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Collecting ex-libris and bookplates
The collection of ex-libris (or bookplates) is becoming increasingly popular with an estimated 10,000 collectors world wide! There are almost 50 international associations of bookplate collectors as well as a vast number of magazines and books published on the subject.
Whilst many collectors have chosen bookplates as a means of studying the historical, artistic and even cultural changes of the last 500 years, there are also many collectors whose primary motivation is purely artistic - the collection of bookplates gives art lovers the chance to build their own collection of miniature, personalized art-prints.
Some people collect the work of a particular artist such as Rockwell Kent who produced specially commissioned, numbered and signed editions of bookplates which were never actually pasted into books.
This lens is an introduction to this fascinating subject.
What is an ex-libris?
A bookplate, also known as ex-libr?s Latin, "from the books of...", is usually a small print or decorative label pasted into a book, often on the inside front cover, to indicate its owner. Simple typographical bookplates are termed 'booklabels'.
Bookplates typically bear a name, motto, device, coat-of-arms, crest, badge, or any motif that relates to the owner of the book, or is requested by him from the artist or designer. The name of the owner usually follows an inscription such as "from the books of . . . " or "from the library of . . . ", or in Latin, ex libris .... Bookplates are important evidence for the provenance of books.
In the United States, bookplates replaced book rhymes after the 19th century.
A wonderful ex-libris and bookplate slideshow
Start your own antique ex-libris collection here!
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Example of a family crest or heraldic coat of arms
In a copy of Chambaud Louis - Dictionnaire - 1815
The same bookplate is pasted into each of the four volumes. It has an heraldic crest, family shield, or coat of arms, with the motto tenax in fide, which is, "Steadfast in [the] faith" and is the motto of the Smith family. The name 'Abel Smith' appears under the crest, and this may be Abel Smith of Woodhall Park, born 17th July 1788 and died 23rd February 1859; a theory strengthened by the words 'Woodhall Park' appearing on the bookplate.
Source: From Old Books
Here's my favorite link:
The creation of a bookplate
Further reading about bookplates
A Treasury of Bookplates from the Renaissance to the Present
Amazon Price: (as of 12/23/2009) 
Rockwell Kent: The Art of the Bookplate
Amazon Price: $32.00 (as of 12/23/2009)
The Art of the Bookplate
Amazon Price: (as of 12/23/2009)
Heraldic Designs: Royalty-free Images of Coats-of-arms, Shields, Crests, Seals, Bookplates, And More
Amazon Price: $15.56 (as of 12/23/2009)
An ex-libris exhibition
Ex-libris and bookplate links
- Bookplate and Ex-Libris Store
- Ex-Libris and Bookplate Store
- Bookplate guide
- Everything you could possibly need to know...
- Ex Libris//Bookplates
- Ex Libris//Bookplates Reflections on books, bibliomania, bookplates and the art of engraving.
- The New Australian Bookplate Society
- The New Australian Bookplate Society
- Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie
- Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie - Random thoughts from a passionate bookplate collector.
- Ex Libris (State Library of Queensland)
- Ex Libris: bookplates from our collections
Please leave a comment before you go!
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- tandemonimom tandemonimom Oct 3, 2009 @ 11:22 am
- How cool - I had no idea folks collected stuff like this, though I guess it's not too surprising. Lensrolled to The Reader's Shop: T-shirts, Book Bags, Gifts for Book Lovers.
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- DAnnieB DAnnieB Jul 15, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
- Very good info .. I'll add it to my sites!
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- fanfreluche fanfreluche Apr 18, 2008 @ 11:59 am
- I learned something! I have always wondered what was ex-libris but too lazy to finf out:)
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- brettkun brettkun Mar 4, 2008 @ 5:12 am
- You make cool and interesting lenses. I like your stuff!
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- sheywood sheywood Nov 25, 2007 @ 12:29 am
- Welcome to the Tremendous Collections group!
Lensmaster Debs has been a member since January 1 2007, has rated 112 lenses, favorited 106, and has created 26 lenses from scratch. Deborah Swain donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "Elvis Movies". See all my lenses
by Debs
| After studying Fine Art at Reading University I moved from England to the... (more)
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