Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-20
RARE BOOK PLATE. EXHIBIT
LARNER COLLECTION LOANED
TO PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Designs Numbering About 5000,
and Include Those Used by
Many Famous Americans.

The District Public Library has just put
on exhibition a collection of about 5000
bookplates, or ex-libris, belonging to John
B. Larner trustee of the Public Libra
ry. The collection has taken many years
to gather, and represented much time and
study. as well as considerable invest
advanced in price over what was orig
inally paid for them.
This exhibition of engraved plates will
appeal to those interested in them as ex-
amples of beautiful artistic designs, 20
less than to those who will view chem
from the standpoint of photographed
rarities. These plates are full of sugges-
tions to those who desire plates to mark
the ownership of their own books.
The collection includes English, Ameri-
can. French and German and other for
elgn plates. What is said to be the first
English steel plate is here: also one dated
100, and signed by HILBERT, and a num-
Der of English mantle Of estate" plates.
Among the many English heraldic plates
Is that of George w. when prince regent.
plates is one dated 1855. The English
ladies' plates in the collection usually
have monograms or nantes, but rarely
are heraldic Among these the plate of
Anna Damer is especially beautiful.
There are many examples of modern
English plates, as we'll as German and
French styles. Among the latter are the
plates Of Victor Hugo and Theophile Gau-
tier.
Used by Famous Americans.
Probably the most interesting part of
the collection is that which includes the
American plates. Here will be found the
ex-libris of Charles Carroll Of Carrollton
the signer of the Declaration of indie
pendence), the Calverts Of Baltimore, Will
liam Penn and William Byrd of West
over. George Washington's extremely
rare plate is represented by two examples.
both, however, spurious. The collection
also contains the famous Pennington
plates. as well as the early plates used
by Yale and Harvard colleges.
WashIngtonians will be especially inter-
ested in the plates of some of its libraries
and citizens. OF the former there are ex-
libris Of the old Washington Library,
early labels used by the Library of Con-
sress and Columbian University. OF later
Ole University, the University Club and
the Public Library. The latter was en-
graved by the late Sidney L. Smith, who
ranked high as a designer of book plates.
Among Individual Washington plates are
those of Pickering Dodge, Simon Wolf.
F. Hood. S. w. Woodward. E. Quincy
Smith and DR.. F. B. Loring.
Designed by Paul Revere.
Mr.. Larner's collection has many inter-
esting examples of plates of some Of the
most Celebrated American designers. in
Guiding Paul Revere Che famous rider
of the revolution), E. d. French, J. w.
Spenceley Sidney l.. Smith, w. F. Hop
son. Holyer and Sartain.
Among other personal plates of special
note are those Of Eugene Field, Francis
Wilson. Oliver Wendell Holmes and Law
renee Hutton. The collection contains
many so-called poster plates. Not the
least interesting are the labels used by in
dividuals and early libraries. Some of the
latter contain the rules for borrowing
books that read strangely to persons ac-
custOmed to liberality of the public libra
rieS of the present.
This collection is installed in the ex-
hibition cases on the second floor of the
Public Library. and will be on view from
8 am. to pm. week days. and from .
to ) Sunday for about three weeks.