How do you feel about bookplates?

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How do you feel about bookplates?

1snottlebocket
Mar 27, 2022, 3:07 pm

I've commissioned myself a bookplate by an acquainted illustrator (I've removed my name for privacy reasons from the image below). I'm posting this in the fantasy group because after thinking long and hard, I came to the conclusion that I wanted my bookplate to depict that lovely feeling of leaving home for the adventure down the path. A feeling so embedded in the Hobbit and the fellowship of the ring. The same feeling I get when opening a new book.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that bookplates are actually a controversial topic these days. Personally, it is a loving marking of my books as my own. But I hear many collectors see it as little more than defacing a book. Purely out of curiosity, I'd be interested to hear people's views. I'm quite content with my bookplate and it's already proving to be a lovely conversation piece when lending out books.

2pgmcc
Mar 27, 2022, 3:31 pm

I like your bookplate.

I am someone who writes notes in my books and underlines text. I know that I love to look at other people's notes in old books that I buy. It strikes me as participating in a conversation with the previous owner.

In terms of whether or not it is defacing a book I think that depends on what your plans are for you book. If I buy an old book for collecting purposes I will buy it with whatever markings it has on it. The markings are part of the history of the book and as far as I am concerned the add value to the book. I do not add further markings to an old book and would not put a bookplate on it.

I have put bookplates on a number of books I have that I would consider reference books.

I would not put a bookplate or any markings on limited edition books I had acquired from a small press as collectible items. Other than that I would see no issue with bookplates. They add to the book's life story and inform future owners about you and the life of the book.

Welcome to The Green Dragon.

3Karlstar
Mar 27, 2022, 4:31 pm

I've put bookplates on my books in the past, like >2 pgmcc:, none of them were of collectable quality. Welcome to the group!

4Sakerfalcon
Mar 28, 2022, 7:30 am

I love that design! It makes me want to enter the illustration and follow the road.

I like buying used books with bookplates in; as Peter says, they can add to the history of a book. I collect old school stories which were often presented as prizes for achievement, or Sunday School attendance. In some cases, this is the only way to guess the age of the book.

5MrsLee
Mar 29, 2022, 5:12 pm

>2 pgmcc: expressed my opinion nicely. I collect books around me for my purposes, not for future financial gain. >1 snottlebocket: your bookplate is lovely.

6WholeHouseLibrary
Mar 29, 2022, 8:20 pm

That's an awesome bookplate!

MrsHouseLibrary had a BA in Art before switching focus and earned an MA in Education, and after we married, certification for Library Science. By comparison, the only things I could draw was conclusions, the short straw, and a bath.

I've got three books on the subject, my favorite one being The Art of the Bookplate which I found in the big box bookstore in Austin in 2003. It got me interested in thinking about what I would design -- or rather, what I could imagine and relate to MHL so that she could design it. It seems, it was one of the two things in our near-perfect marriage where we couldn't relate. She had no patience for verbal fine details. I haven't thought much about designing a bookplate for quite some time now, although, I will browse through the pages of those books.

I wouldn't put a bookplate in a SFE, unless that book was inscribed to me by the author. I may have ten that qualify, but I haven't got bookplates; kind of a moot issue.

Pardon this aside, but it's relevant. When Karrell died, I had no need, no desire to remain in this two-story, four-bedroom house. I decided I'd rid myself of 90% of everything in it. Of the thousands of books we shared, I'd pare it down to 200 yet-unread books and others that I have too much of an attachment to, all of which will fit into a single bookcase.

It's those others that I would add a bookplate to; just don't have the frame of mind right now to design one.

7snottlebocket
Apr 3, 2022, 5:44 am

>6 WholeHouseLibrary: What's an SFE?

8MrAndrew
Apr 3, 2022, 7:34 am

Superior Financial Endeavours.

Sausagedog From Ecuador.

Singularity For Ever.

Just kidding. Probably Signed First Edition.