The Lost Art of the Bookplate

Older books have certain qualities that endear me to them in a way that can't really be recreated in the modern world of book publishing. Namely the carefully hand-stamped leather covers, covers meant to last. But there is a feature that seems to exist only in older books that I can't understand how it doesn't translate over to the contemporary: bookplates. A bookplate is a stamp or sticker with the name of the owner printed on it, often with decorative detail. If you are going to build a library, better to have a fanciful way to claim your books, though sometimes a simple scawl across the title page sufficed.

Photos and examples after the jump...

Here's a sight that may be familiar with those that frequent the stacks of the University of the Pacific library. This bookplate is displayed in many of the university's collection.

Some of the books in Pacific's collection were donated, with the original owner's bookplates still inside some of the older volumes.

Here is an example of a bookplate owned by F. E. Scotford, who decorated his literary property with wildlife and scrolls

Bookplates can be decorated in any theme, from the classically wordy...

An mostly simple bookplate featuring quotes about books owned by Walter Behrnard Sampson

...to the art deco...

"BF Hall, His Book"

...to the downright classy.

An ornately bordered bookplate owned by Kenneth Leon Cuhier

Sometimes bookplates donated by organizations recieve special bookplates.

"Stuart Library of Western Americana"

Occasionally a simple signature in the title page will suffice as a makeshift bookplate.

Handwritten name in book published in 1867. Love the fountain pen flair!

These signatures can accumulate on some books giving you a visual history to where that book has been in its life.

Names and addresses for several generations of book owners

Then of course, there is the elusive modern bookplate, on of which I have in a book very dear to my heart.

"One of the first to get the last"