observe recurring themes  amongst them.  For example, I have many bookplates in my collection that illustrate piles of books, sailing ships, homes, and even skeletons.  Perhaps my favourite theme, however, are those illustrating reading by the fire.

Living in Canada means a living a life that includes a good winter season.  This also means getting outdoors for those precious few hours of daylight to skate, play some hockey, or ski, followed by much longer dark afternoons and evenings indoors.

In the winter I always enjoy taking some time during the evening to enjoy a good book by the fire and I know many others who do as well, therefore it seems fitting that this activity would find strong association in the design of several bookplates.

The mysterious Palmer ?

Another thing I really enjoy about these bookplates is that they tend to include a considerable number of details in their drawing.  For example, the bookplate to Palmer at left has included a cat by the fire as well as a very detailed curio cabinet in the background.  Is this a fictitious room or perhaps these were Palmer's favourite things illustrated in his/her favourite place to relax and read?  If anyone knows anything about who Palmer might have been please let me know.

This next bookplate for Charles A.A. Modeer illustrates a couple sitting by the fire, one reading and smoking his pipe while the other knits.  Modeer was born in Sweden in 1877 but his family moved to the United States prior to the First World War.  He ran away to serve on sailing ships (his father was a ship master on the Great Lakes) and spent some time with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company out of San Francisco.  A more detailed biography of Modeer may found here and it appears that the archives of the Oregon Historical Society currently hold some of his personal effects and notebooks.

A couple by the fire

Ladies also enjoyed their time by the fire.  This bookplate belonging to Hope Summerell Chamberlain (1888-1951), a North Carolina socialite and author of local history, shows perhaps a favourite corner chair and lamp by the radiator (okay not a fireplace but still heat...).  

H.S. Chamberlain's papers are at UNC

Of the many bookplates I have with this theme design, Gordon Hanson's remains a personal favourite.  He appears to be in the most relaxed position possible, drink and book in hand, yet still ready to remind you to keep your grubbers off of his property and to not think for one second about walking off with one of his beloved friends.  I must admit there are times you might discover me in the same relaxed pose offering a similar warning.  So whatever else you are up to this weekend, don't forget to put aside a little time to enjoy the coming holidays and curl up next the fire with your favourite book.  That's where I will be.  Until next time ...

Finding and Buying Collections

My most  recent acquisition

I'm always looking for new bookplates to add to my collection, and although my main interest is the research of Canadian bookplates and their designers, I enjoy collecting a wide range of American and British ex libris as well.   As such I'm always happy to consider any offers to buy old collections if you've got one you want to part with.

Buying old collections always brings excitement both in the find and then afterwards during the sort.  This past weekend, for example, I bought an old collection of about 1700 bookplates for a very fair price.  And though so far I've only been able to briefly skim through the boxes, some excellent bookplates have already surfaced.  In addition to a number of seventeenth and eighteen century British and American bookplates, I found ex libris for Charles Dickens, E.F. Hutton, Evelyn Waugh, and other notable figures.  The collection also included a number of ED French plates including a few rarer ones I've been pursuing for some time. There were many great plates I'll have to research further, and needless to say, I can already see what I'll be doing with my free time over the holidays.

Finding large collections like these is becoming harder these days given the hobby's modest appeal, but they do continue to surface from time to time.  Buying such collections, however, can be a bit of a daunting task for some people.  Not everyone has the means or the time to collect, catalogue, and research large collections.  Putting a fair value on such collections is likewise a very difficult task.  Old doesn't necessarily equal expensive, and condition is everything to a serious collector.  I often feel that bookplates are a prime example of one man's trash being another man's treasure.  I'm also wary of anyone selling bookplates who is reluctant to answer a few basic questions about the item.  Caveat emptor definitely applies in this hobby.

Anyway, I'd love to spend more time blogging but I've got some serious sorting and cataloguing to do.  Until next time...

