The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
AMERICAN BOOK PLATES.
RECENT PROGRESS MADE IN THE
dRT or DESIGNING THEM.

ART OF THEM.
specimens which CoiIcciora Hole In Especial,
Esterm-Dtnrrencr Between Eprly Colonial
Piatos ana s1odrrn DcsiEn.-vcrucs from
some Early Americnn Rock Labels.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2s.-rho most representa-.
two. IL not tho finest. collection OF American
book plates Is owned by n resident of Washing.
ton, Pickering Dodge. the President Of tho
American Book Plato Society. Tho revival OF
the book plate fashion within the last few years
is probably largely duo to the influences OF
Aubrey Bcardsloy and tho poster. Before this
period such good book plates as were in exist
enco were woodcut scrolls, usually OF inferior do
sign, bearing the names of the owners, although
aLtompts woro mndo from time TO timo by book
owners weary Of tho monotory of these crude
designs to render book plates attractive. The
earlier cngravors in England, Bcwick and his
pupils. did much to mako an artistic book plate
n possibility.
With the new designers came special styles Of
book plates. and these arc now known rs the
Pictorial. Jacobcan, Chippcndnle. and Ribbon
and Wreath. Tho book plates OF these designs,
which werc produced by the early English en-.
gravers, wero Celebrations of certain Glasses OF
designs mndo during tho last contury; but they
had not arrived ut the dignity of specialization.
While these carly book plates are priced. not
only for their artistic merits but also on nc.
count of their genealogical value, many Of the
collectors OF to-day esteem more highly the
modern works OF American and English do.
signors. A glance at Mr.. DoGgc's collection,
which contains moro early American book
plates than are to DO found elsewhere, shows
tho names OF many distinguished persons. Ac-
cording to Charles Dexter Allen, who is one Of
tho American authorities on book plates, the
number Of known and listed plates OF the Colo
NAL and early Statehood periods is now we'll
over ono thousand. and as the number Of col.
lectors increases and researches arc being OK.
tended it Is b believed that tho number will con-
| stantly increase.
Tho book plato OF George Washington is not
elaborate. but its associations and rarity make
1t valuable to the collector. The plate was on.
graved In England between 1765 and 1875. An
attempt was once made in this city to foist .
collection of books upon the public as that Of
Gen. Washington by inserting forged book
plates. Mr.. Doigo preserved a copy OF tho
forgery. Judge Bushrod Washington, tho Gem
erals nephew, had q plato q little moro protein
tious in character. Tho Fairfax family Of Vir-
ginia had a book plato Of English make.
probably ordered about the Same timo
that Washington's was. In the cstima.
tion OF collectors the plates of Paul Re-
we're rank next to that Of Gen. Washington.
Four plates bear tho signature of Revere as en-
| graver, and these belonged to Epes Sargent,
Gardiner Chandler, David Green. and William
Wetmore, all members of families whose nam es
are well known in Massachusetts,. Revere also
had q plate of his own, although this one is not
signed. Mr.. Allen had an interesting ex-
perience in discovering a copy of the Epes Sar.
gent plate, which shows the interest that at
taches to the collection. For a long time only
ono copy of this plate was known, and as 1t bore
the signature OF Revere 1t was highly esteemed.
OF P 4uSh fsSesvg r. a t. ie't asting f 4 fp @ boot pa pIafs
Of ,Epes Sargent. engraved by Revere. had any
Sad t IsSy nIagt tna n ne tb mad bought pssat Two OF books which
Copley portrait of Revere. A book auctioneer
Of Boston tony WAS ssd comm eSSmmS uni fIs Nv with and the
owned in Boston, while the other. put up al
Another early American engraver whose
plates are highly valued and are now very
Fairman; in New York Edward and Elisha Gal.
ande5: abraham Goodwin, Harrison, Anderson
The early. American plates are interesting
merit. It seems to have been once the general
productions. But the most artistic plates 81 TO-
consider that the book plate should accord WITH
their own personal likes or show incidents of
ihsis dRsGso OF sho hkis a%fsnt T cub n P Ii sasylSRfa,
uses q plate which indicates his habit of reading
eravers Of book plates who have attained prom.
inence in this country are Edwin Davis French
E ss% iG #. s s'tS; "; Il T. W W9DsSe Ct N 'Mss nay sna
Sydney L. Smith of Boston. Hopson has done
plate for Mr.. Stoddard which Is considered to
inc e. s. Porter OF Hartford. Conn.,. 2 lady Of by.
costumes. Edwin Davis French is known for
signs. The plate Of Charles Il. Taylor Of the
the design by b. Bird. There is q silhouette
landscape at the eo. top repres%snPting Copley
vinne, the printer, Of New York, has a plate de-
S,SShisba b 9y s a siTte enfSee cent sego ap ppe arSes.e es:
minding one OF the early engrayers and bind
ers. This was also engraved BY MIR. French.
se l@aaf American nnGsSs t SooE PG pistes aoS TEe on e's for e4 ".
II: Shircliffe of this city Is especially fine: Mr..
Rhead's posters are well known, but only re-
book plates. Another graceful one was made for
James "a Henry Darlington. I; 1ii rector OF Christ
ChnFe ss: s sRfoa 81 ibe a assoe and sei e 9 is 1 SiIe
of books rests in either lower corner. the seven
gold candlesticks browning that containing the
Bi Fhe an" Piat tse 81 PG PRe e laf S' oiiSsr pWE sHSsell Ho,me.
'"chambered nautilus" George Bancroft, tho
q panel. on which is engraved a Greek motto.
niche Of a BOOKCASE, stands Thackeray IN the
are the works Of the old writers Of fiction, while
q death mask lies on tho shelf above. Thomas
p Bailey dsFyb Alsd r Saw. PslSst S,n sh so1sb ? e sEgil On = T n1Sih
| Not tho least quaint feature connected with
which were written on tho early American
labels. as book plates of the simplest form are
called. Hero are a few:
This Book
Ia the Property OF (:
SAMUEL RASKIE.