The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-14
THE VERY EARLIEST
BOOK-PLATE KNOWN.
Represents a Porcupine With a
Flower in Its Mouth.
Worth About Two Hundred Dollars
and Is Owned by an English
Collector.

The collection of book-plates is one of
the latter-day hobbies with our cousins
across the Atlantic. Book-plates are COM
paratively rare in this country, yet there
are Americans who pride themselves on
Just such a peculiar dignity. But the
book-plate collector is seldom to be found
in this busy land of ours. The stamp
collector and the coin collector and the
curio fend, and collectors of goodness
knows how many other different kinds
and species of things, are as numerous, on
the whole, as the names on the school
census, but the book-plate collector is not
much in evidence. We find the vast array
of book-plate collectors where we find
the strongest adherents of Cleveland's
free-trade policy-..across the water"
Nevertheless, it is interesting to know
how the fad fourishes, and it is rather
relief to discover something recent to talk
about, even though the sentimental hobby
has no bearing on the burning issues of
the nineteenth century. Only few weeks
ago James Dorman, a London bookseller,
paid f1150 for notable book-plate collec-
ton, which belonged to the estate of the
late Rev. T. W. Carson of Dublin, Ireland.
Mr.. Carson was widely known as col
lector, and of the 10000 or more plates
which he had gathered together many are
very rare and interesting. Mr.. Dorman
tenderly pointed out to an interviewer the
merits of half dozen specimens. No
like collection to Mr.. Carson's was ever
placed upon the market.
"Mr. Carson was always willing to help
and advise younger collector" said Mr..
Dorman, "but he would never write a
work on book-plates. Oddly enough, it is
lust those people who could write with
the fullest practical knowledge on the sub
lect who won't do so. However, Lord de
Tabley furnished an exception to the die
tum, for his volume, written before he
came into his title, is a standard one.
"The collection which he left is very
fine. 1t remains in the hands of the FAM
ily. Sir A. W. Franks of the British Mu-
scum is without doubt the first living col
Iector in England. He has not merely
finer collection than anybody else, but he
knows much more about book-plates than
other people.
''The man who stands first in England
as an engraver of book-plates Is Mr.. Sher-
born. His plates are most sought after,
most valuable and, indeed, doubt if there
| Lord Wolseley's book plate is by Mr.. Sher-
born, so is the Duke of Westminster's so
are those of many well-known people.
Probably one of his finest productions is
the book-plate of the Burlington Fine Arts
Club A first question which customer
asked me the other day in reference to the
Carson collection was, How many Sher-
| borns did it contains? Well, was glad to
be able to say that it contained over 100
specimens.
''You see, the name of Mr.. Sherborn is
tribute to the workmanship of plate, and
that is one of the great points which col
lector must always have in view. The very
| highest value, however, belongs to the
| earliest, and so the rarest, book plates.
You will readily understand why it should
be so. Now, the most ancient book-plate
known is the Igler one, which dates about
the year 1450. 1t belonged to one Jean
Knabensberg, called Igler, a German chap
| lain, and represents hedgehog holding a
| flower in its mouth. The inscription is in
the words, Hams Igler des dich elm Igel
Kuss. The only two copies of this book
plate of which l have heard have passed
through my own hands at prices between
ESQ and 940.'