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BOOKPLATES THE WORLD OF EX-LIBRIS |
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A historical retrospective 3 MODERN TIMES |
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3c THE 1900S: BRITAIN, FROM PRE-RAPHAELITES TO ART NOUVEAU 1870-1910 |
3c/15. Harold Nelson (GB, 1871- c.1925)  E. FLETCHER-CLAYTON,
X2, 140 x 92, c.1900.
Nelson was one of the finest engravers and designers of the ‘Studio’ group. He illustrated many books, and is also remembered as one of the first designers of advertisements for Cadbury’s chocolates. |
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3c/16. Joseph W. Simpson (GB, 1879-1939) MAISIE
PHILLIPS, X2, 105 x 81, c.1905.
This illustrator and caricaturist trained in Edinburgh was a prolific ex-libris maker, and published his The Book of Book Plates in 1903. |
3c/17. Calman V. de Rosznyay (H/GB, 1874-1948) MILTON
OSCAR REICH, P7, 78 x 100, 1906.
The Hungarian-born de Rosznyay settled in Britain. He was a very creative artist and designed ex-libris for customers all over Europe. |
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3c/18. Aubrey Beardsley (GB, 1872-1898) HERBERT
CHARLES POLLITT, P1, 83 x 56, c.1895.
Viz BNL #127.
Beardsley’s crucial importance in the whole evolution of art at the turn of the century is well-known. One of the first artists whose crisp decorative images shifted from realism to symbolism, Beardsley’s influence spread all over Europe. This amusing ex-libris or literally ‘book plate’ was made for Politt whom Oscar Wilde described as ‘gilt sunbeams masquerading in clothes’. Two other ex-libris by Beardsley are known. |
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3c/19. Lucien Pissaro (F/GB, 1863-1944) ALFRED FOWLER,
P1, 95 x 78, 1879.
Viz BNL #196.
Eldest son of Camille Pissaro, Lucien settled in England in 1890 and was naturalized in 1916. He was a talented engraver and painter, and created the Eragny Press where he worked with Fowler. |
3c/20. Charles Ricketts (GB, 1866-1931) J. W. GLEESON
WHITE, X2, 175 x 155, 1890.
Viz. BNL #148
Igdrasil is the mythological tree of creation. Ricketts was a painter, printer, stage designer, writer and collector. Of his several ex-libris this is the most ambitious. |
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3c/21. James Guthrie (GB, 1874-1952) EDWARD JOHN
SACHSE, X2, 103 x 60, c.1905.
One of the leading wood engravers associated with the development of private presses and the return to romanticism, Guthrie designed a number of bookplates. He took an active role in pleading for the revival of original graphic techniques in ex-libris, and was editor of The Bookplate Magazine and The Bookplate. This ex-libris is typical of his graphic style. |
3c/22. Kate Greenaway (GB, 1846-1901) LOCKER-LAMPSON,
X2, 85 x 63, c.1880.
Viz BNL #128.
Kate Greenaway’s illustrations, particularly of children’s books, brought her huge popularity in the 1880s, and her distinctive style was much copied. She made ten bookplates, of which six were for members of the Locker-Lampson family, of which she was an intimate friend. |
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3c/23. Randolph Caldecott (GB, 1846-1886) H. G.
Seaman, X2, 92 x 73, 1881.
Viz. BNL #131.
Another important illustrator of children’s books, Caldecott drew this ex-libris on the back of a postcard, and asked his friend J. D. Cooper to engrave it. It is the only ex-libris which he designed. |
3c/24. Arthur Rackham (GB, 1867-1939) G. L. LAZARUS,
P1, 83 x 64, c.1900.
Viz BNL # 180.
Influenced by Charles Ricketts, Rackham was certainly one of the most talented illustrators of his time, and his delicate images with grotesque and magical elements appealed to children’s imagination. This scarce ex-libris is typical of his work. |
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3c/25. Sir William Nicholson (GB, 1872-1949) PHIL MAY,
X1, 96 x 102, 1895.
Viz. BNL #147.
Nicholson studied at the Académie Julian in Paris, and was strongly influenced by Félix Vallotton. He made many posters and illustrations in the ‘flat-toned’ style of the Nabis. Most of his career, however, was devoted to portrait painting. He made four ex-libris, including this one for Phil May (1864-1903), caricaturist and cartoonist for Punch and other magazines. |
3c/26. Edward Gordon Craig (GB, 1872-1966) WALTER DE
LA MARE, X2, 105 x 77, c.1910.
Craig played an important part in the revival of original graphic techniques for the creation of ex-libris, and the development of their modern expression. He was the person who defined a bookplate as being ‘to a book what a collar is to a dog’. This rare bookplate was for the famous lyrical poet Walter de la Mare (1873-1956), whose collected poems were published in 1942. |
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3c/27. Jessie M. King (GB, 1875-1949) FRED J. M.
CHRISTIE, L/col., 110 x 98, c.1906.
Viz. the Bookplate Journal,
March 1995.
Of the Glasgow School, Jessie M. King (later Mrs E. A. Taylor) was one of the most distinguished artists of her time. Her decorative work in books and illustration is usually considered the counterpart of C. R. Mackintosh’s applied art. Her dreamlike subjects often derived from tales of chivalry and Celtic romance, and her more than 20 ex-libris are a series of individual gems, avidly sought by collectors. This plate is one of her most beautiful, with a remarkable effect of blue and gold colouring. |
3c/28. Austin O. Spare (GB, 1886-1956) ROBERT BOSS, P1,
110 x 65, 1908.
Viz BNL #183.
Spare was a precocious and very talented artist, whose few ex-libris are unfortunately not always very well printed. George Bernard Shaw considered his work too strong a meat for normal, and Augustus John thought his draughtsmanship unsurpassed. |
End of 3c
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