LITTLE BOOKS ON ART
GENERAL EDITOR: CYRIL DAVENPORT
BOOKPLATES
LITTLE BOOKS ON ART
_Demy 16mo. 2s. 6d. net._
SUBJECTS
MINIATURES. ALICE CORKRAN
BOOKPLATES. EDWARD ALMACK
GREEK ART. H. B. WALTERS
ROMAN ART. H. B. WALTERS
THE ARTS OF JAPAN. MRS. C. M. SALWEY
JEWELLERY. C. DAVENPORT
CHRIST IN ART. MRS. H. JENNER
OUR LADY IN ART. MRS. H. JENNER
CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM. H. JENNER
ILLUMINATED MSS. J. W. BRADLEY
ENAMELS. MRS. NELSON DAWSON
FURNITURE. EGAN MEW
ARTISTS
ROMNEY. GEORGE PASTON
DÜRER. L. JESSIE ALLEN
REYNOLDS. J. SIME
WATTS. MISS R. E. D. SKETCHLEY
HOPPNER. H. P. K. SKIPTON
TURNER. FRANCES TYRRELL-GILL
HOGARTH. EGAN MEW
BURNE-JONES. FORTUNÉE DE LISLE
LEIGHTON. ALICE CORKRAN
REMBRANDT. MRS. E. A. SHARP
VELASQUEZ. WILFRID WILBERFORCE AND A. R. GILBERT
VANDYCK. MISS M. G. SMALLWOOD
DAVID COX. ARTHUR TOMSON
HOLBEIN. BEATRICE FORTESCUE
COROT. ETHEL BIRNSTINGL AND MRS. A. POLLARD
MILLET. NETTA PEACOCK
CLAUDE. E. DILLON
GREUZE AND BOUCHER. ELIZA F. POLLARD
RAPHAEL. A. R. DRYHURST
[Illustration: (_see page 11_)]
BOOKPLATES
BY
EDWARD ALMACK, F.S.A.
WITH FORTY-TWO ILLUSTRATIONS
METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON
1904
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
General remarks--Various modes of engraving--Styles in bookplates
_page_ 1
CHAPTER II
BOOKPLATES CHRONOLOGICALLY
Very early plates--Albrecht Dürer--Other German artists--Early
English 11
CHAPTER III
BOOKPLATES CHRONOLOGICALLY
Lucas Cranach--Charles V.--Hans Holbein--Early French and
English bookplates--Sir Nicholas Bacon--Queen Elizabeth--Bookplates
that are not armorial--Bookplates in Switzerland,
Sweden, and Italy 20
CHAPTER IV
BOOKPLATES CHRONOLOGICALLY
The seventeenth century begins--German plates--William Marshall--Lord
Littleton--Huet, Bishop of Avranches 30
CHAPTER V
BOOKPLATES CHRONOLOGICALLY
Some French and some German plates--The cap of liberty--Buonaparte--Alsace
and Lorraine 38
CHAPTER VI
BOOKPLATES WITH MANTLING
Viscount Cholmondeley--James Loch of Drylaw--William Pitt of
Binfield 44
CHAPTER VII
SOME SPECIMENS INSERTED IN A BOOK KEPT IN THE
BRITISH MUSEUM FOR THAT PURPOSE
Some bookplates kindly lent by Mr. G. F. Barwick--Wrest Park
plates--Sir John Lubbock 53
CHAPTER VIII
CHIPPENDALE AND CRESTPLATES
William Sharp the engraver--The Rev. John Watson--Edward
Trotter--Patrick Colquhoun 62
CHAPTER IX
MODERN BOOKPLATES
Remarks on examples given in _The Studio_, special winter number,
1898-9 69
CHAPTER X
VARIOUS BRITISH BOOKPLATES
The proper place for a bookplate is in a book--Gordon of Buthlaw--Spencer
Perceval--William Wilberforce--A bookplate for a
special purpose--George Ormerod--Robert Surtees--Cathedral
plates 76
CHAPTER XI
BOOKPLATES IN AMERICA 121
CHAPTER XII
INSCRIPTIONS IN BOOKS
John Collet of Little Gidding--A book that was in the Battle of
Corunna--Henry Howard--Sir Percivall Hart--John Crane
and the Battle of Naseby 155
BIBLIOGRAPHY 172
INDEX 175
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
SAINT BENEDICT _Frontispiece_
PAGE
NOVACELLA 16
MARIDAT, P. 38
MALDEN, PAUL DE 40
MERCATOR, NICHOLAS 44
PEPPER, PRESCOTT 46
VAUGHAN, FRA. 48
THROCKMORTON, SIR ROBERT 50
MORS, SOLA RESOLVIT 51
BECKWITH, THOMAS 52
BUNSEN, C. C. 56
EARL DE GREY 57
LUBBOCK, SIR J. W. 58
CARRUTHERS, WILLIAM 60
SHARP, WILLIAM 62
WATSON, THE REV. JOHN 63
TROTTER, EDWARD 64
GORDON OF BUTHLAW 76
PERCEVAL, THE HONBLE. SPENCER 77
EARL OF GUILDFORD 78
WILBERFORCE, WILLIAM 80
CONSTABLE, THE REV. JOHN 86
BATEMAN, WILLIAM 88
DUKE OF BEAUFORT 90
CONDUITT, JOHN 91
WHEATLEY, HENRY B. 92
RAINE, JAMES 93
FIOTT, JOHN 96
DUKE OF SUSSEX 98
CAMPBELL, THE HONBLE. ARCHIBALD 100
CAMPBELL OF SHAWFIELD 102
GURNEY, HUDSON 104
CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL 105
NEWCOME, THE REV. T. 106
WOOD, THE REV. MANLEY 107
PRINCESS SOPHIA 109
BANDINEL, BULKELEY 109
BLISS, PHILIP 110
DENHOLM, SIR JAMES STEWART 112
OUSELEY, SIR GORE 116
HEATHCOTE, GEORGE PARKER 118
JARVIS, SAMUEL FARMAR 146
BOOKPLATES
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
General remarks--Various modes of engraving--Styles in bookplates.