The Bookplate Journal - Autumn 2012

I was very pleased to receive the latest bookplate society journal this past week, which includes in its pages an excellent updated version of Colin White's comprehensive study on the Scottish artist Jessie M. King.  As the society's web page notes:

Vol.10 No.2 Fall 2012 

It forms a major part of the Society’s Autumn 2012 issue of The Bookplate Journal, which has been sent out to members in the last days of October 2012. Not only does this article (32 pages in all) update the checklist that appeared in March 1995, but 15 of the bookplates are reproduced in colour. In his book A Guide to the Printed Work of Jessie M. King, 2007, Colin White listed King’s bookplates, but two or three have since come to light, and the book does not have his extensive comments which are now appearing in this forthcoming journal.

Bookplate by Jessie M. King

This issue also includes articles examining the bookplate designs of Graham Rust;  makes inquiries into whether or not Catherine the Great had a bookplate; displays the ex-libris work of English painter Keith Vaughan (1912-1977); as well as a great little piece about how one might design one's own bookplate (something I'm currently working on myself...).  In addition there are collecting and personal notes, etc., and along with the journal was the October 2012 society newsletter containing the details for Auction 67.

I've acquired some nice new items this past week for my collection but I'll post these tomorrow after I get them scanned in later today.  Also, I want say 'thank you' for the many kind emails and comments I received concerning my previous post on hoarders and snobs.  It seems this attitude is a bit more prevalent on this side of the pond and I encourage folks not to be bullied out of enjoying what is a great learning hobby.

As always, if you have bookplates for sale or trade, I'm always interested in buying whole collections or individuals items from any period.  As well, if you have any questions or want to share some of your own finds on this blog for everyone to see, don't hesitate to get in touch.  Until next time...

Hoarders, Snobs, and the Endangerment of a Hobby

Given the title of this blog I need a bit more space than usual to cover the rant that follows.  It's a subject, however, that's been on my mind over the past couple of years as I've delved into library and book history, not to mention as I continue my pursuit of Canadian bookplates and the stories of their sellers and owners.

Having come from a long line of antiquarians, dealers, and collectors, I've been exposed to just about every known hobby as well as the characters they attract.  And while every hobby has its ups and downs, nothing endangers the longevity of one's enjoyment of collecting something more than having to deal with two particularly troublesome folks in the collecting business - the hoarder and the snob.

We've all met them in our travels.  The hoarders often like to style themselves as 'acquisitors'; they treat everyone as competition; they're knowledgeable enough of the hobby to be dangerous; they're shameless in their pursuit of new material often using subtle shoving, poor manners, and a lack of bathing as weapons to move others out of their way at shows.  They often derive a guilty pleasure from the feeling that another collector might covet what they've already hoovered into their own basements.  They care little for the objects they possess other than to own them.  They do nothing to enrich their artifacts through research, show no interest in sharing any knowledge of their finds with others unless it makes you jealous of course, and they actively encourage you to give up collecting the same things as they declare a corner on the market.  In essence, they want you to go away.

At the other end of the spectrum are the snobs.  They style themselves as 'experts'; they treat everyone else as idiots; they're knowledgeable enough of the hobby so why aren't people impressed by this?  They're shameless in their disdain for others who apparently are unaware that the said collectible is in fact a type E version only issued in July of said year, not the B version issued in much smaller numbers in February of said year and therefore much rarer (idiot!).  They often derive a guilty pleasure from pointing out things you've missed in the most condescending manner possible.  That said, they usually care little for taking the time to answer questions about their hobby at all, show no interest in getting others excited about it or cultivating new generations of collectors, and actively discourage you from trying to retain your interest in the hobby since you obviously don't know what you're doing anyway. And you're bothering them. Again. Sigh.  In essence, they also want you to go away.

This past week I've run into both of these archetypes.  One guy shoved in next to me at a show and seeing the bookplates I had found, actually tried to outbid me with the dealer right as I was paying for my purchase.  He then announced his claim to first refusal on any other bookplates at that table.  When sending another guy an email asking a question about the provenance of a particular bookplate, I was condescendingly informed that as he was the only "serious" dealer in his entire country of over 300 million people how dare I challenge his opinion and bother him with such trivial queries.  And then these people wonder why everyone thinks their hobby is lame and marked for extinction.

I've had a couple of friends who took up bookplate collecting, only to leave the hobby after their encounters with the hoarder and the snob, and it's a shame really.  Given that even the most organized bookplate societies have only a couple hundred members worldwide at best, if people are discouraged from joining the hobby by such folks or treated with disdain when they show a genuine interest, more bookplates will end up in the bin than in albums.  Worst of all, no one will really care.  Food for thought.  Until next time...

