The Rise of the Book Plate

Bookplates were made to denote ownership and hopefully steer the volume back to the rightful shelf if borrowed. They often contained highly stylized writing, drawings, coat of arms, badges or other images of interest to the owner. Theearliest known form of a bookplate originates from roughly 1390 BCE, in Egypt. They became popular throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, and since have appeared throughout the world, being especially popular in larger personal libraries and book lending societies. William Goodrich Bowdoin (1860-1947) wrote passionately and a great deal on the art of books, including book plates. His works include American Bookbinders, published in 1902. He published frequently under his initials, W. G. Bowdoin. In this particular work, Bowdoin has collected a fascinating variety of bookplates from around the world to showcase different styles. This edition is dedicated to Larissa Watkins, librarian and bibliographer extraordinary, friend to countless authors.