American Book-Plates: A Guide to Their Study with Examples. Charles Dexter Allen
in Unity of Yale College, are examples. In Dartmouth College, the Social Friends Society, and in the smaller colleges numerous other fraternities and societies, used plates of simpler style.
The books of the Library of Harvard College were marked with plates by Hurd and Bowen, as noted in the list; on these plates, the gifts of various benefactors are recorded, with the class to which they belonged, conditions regarding the gift of the books, or a statement of the fund from whose income the money for the books is derived.
The plate of the Library of Congress is an engraved label having the name and spaces for
entries surrounded by a border of oak leaves and acorns: the design is very neat, and is old in appearance.
A very beautiful plate is used by some Orphan Asylum, which does not give its full name upon its plate. In this a beautiful picture of the Christ blessing the little ones is given; the line “Forasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these, ye did it unto Me,” is given under the vignette.
In the plate of the Library of the New York State Agricultural Society, which was incorporated in 1832, Ceres is seen in the field; behind her the sheaves of wheat extend in rows; one arm clasps a cornucopia, and with the hand of the other she extends a wreath.
In a great many instances the plates of libraries had no pictorial features, or indeed anything at all ornamental, being but the printed rules governing the users of the books. Two examples of this kind of plate are given below.
This VOLUME belongs to PRICHARD’S Circulating Library, Containing nearly Two Thousand Volumes, In Market Street, Baltimore, where LADIES OR GENTLEMEN may become READERS By subscribing for one Month, three Months or by Agreement for a single Book. Said Prichard has also a very great Variety of NEW and OLD BOOKS for Sale. He, likewise, Gives Ready Money for New and Old Books. ——— Union Circulating Library, 201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.
Subscribers to pay in advance, six dollars for a year: three dollars and fifty cents for six months: two dollars for three months: one dollar for one month: each subscriber to have three Duodecimo volumes, or one Octavo and one Duodecimo at a time. A subscriber detaining an Octavo longer than four weeks or a Duodecimo longer than two weeks to pay as a non-subscriber. For each Octavo one eighth of a dollar per week until the end of the fourth week when the rate was doubled. For a Duodecimo one sixteenth of a dollar per week until the end of the second week.
Constant attendance at the Library from Sunrise till 8 o’clock in the evening.
In mentioning a few examples of the plates recently made for societies and libraries, no attempt is made to furnish a complete list, nor even to mention all the attractive plates, but to speak of a few which seem of especial interest.
A pleasing architectural plate is used in Columbia College Library to mark the books of the Avery Architectural Library. This was designed by Russell Sturgis, and is in the form of a memorial window or mortuary mural tablet. The central panel bears the inscription, and the date MDCCCXC is given below.
The plate of the Arnold Arboretum, designed by George Wharton Edwards, is very attractive; the just-rising sun shines upon a white pine which stands within an elliptical frame; the names of the Institution and of the University appear upon ribbons which float from the pine. The plate is dated 1892, and is signed, G. W. E.
The same artist designed the first book-plate of the Grolier Club of New York City. In this, Atlas is seen supporting the arms of the club within a circular frame which bears the name, and the date of the founding of the club, 1884; rich foliations with a pounced background surround this central design. The plate is signed G. W. E.
The Public Library of the old whaling town of New London has a plate which is wholly nautical in construction; the name is given on a wheel which is held by a seaman, while the captain stands by in pea-jacket and rough-weather helmet, giving orders; the sail, which rises behind them, affords space for the number of the book; below the deck on which the mariners stand, are seen harpoons and spears of various sizes and kinds; two dolphins are disporting in the waves. This plate is signed by the name of the artist in full. It is by Mr. Edwards.
The Sutro Library of San Francisco uses a plate which gives a large and interesting picture of the natural resources of the locality, and the enterprises carried on in its vicinity; the motto, Labor omnia vincit, appears on the ribbon which floats in the air.
The Watkinson Library of Hartford uses one of the very few portrait plates in the country; just why this style of plate should not be common is not easy to understand. They are used in Boston and Worcester, as mentioned below, but these instances are all that occur in public libraries. In this plate the portrait of David Watkinson, the founder of the library, is enclosed within an oval frame which bears the name and the date of incorporation, 1858. The plate is signed by the American Bank Note Company, New York, and is an excellent piece of steel engraving.
Almost all of the historical societies use plates in which the arms of the state or city in which they are located, are used. The Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maine Historical Societies have plates of this kind. In the last-named plate an inescutcheon bears four important dates in the history of the state of Maine.
| 1605, | First voyage along the Coast by Waymouth. |
| 1649, | Election of Godfrey as Governor. |
| 1678, | Usurpation of Maine by Massachusetts. |
| 1820, | Separation from Massachusetts. |
The Rowfant Club of Cleveland uses a small plate representing the corner of a library; the open window admits the fading light of the sun, which is sinking into the sea; the lattice swings idly, and the pile of books on the table proclaim a busy day.
A very striking plate is used by the University Club of Washington. A wall of rough-faced stone is pierced by a small quatrefoil window in which