American Book-Plates: A Guide to Their Study with ExamplesAllen, Charles Dexter
History
American Book-Plates: A Guide to Their Study with Examples
Allen, Charles Dexter
Bookplates -- Bibliography; Bookplates, American
A step in advance of these wholly typographical examples are those which
employ a woodcut border to surround the name, and instances can be
given of such a border enclosing the name printed from type; festoons of
flowers or of cord, and draperies of cloth, were also used as a simple
setting for the owner’s name. In this connection mention may be made of
the work of T. Sparrow, an obscure engraver of Maryland; no heraldic or
pictorial examples of his workmanship have been identified, and he
probably confined himself to the simple woodcut designs of which but a
small number are known. Always using a border of floriated scrolls, he
never omitted an original contrivance which is the characteristic mark
of his work,--a group of thirteen stars surrounded often by a wreath.
This is always found in a prominent place, and is an indication of his
patriotism as well as that of the owner of the plate.
[Illustration: RICHARD SPRIGG, jun.]
It must not be supposed that the heraldic book-plate was an outgrowth or
development of the name-label: not at all; they were contemporaneous
and were both used in England long before they were here.
Coming now to the subject of mottoes, we find a wide field to travel
over, many languages to read, many quotations to recognize, with hints
and warnings, and even threatenings, by the score, from jealous
book-lovers. Mottoes readily fall into two classes: those which are
chosen by the owner for some personal reason, and those which are family
mottoes, and which are used without thought because they are a family
inheritance, or with a commendable pride in such legacies from an
honorable ancestry. Latin is the language most often used probably,
though English is a strong rival, while German, French, Greek, and even
Hebrew and Welsh are also found upon our book-plates. Sentiments
opposing the habit of book-borrowing are of frequent occurrence, and in
some instances are of such severity as to leave no doubt of their
effectiveness. For brevity and pointedness the following example can
hardly be exceeded:--
_This book was bought and paid for by_
_D. C. Colesworthy._
_Borrowing neighbors are recommended_
_to supply themselves in the same manner._
_Price seventy-five cents._
On the book-plate of _D. W. Jayne_ the following verse from the Bible is
used:--
_Go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. Matt. Chap.
xxv. ver. 9._
[Illustration: Thomas O. Selfridge,
_BOSTON_,
1799.]
Verses from Holy Writ are quite frequently used on plates, and the style
of expression found in the Psalms and Proverbs is borrowed as adding an
authoritative emphasis to the words of caution and advice,--
_The wicked borrow, and returneth not: do thou not like unto them._
_Return what thou borroweth with the most sacred punctuality, and
withhold it not._
On the plate of a book-lover in Charleston, S.C.,--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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