Of course some people have exaggerated the importance of bookplates, and
on the other hand some have affected to ignore them. Now the simple fact
is that bookplates belong to books, and anything that has to do with
books will assuredly charm cultivated minds until time shall be no more.
If this essential point were oftener remembered, the exaggerations of
both sides would be avoided.
In Germany, a country where bookplates very early found a home, the word
_bibliothekzeichen_, or library label, is used. Germans also use the
name _ex libris_, and in France the Latin expression _ex libris_ is the
only term in use. Naturally the owner’s name in the genitive case is
always understood. In France manuscript inscriptions of ownership are
very fittingly included as _ex libris_.
It is too late to change now; but, at all events, whether included or
not under any special word, manuscript inscriptions in books by their
owners will always be a very interesting study.
What, as explained above, are in France included under _ex libris_, were
known long before the days of printing, as personal inscriptions with or
without the delineation of armorial bearings are often to be found
forming part of the text of books in manuscript. In fact the various
relationships of wealthy patron, learned scribe, and skilled
illuminator, gave much scope for these.
To come to what may be said to be known everywhere as _ex libris_, is to
treat of those wonderful days when the earliest printed books were still
a novelty. Directly several people or institutions each had copies of a
certain printed book, each copy being a duplicate of the other, a wish
arose to distinguish ownership.
Before treating further of bookplates, it will be well to clearly point
out the different kinds of blocks or plates. The woodcut block, known
in some manner to the Chinese 400 years before, was first cut in Europe
early in the fifteenth century. The St. Christopher engraved in Germany
in 1423, is probably the earliest. The piece of wood to be engraved was
cut longwise with the grain, as a plank is cut to-day. A thin piece of
some soft wood, such as pear, apple, or lime, was chosen, the design
drawn upon it, and then with a knife the engraver cut away to a certain
depth everything except the drawn design.
In modern times--about 1785--a revolution took place in wood engraving,
when Bewick began to engrave on a piece of wood cut endwise, and with a
graver instead of a knife. Bewick chose some very hard wood, usually
box. This manner has been continued to this day; and sometimes to
distinguish the old art from the new, as the one is so different from
the other, the former is called a woodcut and the latter wood-engraving.
Next as to etchings. To produce an etching a copper plate is covered
with wax, then with an etching-needle the design is drawn through the
wax to the copper. Acid is then applied, which, of course, only eats out
the copper where the design has been etched.
Now as to copper-plate line engravings. The engraver first traces on
the plate the outline of his design, and then with the
triangular-pointed graver he furrows out the lines, inclining his graver
deeper or shallower according as he wishes to produce varying effects.
Copper-plate engraving has been practised ever since early in the
fifteenth century. About 1820 engraving on steel came into vogue. More
impressions can be taken from a steel than from a copper plate; but
steel is more difficult to engrave upon. By a new process, however, a
copper plate can now be strengthened with a steel film.
Mezzotint engraving is an art by itself, and of great interest to
English readers, because of the many charming mezzotint engravings after
England’s great portrait-painter, Sir Joshua Reynolds; and also by
reason of Prince Rupert, the brave cavalier’s, close connection with the
art. He has often been said to have invented mezzotint; but the first
credit for this is now given to another gallant soldier, Ludwig von
Siegen, who engraved a plate in 1642, and kept his discovery a profound
secret until, in 1654, he found himself in Brussels with Prince Rupert.
The two kindred spirits meeting, the secret was soon unfolded. Rupert
became as eager in another field as if he were leading a cavalry charge,
and in four years’ time appeared his splendid mezzotint engraving, The
Executioner of John the Baptist. As the object of this book is not to
give a serious treatise on elaborate methods of engraving, it will best
express mezzotint to state that it is in general terms produced by the
opposite process from a line engraving, A very smooth copper-plate
surface is, as it were, engraved all over. Then the design is wrought on
this by a scraping process.
