DOI issue:
No. 48 (March, 1897)
DOI article:White, Gleeson: Some recent book-plates, mostly pictorial
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18388#0116
Some Recent Book-plates
BOOK-PLATE BY H. OSPOVAT
even frontispieces, have been cramped by the space
available, and are not sufficiently label-like to be
perfectly satisfactory as book-plates. It is a pity
that book-label—the real name of the real thing—
has not been accepted instead of the loose term
" book-plate," or the doubtful Latinity of the still
more vague " ex libris." No single person may
hope to change the currency of speech ; or if any
■one can, it must be at the right moment either of
pristine invention or of revival. In this context
the time has past for either, and as " ex libris " is
the accepted term on the Continent and in the
United States, it is well that English collectors
should accept it (after formal protest), as there is
no doubt what the term signifies to-day. But un-
luckily it fails to keep the main purpose in view.
Even if we accept the theory of a decorated name-
label as the consistent type of the non-armorial
plate, the limitation imposed may be considered
vague enough. Yet one may reconsider some of
the points which appear most unsatisfactory in a
very large collection of recent design. A feature of
the modern plate which seems to have acquired an
unnecessary monotony of late is undoubtedly its
size. Nine out of ten new plates are about the same
shape and dimension as an ordinary playing card.
But there is no reason whatever for the standard
being maintained. It may be safest to regard large
sizes with suspicion, because it is obvious that,
although a small plate may suit all books from
duodecimo to folio, a large one is absurd if not
impossible for small volumes. My own feeling is
very strongly in favour of much smaller plates than
the average, and that these should display the
owner's name as the important feature, with real
decoration in place of pictures for their adornment.
The words "ex libris," if included at all, may be as
minute as legibility permits; but the name and
possibly the address of the owner should never fail
to be apparent at first glance. Hence " eccentric "
alphabets should be avoided; so, too, should the
placing of words in vertical lines in lieu of the
orthodox horizontal; indeed, all eccentricity should
be " suspect" here, because of its unlicensed
employment on commercial labels and advertise-
EX LIBRJi
BOOK-PLATE BY R. ANNING BELL
BOOK-PLATE BY H. OSPOVAT
even frontispieces, have been cramped by the space
available, and are not sufficiently label-like to be
perfectly satisfactory as book-plates. It is a pity
that book-label—the real name of the real thing—
has not been accepted instead of the loose term
" book-plate," or the doubtful Latinity of the still
more vague " ex libris." No single person may
hope to change the currency of speech ; or if any
■one can, it must be at the right moment either of
pristine invention or of revival. In this context
the time has past for either, and as " ex libris " is
the accepted term on the Continent and in the
United States, it is well that English collectors
should accept it (after formal protest), as there is
no doubt what the term signifies to-day. But un-
luckily it fails to keep the main purpose in view.
Even if we accept the theory of a decorated name-
label as the consistent type of the non-armorial
plate, the limitation imposed may be considered
vague enough. Yet one may reconsider some of
the points which appear most unsatisfactory in a
very large collection of recent design. A feature of
the modern plate which seems to have acquired an
unnecessary monotony of late is undoubtedly its
size. Nine out of ten new plates are about the same
shape and dimension as an ordinary playing card.
But there is no reason whatever for the standard
being maintained. It may be safest to regard large
sizes with suspicion, because it is obvious that,
although a small plate may suit all books from
duodecimo to folio, a large one is absurd if not
impossible for small volumes. My own feeling is
very strongly in favour of much smaller plates than
the average, and that these should display the
owner's name as the important feature, with real
decoration in place of pictures for their adornment.
The words "ex libris," if included at all, may be as
minute as legibility permits; but the name and
possibly the address of the owner should never fail
to be apparent at first glance. Hence " eccentric "
alphabets should be avoided; so, too, should the
placing of words in vertical lines in lieu of the
orthodox horizontal; indeed, all eccentricity should
be " suspect" here, because of its unlicensed
employment on commercial labels and advertise-
EX LIBRJi
BOOK-PLATE BY R. ANNING BELL