2012 Ottawa Antiquarian Book Fair

Time to break out the debit card!

I stumbled upon this event last year and highly recommend it if you're in the area.  The Ottawa Antiquarian Book Fair is Canada’s oldest book fair. This year it will include over 40,000 items, dating from the 15th century to the present day, displayed for sale by 40 dealers from across Canada and the United States. The fair will be held on Sunday, 4 November, at Tudor Hall, 3750 North Bowesville Rd.  10:30am – 5:30pm Admission: $5.00  Free Parking.

There is a great range of subjects covered at this show, some great book dealers, and obviously something for all manner of interests and budgets.  I am certainly looking forward to what might turn up here.

Have a great Halloween everyone and I'll report back on this event next week!  Until next time...

The Bookplate of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine

Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine (1807-1864) 

It's been a rather busy year for me, and always the hobbies must come last.  That said, however, there's nothing like a cold rainy Sunday in October to create some downtime for casual collecting and research.

One area of my bookplate collection that has been growing nicely lately is my section on Canadian political leaders.  Fortunately, many of these men were originally merchants, lawyers, doctors, businessmen or similar professionals, which meant that they often had reference libraries and thus a tendency to have bookplates made for themselves.  One that I recently acquired from Tomas G. Boss Fine Books was a bookplate for the great Canadian politician Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine.

Sir Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, 1st Baronet, KCMG, was the first Canadian to become Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada and the first head of a responsible government in Canada.  Born in Boucherville, Lower Canada in 1807, he was a jurist and statesman, being first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada in 1830. He was a political supporter of Louis Papineau and member of the Parti canadien. After the severe consequences of the Rebellions of 1837 against the British authorities, Lafontaine advocated political reforms within the new Union regime of 1841.  He has been immortalized in statue more than once, and is perhaps one of the most significant political figures in early Canadian history.

Lafontaine's bookplate

Lafontaine lived, worked, and acquired books for his library at at time when, according to Prescott's study on Canadian bookplates, "the most tiresome and inartistic style, the die sink armorial, was popular in England."  Prescott also suggested that there were practically no pictorial plates produced in Canada for book owners during this period but as my own collection continues to grow I would begin to argue that his assessment may have been incorrect.

Lafontaine's bookplate is a classic example of an early nineteenth century die-sunk Canadian pictorial label.  It is possible he chose a pictorial rather than an armorial de-sink simply as a reflection of the mood of the period - in post-revolutionary France any references to royalty and heraldry were out, even on bookplates (see Walter Hamilton's book on French bookplates for more detail on this trend). Nevertheless, it is a very attractive plate for its age and it does stand out nicely against my other Canadian political armorial ex libris.

I'm always on the look out for other Canadian bookplates like these, so if you have something you want to part with don't hesitate to get in touch.  Until next time....

The Modern Bookplate - An Example

Modern Ex Libris

Living where I do I often come across discarded military history and other defence studies books.  Every now and again I'm pleased to find that some of these books include bookplates.  Recently I picked up a couple of items that contained what could be considered very modern bookplates by typical standards, even though these ex libris appear to have been created during the 1970s or 1980s.

The plate on the left represented the library of the Canadian department of national defence's operational research division, whereas the plate on the right was for the DND Operational Research and Analysis Establishment.  A bit of research has suggested that neither of these libraries still exist, so I don't think I'll come across these ex libris again anytime soon.  I would still like to pin them down to a more definitive date, but in the meantime I'm glad I was able to pick up good specimens for my collection.

I don't know why exactly, but I find it interesting that the bookplate on the left appears to have been created with a dot matrix printer.  It gives the whole bookplate a very specific early computer tech look, which seems appropriate given the library the plate was made for.  Meanwhile the bookplate on the right clearly demonstrates the bilingual nature of the country's armed forces, as well as the connections to the commonwealth by the inclusion of the official crest.

Two modern bookplates, rather different from the usual fare that appears here.  Makes me wonder what other organizations were using bookplates well beyond the 'golden era'.  Until next time...