A kind of stipple or dotted engraving was known early in the sixteenth
century; but what is really famous as stipple and dotted engraving, only
came into vogue in the eighteenth century. The copper plate was first
covered with wax, and a dotted outline of the subject pricked through
the wax with an etching-needle. Then the shadows were filled in, and
finally acid used, as with an etching, Francesco Bartolozzi’s is
probably the name best known in this connection, though in masterly
ability, William Ryland, who was hanged for forgery, far surpassed him.
In aquatint engraving, the plate to be engraved is covered with a
solution made of resin and spirits of wine; this process produces a
surface more or less open to the action of acids when applied. In the
hands of a skilful manipulator, a fine engraving results from this
“more or less” condition.
Here, in beginning to record the succeeding styles of _ex libris_, let
us refer to the varieties which have prevailed at different times
amongst Deutschland bookplates. In the first place careful note must be
made regarding six coloured drawings of the fourteenth century which
Herr Warnecke includes as bookplates, in his splendid work--_Die
Deutschen Bücherzeichen_. Now if once it be admitted that something
inscribed in a book as in fact a necessary integral part of that book,
is a bookplate, then it becomes impracticable to draw a distinguishing
line.
Next, if like the old preachers, we divided the description into three
headings, firstly, secondly, and thirdly, we should on this subject
record: firstly, German _ex libris_ are armorial; secondly, they are
armorial; thirdly, they are armorial. Especially in the earlier plates,
the crest is always in its proper place over a helmet, and the helmet
over the shield of arms. It would be well if with just an artistic frame
to enclose the whole the bookplate stopped there; but alas, there is
only too often besides a multitude of fantastic accessories, which give
a confusing instead of a pleasing impression. Coming down towards the
seventeenth century, you are sometimes favoured (?) with a fantastic
maze of the quarterings and emblems of the owner’s relatives to the
fortieth generation.
Predominant in the seventeenth century is what is known as the Baroque
style, with designs of endless curves and contortions, drawn in a very
heavy manner.
Some of the plates which are most pleasing, are those where the arms are
surrounded by light wreaths of leaves and flowers.
Reaching the eighteenth century, the Rococo or Shell style, begun in
France, becomes common in German bookplates. Late in the century there
are, too, some curious and pleasing allegorical plates.
Of early nineteenth-century German _ex libris_, perhaps the less said
the better; but a few are good and all help in making history, so that
it is interesting to know that the famous author and collector, Karl
Emich Count zu Leiningen-Westerburg, had between seven hundred and eight
hundred specimens.
Since then, with the union of Germany, has come, as all the world knows,
an artistic and literary development in _ex libris_, as well as in other
branches of art. All this, and a million other points about German
bookplates, are admirably told in the late Karl Emich Count zu
Leiningen-Westerburg’s book, translated into English for the _ex libris_
series.
In the styles of French bookplates, the more or less simple armorial is
most often met in the earlier examples, although one of the best
known--that of Charles Ailleboust, Bishop of Autun, had nothing armorial
about it.
Heraldry, of course, took an early and masterful hold of the French
aristocracy, although even in France, in quite early years, it was found
necessary to fix fearful fines and penalties for people assuming
insignia to which they had no lawful claim.
Up to about 1650, the almost rectangular shield prevailed in French
bookplates; but soon after this, oval shields predominate, and not
seldom capped by coronets to which the owners had no title. There is
often at the base of the shield a solid plinth, usually bearing the
chief inscription.
Then in the latter half of the eighteenth century comes the Rococo or
Shell style of bookplate. At the same time, too, there are of course
Field-Marshals’ _ex libris_, defended by guns, and Lord High Admirals’
bookplates reclining amongst anchors.
In 1790 the French Assembly passed a decree annulling the titles of
duke, count, marquis, viscount, baron, and chevalier; also doing away
with all armorial bearings.
In regard to the styles of English bookplates we cannot do better than,
for the most part, to refer to the learning of Mr. W. J. Hardy--a man
steeped to the finger-tips in ancient lore.
Up to about 1720, “Simple Armorial” is the best brief record. The shield
is surmounted by a helmet, on which are the wreath and crest. From the
helmet is outspread mantling, more or less voluminous. In earlier
examples this terminates generally in tassels, before reaching the base
of the shield. In later examples its heavy folds descend quite to the
base, and often ascend from the helmet to the level of the top of the
crest. Below is a scroll for the motto, and below that, the owner’s
name. Next we come to what is known as the Jacobean style, but to which
the much more fitting name of “Queen Anne and early Georgian” should be
given. The style includes mainly an ornamental frame, suggestive of
carved work, resting as often as not upon some kind of conventional
support; the ornamentation of both frame and support being of the
interior architectural order, making frequent use of fish scales and
trellis or diaper patterns for the decoration of plain surface.
Next we find the Rococo style introduced from across the Channel, and
this before long time, merging into the well-known Chippendale style, so
closely associated with English bookplates. After this, in English
bookplates comes the festoon, or wreath-and-ribbon style, in which
certainly many charming _ex libris_ were engraved. As Mr. Egerton Castle
points out, one of the surest ways of knowing this later Georgian style
is by the spade shape of the shields, and altogether a manner which
calls up memories of designers and architects such as Sir W. Chambers,
Adams, Wedgwood, or Sheraton.