DOI issue:
No. 1 (April, 1893)
DOI article:Designing for bookplates, [1]: with some recent examples
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17188#0044
Designing for Book-Plates
Heraldry prove to be superbly capable, set forth should be distinguished from a student of the
meanly and without spirit. Apart from the artistic drama; the general reader might prefer an eclectic
rendering it may be \J^jtjj^?~^S^ design; while ^the
en^re^ ^era^'<" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ limit the artist to his
hear arms is clearly W^^^^^vf Jllf* «I|l^-^Pt fy with ordered balance of
distinguished—at least, X&f0g^tyffoL ^j^^mH parts, to be successful,
to one skilled in her- ^^^^tS^^k A ruined abbey with a
aldry ^from others of ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ f°re&rounc' showing a
Samuel Wilberforce (to book-plate of fred trehawk davies. designed by the owner, and a label
take an actual instance) Herbert p. horne bearing his name, is
is the abolitionist, or his grandfather, is not indi- not happy as decoration, nor in its jumble of
cated by the plate itself, although experts can make incongruous details a consistent attempt to an-
a shrewd guess of its date from the character of the nounce anything worth proclaiming. Better a few
ornament. But it seems fair to ask that the ideal lines of decent type, recording the bare facts, than
plate, whether it such a label. Neither can a scratchy device of a
take cognisance coat of arms, with the name in old English or
of the owner's italic letters below, be accepted as a design, or
coat of arms or even as a
not, should do decent sub-
more than this, stitute for
and by symbol, one.
allegory, or motto, We have
should convey a seen that a
hint of its owner's picture
taste or occupa- forced into
tion. This does use as a
not necessarily book - plate
imply that a de- by the ad-
sign known to dition of a
experts as " Pic- name be-
torial " is preferable to an heraldic one ; but rather low, or dis-
that the properly displayed arms should be a fea- played upon
ture of the plate and not its sole object. a scroll
Thus an ardent collector of old books might across a
fitly choose an ancient style of bookish ornament portion of
or lettering; a modern book-lover might select its surface,
some newer treatment of his hobby : an angler, should be equally far from the ideal—apart from
a musician, or a painter, as many instances show, the fact that a picture, even if it be good, should not
can easily find appropriate devices to suggest their be vulgarised by its constant reappearance, and if
various pursuits. One whose studies are scientific bad, were best not multiplied. In considering a
26
HERg&'.THKBOOK
i:sovcht:for;so!
CONSTITUTIONAL
CLUB : LIBRARY.
designed by herbert p. horne
(Reproduced by Special Permission)
Heraldry prove to be superbly capable, set forth should be distinguished from a student of the
meanly and without spirit. Apart from the artistic drama; the general reader might prefer an eclectic
rendering it may be \J^jtjj^?~^S^ design; while ^the
en^re^ ^era^'<" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ limit the artist to his
hear arms is clearly W^^^^^vf Jllf* «I|l^-^Pt fy with ordered balance of
distinguished—at least, X&f0g^tyffoL ^j^^mH parts, to be successful,
to one skilled in her- ^^^^tS^^k A ruined abbey with a
aldry ^from others of ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ f°re&rounc' showing a
Samuel Wilberforce (to book-plate of fred trehawk davies. designed by the owner, and a label
take an actual instance) Herbert p. horne bearing his name, is
is the abolitionist, or his grandfather, is not indi- not happy as decoration, nor in its jumble of
cated by the plate itself, although experts can make incongruous details a consistent attempt to an-
a shrewd guess of its date from the character of the nounce anything worth proclaiming. Better a few
ornament. But it seems fair to ask that the ideal lines of decent type, recording the bare facts, than
plate, whether it such a label. Neither can a scratchy device of a
take cognisance coat of arms, with the name in old English or
of the owner's italic letters below, be accepted as a design, or
coat of arms or even as a
not, should do decent sub-
more than this, stitute for
and by symbol, one.
allegory, or motto, We have
should convey a seen that a
hint of its owner's picture
taste or occupa- forced into
tion. This does use as a
not necessarily book - plate
imply that a de- by the ad-
sign known to dition of a
experts as " Pic- name be-
torial " is preferable to an heraldic one ; but rather low, or dis-
that the properly displayed arms should be a fea- played upon
ture of the plate and not its sole object. a scroll
Thus an ardent collector of old books might across a
fitly choose an ancient style of bookish ornament portion of
or lettering; a modern book-lover might select its surface,
some newer treatment of his hobby : an angler, should be equally far from the ideal—apart from
a musician, or a painter, as many instances show, the fact that a picture, even if it be good, should not
can easily find appropriate devices to suggest their be vulgarised by its constant reappearance, and if
various pursuits. One whose studies are scientific bad, were best not multiplied. In considering a
26
HERg&'.THKBOOK
i:sovcht:for;so!
CONSTITUTIONAL
CLUB : LIBRARY.
designed by herbert p. horne
(Reproduced by Special Permission)